Hello loves!
Another art assignment blog is what you read before you.
Though let’s give you back story before you start actually reading.
On the Friday before my classmates went to Liverpool, I
twisted my ankle and could barely walk on it. I am a clumsy person though it
was not my fault. It was the fault of the driver not paying attention to the
roads. Though I was super looking forward to this trip; I could not go because
I needed this ankle to be seen too just in case anything bad happened if I did
go on the trip.
Since I did not go, I needed some way to complete this
assignment. I booked tickets up to Helensburgh, Scotland (just 40 minutes from
Glasgow) in the early August/September time to see my boyfriend. Since I was staying there for four nights, I
prayed that the sweet Rowan Gallery was open. Which was on a Saturday morning/early
afternoon. My step-mum and I went to visit the Rowan Gallery since the boyfriend
had company over, and pre-judging I don’t think visiting galleries is his
thing. Though I will admit I’ll still drag him into galleries till the end of
time (as long as he will be with me for that long). The on-going exhibition is
Alison Cowan a Glaswegian artist.
When I went to the Marc Chagall Liverpool Tate exhibition,
before we go to the actually go into the exhibition I went through the modern art section
and thought modern art can be very distasteful which placed a bad image about
galleries in my thoughts. I mean who would not think that after they allowed
folded up blankets as a piece of sculpture? Some might think into more deeply
than that, but I thought it was some kind of joke.
In my own thoughts the internet and artwork combination has
took most of the artist in my generation not going out there and seeing the
artwork before their eyes in galleries. I am guilty of this myself. I prefer
sitting on a popular art site: deviantArt to view art works and Pinterest for
inspiration.
When I went to this exhibition up in the Rowan Gallery it
made me fall in love with the pristine walls and floors with just artwork in
frames all around the walls. Then jewellery in glass cabinets.
During this Blog; I did take any pictures but some I did
not, I will credit the artist through their website/social media platform. I
remembered that lesson in the Marc Chagall exhibition, do not take pictures in
a gallery.
I guess let’s get this assignment blog started.
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| 'Double Pokey Hat' by Alison Cowan |
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| 'Glitter Ball' by Alison Cowan |
This is a painting of the Equestrian statue of Duke Wellington in Glasgow. The reason I chosen this piece of art work is not only the fact that is located outside the Gallery of Modern art but it is the traffic cones that people notice in this painting. When members of the public pass the statue they notice the traffic cones most of all. Alison Cowan used acrylic paints, and with most of her paintings clearly shows bumpy acrylic paints to create texture GlitterBall this technique is shown. When I see painting this reminds me pranksters upholding a tradition on putting traffic cones on statues and how much tourisim comes into Glasgow on the long part of tradition of statue of tomfoolery. I think the artist created this image because of when I think of Glasgow I would think of this statue with cones, or blue police boxes on Buchanan Street. Though personally I prefer Glitter ball because of the colours Alison Cowan used, and how delicate it looks I think Glitter ball is quite feminine, while Double Pokey Hat resemble culture in Glasgow and how fun Glasgow is out of the other cities. My step-mother was with me and she enjoyed her work. Some members of the public may not like this artist work since it is very delicate though I did enjoy her work.
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| 'Royal Exchange Square' by Raymond Murray |
Raymond Murray is a very colourful artist and in Royal Exchange Square same with Double Pokey Hat by Alison Cowan is set
in the same area in which you see Lush Cosmetics in the background and you see
members of the public walking around by the Gallery of Modern Art. I think his
work is very abstract with the bright and colourful piece he created the media
he used is oil paints, and looking up close to his paintings you do see the
streaks of the brush which I find is a very interesting trait in the art piece.
My interpretation of his work is that he tried to captured everyday life in Glasgow
though since Glasgow is very grey due to the skies he brought colour to the
city. I think the artist did try to capture the everyday life in Glasgow,
though after looking at his other pieces online he works very colourful ways
which I thought it was quite inspiring most artist keep the colour scheme of
the landscape that they are painting while as Murray went so to speak crazy on
the colours. Most people might not like the accuracy of colours with his work
though I thought his bravery on using these bright vibrant colours should be
admired.
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| 'North End Iona, Staffa in the Distance' by Erni Upton |
Erni Upton captured my eyes with this piece with the calm sea
meeting the shore. The contrast and shades of the blues to separate the ocean
and sky then with the softness of the image he created roughness of the rocks
with his brush. The media he used for this work is oil but unlike Murray and
Cowan’s work in the gallery his work isn’t vibrant or textured but promotes
realism but you could still clearly tell this is landscape painting. As I said
when I walked towards this piece I instantly felt calm and serenity already
hearing the sea almost picturing myself being in the spot of the beach that
Upton painted. I do not think that the artist had a meaning behind this piece
of work but when I think of members of the public I can see this image up
anywhere on the walls of their homes. Which I do agree on.
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| Shelia Fowler |
With this image I see a building of a house with shades of
blue for the skies. This image is also created by oil but unlike Upton you can
see the brush lines with the sky and you can see the detail of the brush quite distinctively
within this image. I do like the detail in this work on how Shelia Fowler created
the background, the building and in front. Even though it is in a fine art
gallery but I think it’s very illustrative which proves me the point that
illustration is in the middle of graphic designers and fine art. With this
image it is sad to say that some members of the public will miss this piece
because it was dominated with bigger pieces of art work behind it.
Sadly I would the title of this piece but sadly I could not pick up the second word.
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| 'Iona Rocks' by Margret Evans |
I find myself adoring beach paintings. Loving the sky in
this one where Margret Evans added a touch of pink into the sky, and she captured
the scenery in the distance. I adore the shore line in this painting. Most
beach paintings I do find myself very calm looking at beach pictures, and feel
lost but safe gazing at pieces with a beach paintings. She used oils as a media
of use, and uses the oils quite delicately at that too. However like I said
with Upton piece most beach paintings that I find the members of the public do
put beach paintings around their home. Which I would image it would make them
also feel calm and relaxed too.
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| 'Freeshia Delight' by Ashleigh Bysouth |
Like beach pictures I do fancy a flora painting with Ashleigh
Bysouth ‘Freeshia Delight’ painting, I see purple and yellow freesias with
chrysanthemums, I think, in grass. When I viewed this image her painting is
very clumpy acrylic but the colours that she used is pastel colours such as
yellows, pinks, purples and shades of green to create strokes of grass in the
picture. I feel this is quite a feminine piece of art, and like beaches flora
pieces of work is shown around homes but I would also see this image in café’s
or restaurants maybe in a florist. Once I came home and researched more about
this artist and found out more she does enjoy flower pieces, and she enjoys abstract
work too.
I do hope you enjoyed this long blog post about my time at
Rowan Gallery. I also recommend every young artist out there to take a stroll
down to their local gallery, and not spend too much time on the internet.
Thank you so much for reading,
Alexandra
xxx
