Spring

Actually, I can’t determine which artwork is my favorite. Maybe is most confortable to me talk my favourites painters - as I’ve done –, but is hard to say that you like above all things some artwork, because you have to identify with it at all.

Anyway, I’ll talk about “Allegory of Spring” or “Spring”, painted ca. 1482 by Sandro Botticelli. I don’t consider it my favorite masterpiece but I find it a beautiful painting. I think is an interesting picture created in an interesting context. Botticelli is one of the most famous painters of the Renaissance in Italy and he did this work for the powerful Italian Medici family.

“Spring” is a representation of the humanistic culture and, I think, is above all, one of the most brilliant artworks that represent the Neoplatonism phylosophy. Neoplatonism was a revival of clasics ideas, which based in teachings of Plato and Aristotle mainly and all antique culture believer in the Unit as the source of all things, the Intelligence and Knowledge as maximum aspiration and the Soul as universal principle.

"Sping" ended with traditional catholic representation of this station of the year and everything associated with it (love, enyoiment, blossom, harvest, daintiness, grace, beauty, fertility, sensuality, etc.), because Botticelli made it as a pagan ritual with a particular style and confronting the artistic thinking in his period (S. XV).

It has been said that the picture mainly is an allegory of love. Is a representation, with natural human size, of classics characters (as gods and nymphs) with complex philosophical symbolisms, requiring a deep knowledge of Botticelli sources of classic literature and mithology, humanistic and religious atmosphere of that time for interpret it.

I like a lot how Botticelli painted details of all particular things that integrate the picture with harmony, and the level of his brush when he represent perfectly the daintiness and grace with his colors and shapes.

My favourite artists

I’ve already talk about my favourite artist last year: Frida Kahlo, so I will refer to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Egon Schiele now. They are the others artists who I like most because their paintings has a particular style.
They both lived at the same time, end of the ninety century and beginning of the twenty century. That was a time very special for all artists, because was when all the important changes in arts began.

Toulouse-Lautrec was a French painter, printmaker and illustrator who recorded the exciting modern life of Paris at ending of century. He is known as one of the famous painters of post-impressionist, along with Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
His works, has a colorful expression with brushstroke an energetic and nervous brushstroke, characteristic of post-impressionist painters. His main works are works relating with the Montmartre neighborhood and with the cabaret Moulin Rouge, where always he painted the people who going to the place, who worked there and with whom he lived.

Egon Schiele was an Austrian painter, an apprentice of Gustav Klimt. He, with Klimt and Kokoschka are the greatest painters of austrian expressionism. More than anything, he painted self portraits and female bodies with a twisted form and expressive and very intense line, and he played with expressions of colors of subtle combinations. His works is associated with the sensuality and the human existential pain.
They both had a hard life, with many diseases and poverty, but maybe because how they lived, they could create these beautiful lines and forms.

Technology in my life

I think my life would become a disaster if I had no computer or pendrive. Currently my notebook is in bad conditions and I have to use the home computer, this has become rather complicated because I haven’t access to the files that I commonly use and matters to me. In same way my pendrive, that is mp3 player too. My father gave it to me and it is a great friend and partner unconditional for me.

With they both, I have and I manage all the information that I need every day, the music I heard all days, my works, my images, etc. Although it sound paradoxical, as I depend on them, they makes me not to depend on any other medium that isn't mine.

I remember that when I was a child, I didn’t need something like this things for live. Now, if i could get rid of something, I would choose my cell, because almost I don’t use it except for talk with my family most of the time.

Specially I like the Apple brand, and all the lines that develops, the Mac and I-pod design for example, also musical productos that associated brands have made, like beautiful headphones that would be a dream come true to have it.

Although Im not expert, I like technology, is interesant see what the man can do and where he can reach with his hands and mind.

Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake is an english illustrator borned in 1932. He has been one of the most british renowned illustrators, specially of child books, with an extensive work that exceedes 300 titles of himself and above 30 with others authors, like illustrator and about illustration. His books have been recognized and have won numerous prizes and awards around the world.

Quentin Blake - Selfportrait

He study arts and things relationated with literature in english universities and then he work in publications and teaching for over twenty years at the Royal College of Art, where he was head of the Illustration department. He is best known for his collaborations with writers like (the most famously) Roald Dahl. With Dahl he has done books such as Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, The Witches, among others.

And why i like him?

When I knew his work I recognized and remembered all the pictures I had seen in books I read in my childhood and made me feel very excited. I always drew and painted all that stories and characters. Also, I admire the way he has manage to express social criticism in his work while remaining sweet and innocent for childrens.

My favourite music

I love music. I love listen it, dance and sing (although i don't sing very well). Music give me energy and I consider it as a private space and moment for me.

I like several generes, like pop, classic rock, alternative rock, jazz, soul (R&B music) and some electronic music. And I really admire artist like Mickel Jackson, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, The Cure. Current artist like Norah Jones, Michael Buble, Coldplay, The Killers, 30 Seconds to Mars and U2.

Specially U2. Is an ireland band that started in the eighties, but they are currently in force. I knew they when I was fourteen, a special time of my life because I knew many important things about everything. So, it's a band that marked an era of my life.

My favourite integrant of the band is David Howell, known as The Edge. He is the guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist. As guitarist is prominent for his style, sounds full of textures, tones and melodies. I love listening the strength and daintiness that he can give to a song through the guitar.

The last week I went to see they in the 360º tour. It was fantastic!!

Welcome!

Welcome again to my english blog. I'm Karla, student of the fourth year of History and Theory of Arts in the University of Chile. I have enjoyed write in my blog and read the blogs of my classmates. I think it's good for learn and practice the idiom, because we can share our opinions. Now, i love my template, because i love owls! and i hope you too. I hope learn many things this time during the course. See you!

Memories...

Maybe could be fine remembering this summer. When my family and I traveled to Ecuador to visit my family. This summer was special because ten years ago we haven't seen our fammily. I could see my cousins grown, my grandfathers and my uncles... I missed them very much!
We went to Guayaquil about a month. Is a beautiful port, where we went to walk for all over the places that I liked when I was a child and I could remember our old life, I had the opportunity of knowing better my natal city. That was a touching experience.
Also, we went to Quito three days. I liked so much Quito! First: because it wasn’t as hot as Guayaquil. In second place: because we visit many places: the government palace, colonial churches, museums, the house and the museum called “Chapel of Man” of Oswaldo Guayasamin (one of my favorites painters).
In this photography appears my family: Dad, Mom, my two sisters and I. We was visiting the monument of Middle of the World, a giant monolith where the equator or equinoctial line is marked. We could be in the northern and southern hemispheres at the same time! In the eastern and western hemispheres too! We spend time playing in this way and taken a lot of photografies.
I think it was a very beautiful experience, with lot of emotions and a great opportunity for known better the place where a I grew-up my infance and I didn’t remember. I hope some day I can return to experienced all these things…