Art Fundamentals:
Recycling with a “rugged” Creativity
I thought it was cool to read how Gail Rudisill is going green. She is recycling things like plastic bags, panty hose, and socks to create rugs. But these rugs aren’t ugly like you would first assume them to be, they are actually very beautiful. One of her rugs has recently won first prize at the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair in July. The judge saw her rug first because of how beautiful it was and then realized what is was made out of. Rudisill got the idea after seeing a rug in a restaurant that looked like it was made out of plastic bags and then seeing a friend crochet a hat out of grocery bags. I enjoyed reading about how Rudisill used different techniques to weave the rugs. But what I found more interesting is the fact that she dyes the panty hose to create different colored patterns, now that’s cool. Her friends now save their grocery bags and ruined panty hose to give to her so she can weave her rugs. I also liked the fact that she often donates the money she earns from these rugs to charity.
These mosaics look incredible and then I look closer and realize that they are indeed made out of soap! Cool! Baltimore artist Jill Greenberg has been gathering soap since 2005 when she participated in the Accumulation Project. This project gave 19 artists the challenge to travel the world for a year collecting any certain item and then create art from their findings. Greenberg even traveled to Barcelona to seek inspiration from Antonio Gaudi's mosaic sculptures with an interest in making her own forms more three-dimensional, and she did. I thought it was really interesting how she lays out her mosaic on a fabric background so she can constantly change her patterns. Her mosaic patterns can get quite large, her latest paisley design was 7 feet by 9 feet.
Applied Arts:
Rising from the ruins
Wow, nobody noticed this? Really? I find it hard to believe that nobody noticed this pyramid at Abu Rewash. I mean I guess I can understand that it is pile of sand in various form of ruin and that it was substantially shorter than the other pyramids at Egypt but still, I had no idea. I hope that Dr Zahi Hawass’ promise comes true and all the pyramids are open to the public in 2009 that would be amazing. I really liked the history behind this pyramid, it was very interesting. The fact that this pyramid was built by Djedefre, who was kin to pharaoh Khufu, his son Khafre and his grandson Menkaure who were all responable for the great pyramids at Giza. The finding of smaller pyramids found near the Abu Rawash pyramid shows us that this pyramid was finished and in fact used. The discovery of Djedefre cartouche helps to confirm that the pyramid did in fact belong to him. I found this article really exciting since not only was my group working on a pyramid project recently but I have always enjoyed the history of Egypt. I hope to make it there one day
http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/7/tvnradio/1760437&sec=tvnradio
Ancient messages from Picture Canyon
Ancient messages from Picture Canyon
This article was really interesting, especially after just really learning a large amount about cave paintings today. Comanche national grasslands, located in south western corner of Colorado, are home to this beautiful canyon. Here in the Canyon is a narrow sandstone crevice called Crack Cave that about 15 feet from the mouth has a small lump of stone that juts into the passage. The stone is covered in markings and scratches that may have unknown meanings. Some believe that is shows when the equinoxes are because on the equinox sunlight shines directly on the lump. But experts don’t believe it is that, they just think it is graffiti. Some scientists believe that the marks were made between A.D. 1500 and 1800 Picture Canyon gets its name from the many tribes of people who have left markings on the smooth walls of the canyon. There are designs of bighorn sheep and bison believed to be by pre-Columbian people, graceful horses drawn by plains tribes, also brands scratched by old cowboys, and the destructive scrawl of recent vandals. But the cave is going to be closed soon in order to protect the drawings and pictures.
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