Scott Lobaido

Scott Lobaido

Scott Lobaido is an artist that I discovered this past September 11^th.  I was at a ceremony by the Ferry that Staten Island hosts every year on 9/11 in remembrance of all those we lost on September 11^th 2001, mainly Staten Islanders.  There is a memorial, which has every victim from Staten Islands name on it.  We also read every person who died on 9/11’s name from Staten Island.  I usually read my Uncles name every year.  Along with the name readings, there are also traditional speeches by important people like the mayor and other politicians.  There is a choir and people playing violins.  This year there was something particularly special at the ceremony.  A man named Scott lobaido painted in front of us live to the song “Fix you by Coldplay”.  It was the most moving and emotional experience I have ever seen in my entire life.  I cried the whole time and even lost my breath when Scott was finished with his piece.  I can’t even begin to describe it and the only way to express it would be to see it for yourself. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MCc5V9Nx_g&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWbZuKj-ygA

Scott also participated in “Flags across America” where he drove across the United States, in 10 months, and painted a large American flag on one rooftop in each of the 50 states. His goal was to ensure that all soldiers flying home from war would look down and see an American Flag greeting them home.  Scott’s mission was to make sure that the soldiers knew how grateful we all are for their service to this great country, and to acknowledge the families of these great men and women, and of coarse express his pride in being a free American.

As you can see from the Youtube videos, Scott is an extremely talented artist.  He moves so quickly but yet perfectly every time.  Every time that he paints he creates another master piece.  I think its amazing that he looks like he is just throwing paint all over the place but in a matter of minutes he has created something incredible in such a short period of time right in front of your eyes.  You can tell how awesome it is by the videos, but seeing it in person is an amazing experience.

Art isn't so bad after all...

In the beginning of the semester one of our first assignments was to draw a picture of ourselves.  I remember sitting in class and as soon as I heard the words “draw” I immediately slouched back in my seat thinking to myself oh great this really IS an art class…I'm going to have to draw and paint and all I'm capable of is a stick figure!  Thankfully to my surprise I didn’t have to draw again in this class throughout the semester.

One of the first questions you asked us was “What is art?”  What determines one thing as art and something else not as art?  I was so confused by this.  When I thought of art I thought gee I don’t know how about a painting by Picasso who was one of the only artists I knew by name at the beginning of this semester.  Although I don’t think that I will be able to draw a much better portrait of myself since the first class I do think that I have a better understanding of what art is.

Art can be so many things and I don’t think there are boundaries with art.  It’s a form of self-expression; it’s beautiful and different and can be fashion, tattoos, paintings, sculptures, graffiti and so on.  A narrow-minded person would say that only an extravagant self-portrait is art.  But contemporary artists of today have proved otherwise.  I think that many people will say something is not because they do not understand the concept of it. But just because you do not understand something, does not mean that its not art!  The whole point of art is to try and open your eyes and mind to someone else’s personal masterpiece.  To you it may not be the greatest thing you have ever laid your eyes on, but that’s the whole point.  If you start to open your eyes a little more maybe you will begin to see more to whatever “art” it is that your looking at!

My two favorite artists that you introduced us to were Jenny Holzer and Barbara Krueger.  I was so fascinated with their work.  I just thought it was so creative and different and I had never seen something like that before.  Many of the other kids in our class did not feel the same.  They felt that it was not a lot of work and nothing special.  BUT before Barbara Krueger or Jenny Holzer nobody else in the world had made art like that.  Even if you don’t particularly like something, it doesn’t mean its not art!  I think a major reason that it is art, is because before they did it nobody else came up with that idea.  Its different and uncommon and not something that you see every day.  I still think that their work is amazing.

Although art is not my favorite subject because I do not feel that I am so artistic I have learned that everyone has the potential to be.  The day in class when we all had the opportunity to create something different I actually got really into it.  I don’t know why but something came over me and I just got in the zone and went with it.  It was very relaxing for me. I wasn’t thinking about finals, or what my weekend plans were.  For the first time in my life I actually felt like an artist.  Maybe that’s what all of these famous artists feel every time they create something new.  So before I took this class I would roll my eyes at the thought of drawing or painting or even talking about art.  But now I feel differently.  I know I will never be the next Picasso but I know that I am capable of creating something that’s not all that bad.  I even hung it up on my fridge!  :) Art isn’t so bad after all.  It’s actually pretty cool!

Tattoos and Kat Von D

            As I have previously stated in my first blog I have a huge interest in tattoos as well as a big admiration for tattoo artists!  I have grown up seeing them on my father (he has almost 30!) and when I was 17 I got my first tattoo (without my parents permission ha-ha) and today I have 9.  I think tattoos are definitely considered art.  Even though you may see someone and think that their tattoo is silly and pointless, to them it could tell a beautiful story or be in memory of someone special to them.  I love that tattoos stay with you forever.  Just like a painting, a tattoo could be interpreted in many ways to different people, but only the person who has the tattoo on their body knows the true meaning of the tattoo.

            After seeing the project on tattoos in class, and watching the YouTube clips from the show LA Ink I started to research Kat Von D. Katherine von Drachenberg AKA Kat Von D was born on March 8^th 1982 and is an American tattoo artist, model, and TV personality.  She is best known for her work as a tattoo artist on the TLC reality show LA Ink.

Kat Von D moved to LA when she was 4 years old.  She began playing the piano at age 6.  She credits her grandmother as an inspiration for her interest and talents in music and art, and the Latino culture of LA as a major influence on her tattoo art and style.  She began listening to the Ramones, Misfits and other punk rock bands at 12 years old.  She got her first tattoo at 14 years old and quit school at 16 to become a tattoo artist.

            Now although Kat Von D is a very talented tattoo artist, she is one in a million to be famous and as successful as she is today so I wouldn’t encourage or promote a 14 year old getting a tattoo, nor a 16 year old dropping out of school.  But luckily for Miss Kat Von D, everything worked out in her favor!

            People get tattoos for personal reasons.  Just like people chose to style their hair a certain way or behave the way they do or dress the way they dress, some people prefer ink!  For some, they see the tattoo as a way of marking something personal on their bodies, such as a picture of a loved one that has passed on, or an image that reminds them of a past experience in life.  Meaning that they got the tattoo based on important past life experiences.  For others it’s just simply about showing off their personality and letting others see a little bit of whom they are at first glance.  Or it’s a way of incorporating an art form onto their body.

            I think that tattoo artists are very talented.  Imagine being under the pressure of putting a piece of artwork that is PERMANENT on someone’s body!  This is not something that can be erased, or re done.  Once that tattoo is there its staying forever!  Some tattoo artists like Kat Von D for example, have tattooed portraits of people.  I have seen tattoos that are so good and realistic, that the detail is incredible right down to the wrinkles on a persons face or creases on the lips.  The shading and coloring of the tattoo is important.  There is so much work that goes into a tattoo and each one is original because you can never make the exact same tattoo twice.

The first tattoo that I ever got was for my Uncle Eddie who passed away on September 11^th 2001.  It is of his initials and has angel wings around it and 9/11/2001 in Roman Numerals.  I also have the skyline of Manhattan on my rib cage.  My most recent tattoo is lyrics from the song “Free Bird” by Lynard Skynard.  It is a feather with four small birds coming out of it and underneath that it says “and this bird you cannot change fly high free bird”.  I chose that song because it is my family’s favorite song.  My brother, mother father and me are all very close and it meant a lot for me to get that tattoo.  My family loved the tattoo and its important to me because I got it because I love my family and its something that is special to us!

The pictures below are of the tattoo artist Kat Von D

The Pictures below are my tattoos that I spoke about above

A memorial or altar in my home

There are many objects in my house that make up a special altar or memorial that is dedicated to my Uncle Eddie.  My Uncle Eddie who was my mothers youngest brother passed away on September 11^th 2001.  My mother worked in the World Trade Center for 18 years before she retired two years before 9/11.  She was at work the day of the first terrorist attack back in 1993.  My Uncle Eddie worked across the street from the World Trade Center but he had an early meeting on one of the top floors that day.  He left behind a beautiful wife and two very young children who are now ten and thirteen years old.

My family was deeply affected by the terrorist attack on 9/11 and there are so many things in my house that are dedicated to my Uncles memory and all of the other lives lost that day.  I have pictures, posters, bracelets, rosary beads, special items from the World Trade Center, books, items from the 9/11 memorial and so on.  There are so many things in my house that remind me of my Uncle.  My mother even named my dog after him.  

One item that I have brought to class is a cross that was made out of left over material from the World Trade Center.  This is very special to my mother because it is a piece of the building that she will always be able to keep with her.  Another item that I have to show comes from the National September 11^th Memorial and Museum.  I went to go visit it for the first time with my parents and brother back in October and family members are given white paper and are able to color in their family members name, which are inscribed in bronze on parapets surrounding the twin Memorial pools.

When I was 18 I got my first tattoo on my foot, which has my Uncle’s initials with angel wings around it and 9/11/2011 in roman numerals below it.  I then got another tattoo of the outline of the Manhattan skyline including the twin towers in it.  My tattoos can indicate a memorial for my Uncle on my body because I got them in his memory and they will be on me forever.

In conclusion, when my Uncle Eddie passed away on September 11^th 2011 it was a very emotional and rough time for my family.  My mother, me and the rest of our family know that we will always keep his memory alive by keeping pictures up, and telling stories about him.  Each of us has special items in our home that represent my Uncle Eddie.  

My Uncles Grave

My rib tattoo of the skyline of Manhattan

 My Uncle's name colored at the Memorial

 My younger cousins Emily and Eddie, my Uncle Eddie's children

My brother and I at the Memorial in NYC

A painting by Scott Lobadio

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koon’s was born on January 21st 1955 and he is a contemporary American artist.  He is known for his reproductions of balloon animals that are produced in stainless steel with mirror finish surfaces.  He lives and works in New York City and his hometown York, Pennsylvania.

Jeff Koon’s' work has sold for a large amount of money.  The largest sum known to be paid for a work by Koon’s is "Balloon flower" which was sold for $25,765,204 at Christie's London on June 30th, 2008 in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale. 

There are many arguments that Jeff Koon’s work is based on “cynical self merchandising” even though he states that there are no hidden meanings in his works.  While other people view his work as pioneering and of major art historical importance.

After watching the video in class about Jeff Koon’s I am a little skeptical about his artwork myself.

Jeff has a lot of people who work for him.  As we can see it takes a long time for him to finish a painting or another piece of artwork.  From the video it looks like he has a bunch of people working really hard on whatever his next idea is, while he is shown sitting down and talking in clean clothes and not getting his own hands dirty!  Sure he went to art school, and knows a great deal about art.  He creates his projects on the computer but even one of his employees said in the video that he hasn't been hands on involved with a project in years. Jeff Koon’s may have the idea of his work, but he isn't doing any of the lifting or painting.  I think its a little ridiculous that they have to be SO detailed in their paintings that they have to match up so many different numbers and colors. 

I do like his paintings and other works but there is no way that I think his art is worth such a great deal of money like I mentioned earlier.  I also think its a little strange that Jeff Koon’s just sits on the computer and doesn't get involved like the rest of the people who work for him do.  Basically he just gives the idea but doesn't actually create the artwork.  He may give the main goal for the artwork but the people who are actually bringing the artwork to life are the ones who should get the credit for the work.  Jeff Koon’s gives guidance and tells people what he wants his artwork to look like but at the end of the day he isn't creating it!  How does that make any sense?  If somebody writes lyrics for a singer the singer who sings the song will get the fame and credit.  But there wouldn’t be a super star if there weren’t somebody writing the lyrics for them to sing.  I think that Jeff Koon’s does deserve credit as an artist, but I feel like there are so many people that are involved in his projects that do not receive the credit that they deserve.

Final Project

This semester I have learned about different types of art, what art is, and have become familiar with several different artists.  I became interested in two artists in particular,  Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger.  For my final project I will decide between the two of these women.

Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist.  Much of her work consists of black and white photographs overlaid with declarative captions.

Jenny holzer is also an American conceptual artist.  She is known mostly for her large scale public displays that include billboard advertisements, projections on buildings and other architectural structures, as well as illuminated electronic displays.

Work by Jenny Holzer:

Works by Barbara Kruger:

The reason why I like their work so much is because the way that they project their artwork is very eye catching.  Barbara Kruger uses interesting photos with big bold words in white and red.  Jenny Holzer displays her words on huge buildings in public places.  I think that they are both very creative.  Also, what they write on their photos or display on buildings is always something that stops and makes you think.  They tie in words with their artwork which I think is a really cool form of art.  They don't paint masterpieces or sculpt anything, but they have their own unique style of art.  I would have never thought to make something like that before.  I would really like to see Jenny Holzer's work in person.  I can imagine that seeing it projected on a huge building in big bold letters gives more of an affect in person rather then on the computer.  I also like them as artists because they have a certain pattern and style that they use in their artwork.  You know that its something from Barbara Kruger by the big red and white letters.  I have seen a clothing company advertise a picture of Marilyn Monroe with big red and white letters that read "Supreme" (the name of the clothing company) and immediately I knew that they stole that idea from Barbara Kruger.

The Whitney Museum of American Art in NYC has Barbara Kruger artwork and I will probably go see that and do my final project on her!