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Patricia
Monday, February 21, 2011
Friday, August 13, 2010
Lessons Learned in London
As Aleedra mentioned, today is officially the last day of the RCWG summer internships. However, I'll be here for another week, because last week I had the amazing opportunity to travel to London.
The purpose of my 9-day trip was a summer course at the Courtauld Institute of Art entitled "Artists' Materials: Invention and Innovation." The class had 9 students and was taught by paintings conservator Clare Richardson. We took a quick tour of European artists' materials, beginning in 13th century Italy, all the way up to the 1920s and the Russian Avant-Garde. We learned about egg tempera's quick-drying character, the problematic nature of poplar panels, the necessity of seams in large works on canvas, the discoloration of certain colors in oil, the difficulty of obtaining and preserving blue pigments, the relationship of the Impressionists with colormen, and the use of asphalt and sugar in Malevich's paintings.
And that's only the half of it. The most rewarding parts of the course were the practical sessions and the field trips. Clare taught us how to water gild in the old-fashioned way, which is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do! We also made red lake pigment from Brazilwood, and combined that and other pigments with egg yolk to make egg tempera like the masters. Additionally, we went to the National Gallery and the Tate Modern to see in person the subjects we had studied. Imagine a group of 10 people, staring in awe at the San Pier Maggiore Altarpiece, not solely at the beauty of it, but also because we recognized the sheer mastery of the gilding compared to our own shoddy attempts. Imagine that same group of people then craning to look at Rubens' paintings at odd angles, identifying canvas seams and faded pigments in the raking light. Being able to see an identify those little details added such a richness to the art.
And of course, all of the time I was not in class, I spent in museums. At my second visit to the National Gallery, I saw "Close Examination: Fakes, Mistakes, and Discoveries," an exhibition about the conservation of their collection. It was interesting to see what goes on in their conservation department, although looking at the painting they had originally attributed to Botticelli, I decided you didn't need scientific instruments to see that the attribution was false! Overall, the show was an excellent introduction to the field of conservation and the different methods used to analyze and preserve paintings. Among my favorite pieces in the permanent collection were Rubens' "Samson and Delilah," Daumier's "Don Quixote and Sanche Panza," and of course a couple early Italian paintings of St. Michael.
The Tate Modern's current exhibition, "Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera," features some fantastic photographs donated by Jane and Michael Wilson, the benefactors of my and Kathryn's internships. The show traces the camera's gaze all the way from late 19th century secret lenses hidden in pocket watches to surveillance photos in the 21st century. For me, the gems of the Tate's collection were a reconstruction of Duchamp's "The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass)" and Rodin's incredibly sensual marble sculpture of "The Kiss."
The Victoria & Albert museum had two rooms full of adorable Beatrix Potter sketches and prints, as well as the most beautiful collection of jewelry I have ever seen - bling from the 4th century BC, the Victorian period, Art Deco, modern designers, and everything in between.
Finally, I could not miss the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum, the locus of so much artworld controversy these days.
So that's a brief summary of my amazing trip! Now I'm back in Claremont with a deeper understanding of the nature of paint - which helps me with my work on St. Michael. I'm currently attempting to identify a red pigment that we believe may be the original color of his clothing. I think it's vermilion, based on the color and its characteristic purplish degradation where it has been exposed to the air; I found a great article on this exact subject in an issue of the National Gallery Technical Bulletin. I've taken some pictures of samples on the light microscope, and I hope to use EDS sometime next week to find mercury in the chemical makeup of the pigment. Had it not been for my travels to England, I may never have known how to identify the paint!
The purpose of my 9-day trip was a summer course at the Courtauld Institute of Art entitled "Artists' Materials: Invention and Innovation." The class had 9 students and was taught by paintings conservator Clare Richardson. We took a quick tour of European artists' materials, beginning in 13th century Italy, all the way up to the 1920s and the Russian Avant-Garde. We learned about egg tempera's quick-drying character, the problematic nature of poplar panels, the necessity of seams in large works on canvas, the discoloration of certain colors in oil, the difficulty of obtaining and preserving blue pigments, the relationship of the Impressionists with colormen, and the use of asphalt and sugar in Malevich's paintings.
And that's only the half of it. The most rewarding parts of the course were the practical sessions and the field trips. Clare taught us how to water gild in the old-fashioned way, which is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do! We also made red lake pigment from Brazilwood, and combined that and other pigments with egg yolk to make egg tempera like the masters. Additionally, we went to the National Gallery and the Tate Modern to see in person the subjects we had studied. Imagine a group of 10 people, staring in awe at the San Pier Maggiore Altarpiece, not solely at the beauty of it, but also because we recognized the sheer mastery of the gilding compared to our own shoddy attempts. Imagine that same group of people then craning to look at Rubens' paintings at odd angles, identifying canvas seams and faded pigments in the raking light. Being able to see an identify those little details added such a richness to the art.
And of course, all of the time I was not in class, I spent in museums. At my second visit to the National Gallery, I saw "Close Examination: Fakes, Mistakes, and Discoveries," an exhibition about the conservation of their collection. It was interesting to see what goes on in their conservation department, although looking at the painting they had originally attributed to Botticelli, I decided you didn't need scientific instruments to see that the attribution was false! Overall, the show was an excellent introduction to the field of conservation and the different methods used to analyze and preserve paintings. Among my favorite pieces in the permanent collection were Rubens' "Samson and Delilah," Daumier's "Don Quixote and Sanche Panza," and of course a couple early Italian paintings of St. Michael.
The Tate Modern's current exhibition, "Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera," features some fantastic photographs donated by Jane and Michael Wilson, the benefactors of my and Kathryn's internships. The show traces the camera's gaze all the way from late 19th century secret lenses hidden in pocket watches to surveillance photos in the 21st century. For me, the gems of the Tate's collection were a reconstruction of Duchamp's "The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass)" and Rodin's incredibly sensual marble sculpture of "The Kiss."
The Victoria & Albert museum had two rooms full of adorable Beatrix Potter sketches and prints, as well as the most beautiful collection of jewelry I have ever seen - bling from the 4th century BC, the Victorian period, Art Deco, modern designers, and everything in between.
Finally, I could not miss the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum, the locus of so much artworld controversy these days.
So that's a brief summary of my amazing trip! Now I'm back in Claremont with a deeper understanding of the nature of paint - which helps me with my work on St. Michael. I'm currently attempting to identify a red pigment that we believe may be the original color of his clothing. I think it's vermilion, based on the color and its characteristic purplish degradation where it has been exposed to the air; I found a great article on this exact subject in an issue of the National Gallery Technical Bulletin. I've taken some pictures of samples on the light microscope, and I hope to use EDS sometime next week to find mercury in the chemical makeup of the pigment. Had it not been for my travels to England, I may never have known how to identify the paint!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
This Is Not Goodbye
Tomorrow is the last day of my internship. Putting that down in writing doesn't make it seem any less surreal. It doesn't help that today has been particularly unusual for me. I share an office with Kathryn and Mckenzie, both of whom are in LA today, along with Tiffany. (Mckenzie and Tiffany work with conservator Donna Williams in her studio every Thursday and Kathryn got permission to go meet some important Art World people through a personal connection.) Milan pops in occasionally to grab some coffee, but for the most part, I've spent the day alone. It's been quiet. Sometimes the quiet is fantastic. I've been incredibly focused today. Other times, I wonder why I never noticed how loudly the clock in this office ticks! Haha!
I suppose I needed this day to go into my own headspace and be über-productive. I have a lot of work to complete. I'm racing to the finish line with my final project—an exhibit in the Clark Humanities Museum called Rendering the Female Subject. Simply put, this show is my baby. I've had a lot of help with organizing it from Kathryn and Tiffany and of course Mary, Colleen, Kirk, Patricia and John. Also, the original concept for the show wasn't mine. Last semester's gallery interns proposed the idea. Having said all that, I've put a lot of work into this exhibit, and I feel a personal commitment to making it a success. Rendering the Female Subject is all about diversity and how women are depicted in art. The show consists of about 30 works on paper, as well as several ceramic pieces and wood sculptures. Everything is from the Scripps Permanent Collection. Keep an eye out for further information about it on the Gallery's website. I'm biased, but I think it's worth taking a look at. There's a lot of variety—something to interest everyone and something new for everyone to learn about.
I guess that's my pitch, haha. One thing I will definitely take away from my experience here: the importance of putting yourself out there, of making your ideas, projects, goals, and accomplishments known to other people. As interns, we've spent a lot of time this summer networking. I'm told this is just the beginning. Apparently, I will spend the rest of my career networking. And I'm actually okay with that because I'm learning that it really does get easier with practice.
Anyway, I'm titling my post "This Is Not Goodbye" for a reason. Looks like I'm staying here, or in LA, rather. I have an internship lined up in Development at LACMA. I don't know how it could possibly compare to the past ten weeks, but I have high hopes.
I suppose I needed this day to go into my own headspace and be über-productive. I have a lot of work to complete. I'm racing to the finish line with my final project—an exhibit in the Clark Humanities Museum called Rendering the Female Subject. Simply put, this show is my baby. I've had a lot of help with organizing it from Kathryn and Tiffany and of course Mary, Colleen, Kirk, Patricia and John. Also, the original concept for the show wasn't mine. Last semester's gallery interns proposed the idea. Having said all that, I've put a lot of work into this exhibit, and I feel a personal commitment to making it a success. Rendering the Female Subject is all about diversity and how women are depicted in art. The show consists of about 30 works on paper, as well as several ceramic pieces and wood sculptures. Everything is from the Scripps Permanent Collection. Keep an eye out for further information about it on the Gallery's website. I'm biased, but I think it's worth taking a look at. There's a lot of variety—something to interest everyone and something new for everyone to learn about.
I guess that's my pitch, haha. One thing I will definitely take away from my experience here: the importance of putting yourself out there, of making your ideas, projects, goals, and accomplishments known to other people. As interns, we've spent a lot of time this summer networking. I'm told this is just the beginning. Apparently, I will spend the rest of my career networking. And I'm actually okay with that because I'm learning that it really does get easier with practice.
Anyway, I'm titling my post "This Is Not Goodbye" for a reason. Looks like I'm staying here, or in LA, rather. I have an internship lined up in Development at LACMA. I don't know how it could possibly compare to the past ten weeks, but I have high hopes.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tiles and Smiles
Yesterday all of the interns, along with Curator of Visual Resources John Trendler, went to the First Street Gallery Art Center in Claremont for a tile-making workshop.
First Street Gallery Art Center is a non-profit program of the Tierra del Sol Foundation, which serves adults with developmental disabilities in the San Fernando and San Gabriel/Pomona Valleys. As part of this foundation, the gallery provides art training and exhibition space for more than 50 people who otherwise would not be as able to express themselves creatively, much less be recognized professionally for their work. The artists receive %60 of all profits from their sales; the other %40 goes to operating costs at First Street Gallery.
We arrived at First Street around 9:30. We were given a tour of the place by the director, Rebecca Hamm, and then we were guided to tables outfitted with all sorts of clay-working instruments. First Street Gallery's Getty Intern, Leah, gave each of us a tile, and we set to work on them. The tile workshop was open to anyone in the community, and there were people of all ages drawing and painting on the clay slabs. Each of us made two tiles, at least one of which will be donated to the gallery. All of the donated tiles will be shown this coming fall, and all sales will benefit First Street Gallery Art Center's programs.
By the time I had finished both of my tiles, the regular artists had arrived and were working on their art in the studio space of the gallery. I walked through the room, meeting the artists and enjoying their work. I met Danny, who had drawn a car, over which he had applied a beautiful, thick layer of dark blue paint. LeRoy was cutting out pictures of tropical fish, creating a collage out of the luminous undersea images. Later on, when the other interns had finished their own pieces of clay artwork, we went through the studio again. This time, we met a man constructing a hay bale out of cardboard and strips of yellow paper, and another woman who was drawing an image of parrots from a book. She told us that she chose her images "because of the colors."
Throughout the morning, I was struck by how wonderful this program is. The artists at First Street Gallery Art Center have faced huge challenges, both physical and social, their entire lives. Here they are given the chance to express their unique experiences and to show that, as the First Street brochure states, "human potential for creativity is not limited by physical or intellectual disabilities." And the artwork they make is incredible.
I was sad to realize that I had never heard about First Street Gallery Art Center before yesterday. Such an amazing place should be common knowledge, especially in a place like Claremont where there are so many students looking toward the future, trying to make a difference. I hope that in the future, awareness of the gallery will be raised among the 5C community, beginning a rapport between students and the artists there.
First Street Gallery Art Center is a non-profit program of the Tierra del Sol Foundation, which serves adults with developmental disabilities in the San Fernando and San Gabriel/Pomona Valleys. As part of this foundation, the gallery provides art training and exhibition space for more than 50 people who otherwise would not be as able to express themselves creatively, much less be recognized professionally for their work. The artists receive %60 of all profits from their sales; the other %40 goes to operating costs at First Street Gallery.
We arrived at First Street around 9:30. We were given a tour of the place by the director, Rebecca Hamm, and then we were guided to tables outfitted with all sorts of clay-working instruments. First Street Gallery's Getty Intern, Leah, gave each of us a tile, and we set to work on them. The tile workshop was open to anyone in the community, and there were people of all ages drawing and painting on the clay slabs. Each of us made two tiles, at least one of which will be donated to the gallery. All of the donated tiles will be shown this coming fall, and all sales will benefit First Street Gallery Art Center's programs.
By the time I had finished both of my tiles, the regular artists had arrived and were working on their art in the studio space of the gallery. I walked through the room, meeting the artists and enjoying their work. I met Danny, who had drawn a car, over which he had applied a beautiful, thick layer of dark blue paint. LeRoy was cutting out pictures of tropical fish, creating a collage out of the luminous undersea images. Later on, when the other interns had finished their own pieces of clay artwork, we went through the studio again. This time, we met a man constructing a hay bale out of cardboard and strips of yellow paper, and another woman who was drawing an image of parrots from a book. She told us that she chose her images "because of the colors."
Throughout the morning, I was struck by how wonderful this program is. The artists at First Street Gallery Art Center have faced huge challenges, both physical and social, their entire lives. Here they are given the chance to express their unique experiences and to show that, as the First Street brochure states, "human potential for creativity is not limited by physical or intellectual disabilities." And the artwork they make is incredible.
I was sad to realize that I had never heard about First Street Gallery Art Center before yesterday. Such an amazing place should be common knowledge, especially in a place like Claremont where there are so many students looking toward the future, trying to make a difference. I hope that in the future, awareness of the gallery will be raised among the 5C community, beginning a rapport between students and the artists there.
First Street Gallery Tile Workshop from Milan Reed on Vimeo.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Halfway Point
I can't believe I'm writing this—our Getty internship is more than halfway complete. We were warned during the first week that we would feel this way by Week 5, but I think we're all still shocked at how quickly the time has passed.
And it's no wonder! We've had very busy schedules for the past few weeks. In addition to the trip to Culver City and the Getty Arts Summit I blogged about, we also went to a Surrealism lecture at the Getty Research Institute and a Genji Symposium here at Scripps. We met conservators Aneta Zebala and Hisaji Sekichi. And a couple weeks ago, we spent a day in LA with Samella Lewis and Alison Saar. One of my projects this summer has been to reasearch pieces in the Scripps College Samella Lewis Collection and write about them, so meeting Samella and Alison was especially exciting for me. Alison told us about the projects she's been working on lately and her experiences with public art projects. She was wonderfully down-to-earth and kind.
And talking to Samella Lewis was kind of surreal. Have you ever read so much about someone's life and work that you started to feel like you knew them? That's how I was beginning to feel about Samella Lewis. But it turns out there was a lot of information about her that I simply couldn't have learned from my research. There are so many intimate details that get left out of academic articles and museum catalogues and even transcribed interviews. It's really impossible to know someone without actually looking them in the face and hearing what they have to say come straight from their own mouth. Samella had lots of personal anecdotes about her life to share with us. She regaled us with stories from her time spent in Bayou Tesch, Louisiana, which is a place that has inspired several of her pieces. (A few of which are in our Permanent Collection.) It was really a treat to here her talk about her work.
And today we painted tiles at First Street Gallery. I think McKenzie is going to post about that soon, so I'll let her tell you about it. When we aren't busy traveling around and meeting exciting, new people, I've been working on planning the fall exhibit for the Clark Humanities Museum at Scripps. It's going to be a show that features several pieces from our Permanent Collection. I just finished my preliminary checklist and proposal today, but I'll post more information about the exhibit soon!
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