Reflections in the Rear View Mirror

      What were you expectations for this course and were they met?

When I started this course I wanted to be able to recognize different kinds of art and also learn how to be descriptive when talking about art. I also wanted to be able to appreciate art for its own sake as a way to connect with my thoughts and my feelings. Lastly, I was hoping that by studying art I would be able to transfer the vocabulary I had learnt to other classes. Generally speaking, all my expectations were met.

Now that you've been through this course, what is art? How would you define it now compared to your initial posting?

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I initially described art as “anything that brings meaning to life on a level that only I can explain.” I believe that is still largely true, with the exception that I have learnt that although art is very subjective, there are also very many aspects of it that are universal and therefore objective. So my new definition of art has expanded from this to include those forms that we perceive with our senses and that appeal to us. For something to be art, it has to be attractive in such a way as to provoke contemplation. Art of course doesn’t have to be a physical manifestation. It can be a song, a poem or even a smell.

Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

I originally described my favorite as visual artist as “that unnamed artist who sits on the street corner, looking at the world around him and imagining the universe as his canvas.” Too bad for him because I now have a new favorite artist. His name is Philip Burke. I saw some of his works at the Burchfield Penney Art Center during one of my gallery visits and I was really taken in by his caricatures. There was something I found charmingly playful about the whole experience. I suppose I have a new favorite artist now because at the beginning of class I really didn’t know what I was looking for and I was more open to suggestions.

Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

My original answer had me hoping that this class would be different than the other online classes I had taken before and it was in many ways. For starters, it was way more demanding than most of the traditional classes I have taken. In a way it allowed me to better practice time management and it also gave me a chance to explore and do things I would never have tried if this was a regular class. I learnt a lot from looking at my classmates’ blogs and I got to enjoy the diversity in their creativity so in that way, the hopes I had at the beginning of class did not change.