Guernica

Guernica is a very important anti-war painting. Although, just by looking at the painting I would have no idea that is was about war. When first looking at the painting, it's a lot to take in. There is so much going on in every part of the painting that it's hard to distinguish where to start in analyzing it. The craziness of the painting in a way gives me anxiety because of how busy everything is. What I see in the painting is people running away from something. I'm able to make out disfigured people and disfigured animals in the painting. Picasso uses abstract figures, I believe, to describe just how crazy life is during the war. People and animals are panicking and running frantically. Overall, I like the painting. The craziness of the whole thing makes it interesting and I feel like there is always something new to look at. 

Evaluating a Van Gogh

Van Gogh: Two Cut Sunflowers
https://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/637/Two-Cut-Sunflowers.html
The painting can be interpreted into many different ways. The cut sunflowers are shown to be wilting symbolizing death but the petals that have yet to wilt are a vibrant yellow which would symbolize that they are still living. The contrasting ideas of life and death are one of the things that makes the painting interesting and draws in the viewer. The painting makes me feel calm, the array of dark blues in the background along with the vibrant yellow feed off of each other creating a calming tone. There is also a sense of sadness in the painting. This may also be due to the blues in the background, but also because of the second sunflower that is facing away from the painting. Also, the sunflower that is turned away looks as if it is more wilted that the sunflower that is facing the front. My personal interpretation of the painting would be that the two sunflowers represent two people in a relationship, but the relationship is wilting as they're growing apart. But, they haven't quite seemed to let go yet.

The First Post

My name is Gabby. My cultural diet has nowhere near as wide a variety as is had when I was in high school. In high school, I was an active member of color guard and for a year after I graduated I coached at my old high school. Sadly that had to end when I moved to Arizona because the closest team to me was an hour and a half away and there was no way I could fit it into my schedule. I do have a great appreciation for the arts of all sorts. On a daily basis I use my phone, Netflix, and music. My phone playlist has almost every genre on it. I say almost because it doesn't have any punk rock or heavy metal (my middle school one did), but it can go anywhere from Balmorhea and Olafur Arnalds to Luke Bryan and Clean Bandit. Music has always been an outlet for me and I can appreciate all varieties of it.