One doesn't have to look beyond the first line on the first page of Kate Chopin's The Awakening to understand that art, music, beauty and poetry are about to come up hard against traditional values which are so firmly planted that nothing can move them. But it is because of this very ob...

Alex Alampi Jr., a watercolor artist from Gloucester County, New Jersey, features the people of the Mid-Atlantic region. "Working Portraits," as he refers to them, are images reminiscent of a simpler time. Although Alex enjoys painting a wide variety of subjects from the Delaware Bay region and th...

The piece I have chosen is an oil painting by Chuck Close entitled "Robert," (1997). I observed it at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The painting, which measures an enormous 102 by 84 inches, is a straightforward portrait of one of Close's friends and fellow pop artists Robert R...

Keith Allen Haring was born to Joan and Allen Haring on May 4, 1958. He grew up in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, a Dutch farming community, the oldest of four siblings. His artistic leanings were evident from a very early age. He had dreams of being a cartoonist and illustrator as a kid which derived f...

What is Art? Art is only what the viewer brings to it whether it is sadness or enjoyment. Art exists as a sort of language, a means to communicate that, although less direct & specific than written or spoken language, is inclusive of more facets of human experience. Art is, therefore, less restrict...

Things are heating up in America. People are protesting outside of the movie theaters, concerts, and book and record stores of this great nation everywhere. What is all the fuss about? Censorship, Government officials and raving mad protesters alike have been trying to stop the expressive creativity...

Susie Bootja Bootja is from the Balgo community in far north Western Australia. The Balgo community, located at Wirrimanu (Balgo Hills) on the northern edge of the Tanami and Great Sandy Deserts, is one of the most isolated of Australia's desert settlements. Bootja Bootja, along with other Balgo ...

Woodstock, as well as Janis's life in general, was like nothing the world had seen before. Both impacted the culture through artistic expression and a powerful social message. Each combined aspects of sexuality, feminism, politics, and powerful words to produce musical experiences. Janis&apo...

The San Jose Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has to be one of the most enjoyable historical exhibits that I have been privy to. Since the sixth grade, Egyptian culture and way of life have been the intrigue behind my interest in Egyptian history. This is the third time that I have been to this museum,...

What creates controversy? Controversy is caused when an idea or a thought contradicts the traditional social norms. But without ideas, we would not be where we are today. Art has seen so much metamorphosis that comparing classical art and contemporary art one sees drastic differences. Thus innovatio...

Controversy and music have always gone hand-in-hand. Lyrics, dance moves, and clothing, or lack of it are always in the spotlight, which generates much debate. Some call it art, others call it bad taste. As with all creative expressions, the beauty is all in the eyes and ears of the beholder. If we ...

Vincent Van Gogh was born in Brabant, Holland in 1853. His 'bizarre' sense of colour disallowed his access to any art school. It was however this unique 'impressionism' that made his work so popular and valuable to this very day. Van Gogh moved to Paris later on in his life to join his brothe...

As the poet, Jean Toomer, is talking to a prostitute, he explains how one day even a girl like her will have a world of opportunities, because of art. In the south many black women were so caught up in their own spirituality that many people forgot their identities, and only knew them for their bel...

Walter Clark's short story, "the portable phonograph" is a descriptive tale. In his first three paragraphs, he describes a miserable, cold and harsh environment. The four characters that were described in this story were the only survivors of a brutal war. This story was written i...

Essay quotations Daniel Haq (1)When we have accepted the worst, we have nothing more to loose. And that automatically means we have everything to gain. ' 'dale carnegie'' This quotation has a very practical importance. I think that, sometimes, many people come to s...

Where does art come from? Do we develop art for the purpose of escaping or enriching our lives? Do we find some simple solace in the fact that art brings us closer to the act of creation? Is it a fundamental God complex that drives one to produce art and share it with others? Art comes from the bell...

The Internet has made living in today's world a lot easier. We can correspond with our friends better, gather information faster, and entertain ourselves with greater ease. This technology has become the new wave of communication and has opened so many new doors. But with this advancement in ...

From a young age, both Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein demonstrated impressive artistic talent. Andy Warhol (Warhola), was born in 1928 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to Czechoslovakian parents. Before he could walk, Warhol was coloring in coloring books, and his mother noticed his exceptional skill f...

Lucy Simpson Nieder "...it's all of the little things that have made my life memorable and joyful." Bad things happen to all good people eventually. This is definitely the case with Ms. Lucy Simpson Nieder. What would you do if you lost the thing you love most in the world? Or worse, if you los...

In September of 1999, the Brooklyn museum of art displayed an exhibit called "Sensations", in which a depiction of a half naked Virgin Mary was covered in elephant feces. In October, 1999 Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said that the BMA should have its funding pulled and should not be sponsored by the Cit...

Lucy Simpson Nieder "...it's all of the little things that have made my life memorable and joyful." Bad things happen to all good people eventually. This is definitely the case with Ms. Lucy Simpson Nieder. What would you do if you lost the thing you love most in the world? Or worse, if you los...

Fifty years ago, artists were often imagined to be poverty-stricken, radical thinkers who lived in bohemian disarray. Parents were extremely reluctant to allow their so sons or daughters to take up artistic careers. Art as a hobby was acceptable, but never as a career. Today, creative visual artist...

Chinoiserie As early as the 1100's, traders brought Chinese exports to Europe, where it became greatly admired. As European trade with the Orient grew during the 1600's, many of these products and their styles became popular with the European public. Thus, the Chinese had a growing influence on Eu...

One of the most stunning paintings in the National Gallery is The Toilet of Venus, which is also known as The Rokeby Venus because it was part of the Morritt Collection in Rokeby Hall in Yorkshire before being added to the Gallery's permanent collection. There are many spectacular things to note ab...

Salvador Dalí One of the most profound artists, Salvador was an astonishing person that won over his audience with his intriguing paintings along with his original thoughts and beliefs. Throughout his life Dalí went through a series phases that affected his art: Cubism, Futurism and Metaphysi...