MIAD: On My Own

I absolutely love street art. I think it is amazingly courageous to put your work out there for everyone to see and openly criticize. It's also extremely difficult to attempt to decipher what the anonymous artist is trying to say - their message, so to speak. For example, this particular piece of art was slapped onto a random billboard on the streets of Milwaukee, and I have absolutely no idea what it's supposed to mean. However, whenever I look at this, it just puts the biggest smile on my face. I love cats - because, honestly, who doesn't? - and as simply as this seemingly is, there's something about it that intrigues me. Like I said in my previous post, simplicity is kind of what I look for in terms of inspiration. And street art, from a graphic arts point of view is very cool to me.

I feel like the detailing and intricacy of this statue is absolutely beautiful. Again, as I said in my previous post, I love artists that pay extra attention to detail in order to make sure their art is as realistic as possible. The beading and facial features are especially impressive in terms of detail work, along with the rest of the clothing. I love the rustic gold texture overall, as well. As a whole, this statue intrigued me based on its overall complexity and contouring in terms of 3D sculpture.

This photo makes me smile as well as I know exactly what was going on during the time that it was taken, and exactly how happy Kate really was. ;) Anyways, I think this photograph actually turned out better than expected. I love the way the natural lighting hits her face and accentuates her facial expression. I also like the shadowing behind her against the texture of the brick wall. The slight diagonal that the lines of the brick wall creates a interesting contrast to the vertical orientation of the photo as well.

MIAD: Galleries

I really love art that is fairly simple, but still packs a punch. Pieces that are able to make an impact, without being too over-the-top, are generally the pieces that I am attracted to. I think that's something that these three pieces have in common. They are beautiful and thought-provoking without being too crazy.

This was probably the most interesting and creative piece that I came across. While part of the ladybug was created on the pipe, the rest of the right half was finished on the back wall. The two walls were a good ten feet apart, but when viewed from just the right angle, it becomes one whole piece. As I said, something so simple can become something so beautiful and different that catches the attention of someone like me. I'm not sure what the compositional technique was, considering it wasn't on a traditional canvas. However, it was clear to me that the artist focused intently on shape and texture, while paying close attention to detail. I think a great impact was made by just using black for the outlines and shadows, while leaving everything else up to whatever was on the wall.

Another all black piece, or pieces, these three really caught my eye. This looks like it could have been done by the same artist as the first one, however, I don't think so... Anyways, like the first piece, there is a lot of detail work going on. Every small little detail is planned out and executed beautifully to create a string of work that all go together. I also fell in love with the fairytale theme with a dark twist. These kind of reminded me of the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I liked that I could make that connection, as I'm sure that's what the artist was going for - to get everyone to be able to make their own connections. I think it was strong to choose to center each piece, as the focus should be put on each piece as a whole. Again, I think the monochromatic look is a strong aspect. This is the kind of art that makes me say, "Wow, I wish I could do this."

I enjoy art that is different. This is definitely different. It's definitely not your average media. I love the simplicity, again, of this piece. In person, it was kind of hard to look at, seeing as there's all this light being projected at you, but when I took this picture, it created the absolute coolest shadows behind it. I love the circle of light behind it, and how the top of it is light, while the bottom of the photograph is dark. I love that contrast. Again, I love pieces of art that are simple, but that still mean something. I love the word subliminal and think this piece is just great. Again, this piece is also sort of monochromatic, but focuses more on light, which is what the whole piece is kind of about. I don't know why, but I'm attracted to more simple artwork, because I think then you have to think harder to make a connection, or to figure out the concept, which I think is fun. :)