Andy Warhol

(wikipedia) Andrew Warhola (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987), known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer, author, and member of highly diverse social circles that included Bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy patrons.
Warhol has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, and feature and documentary films. He coined the widely used expression "15 minutes of fame." In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Andy Warhol Museum exists in memory of his life and artwork.
The highest price ever paid for a Warhol painting is US$100 million for a 1963 canvas titled Eight Elvises. The private transaction was reported in a 2009 article in The Economist, which described Warhol as the "bellwether of the art market." $100 million is a benchmark price that only Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-August Renoir, Gustav Klimt and Willem de Kooning have achieved.<sup>[1]


Websites:</sup>
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Calder

This week we will be learning about Calder. Alexander Calder was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. "Sandy" Calder, as he was known to his friends and family, created dynamic peices such as the mobile. This was something sculptors before Calder, had never thought to do. Sculptures were always thought of as a stationary and never changing peice. Calder also created stabiles. These were stationary peices found all over the world. This public art can be seen at Calder plaza in downtown Grand Rapids.

La Grande Vitesse or Grand Rapids, is a focal point for the largest all volunteer art festival in North America.

In Calder's earlier years, he spent time making wire figures of circus animals. Calder would put on shows for children to watch his figures movements. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8To4mp9HVw&feature=related

In class we will be creating mobiles like Calders. They will use previously cut wire hangers and foam sheets. They will hang in the classroom until winter break.

Thanks

Miss  Erin

Charley Harper

This week the students will be learning about Charley Harper. Charley Harper is an American artist born in 1922. He grew up on a farm in West Virginia in a small town, Frenchton. He loved to roam the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Charley had a special connection with nature and animals through examining their every move. He knew, one day he wanted to become an artist. Once Charley Graduated from art school, he was drafted into the war. In the war he would sketch quick drawings of soldiers in battle. Because battles are quick and movement is always happening, he learned how to sketch quickly and well. Soon Charley traveled the west studying nature with his wife, Edie. He realized he needed to make money and went into advertising. He was getting turned away left and right for his realism. He realized what he needed to do, " I concentrated on trying to simplify the great natural forms and symbolize the design underlying the surface clutter"-Charley Harper. Charley portrays animals and nature in a simple yet descriptive way. He has worked for Ford Times, " I have illustrated the Golden Book of Biology and The Animal Kingdom, both for Golden Press in New York. I have illustrated nature subjects for Childcraft and World Book Encyclopedia."-  Charley Harper.




Charley Harper  and his designs. 




Here is a video of some of his work.

The students will be making their own watercolor piece using water colors and black pencil. They will choose an animal and draw it with pencil. One that is done, they will draw over their painting with a black colored pencil. Through this work the students will study color (appearance of an object that is created by the differing qualities of light it reflects). They will learn what primary colors and what secondary colors are as well.

I hope this blog helps!

Thanks