Greetings

I graduated last summer with a bachelor's in art history from Portland State University.  Technically I am an art historian, but I've never been paid to study art.  I prefer to think of myself as an art enthusiast--someone who sincerely believes in the transformative, even edifying effect that art has on its viewers.  I don't think that many people outside of the semi-underground art world are aware of the major artists/art works in contemporary culture.  I want to inform them.


The point of this blog is not to teach art history, but to shed light on the obscure, make clear of the complexity, and renew the obsolescence of modern and contemporary art.


My one piece of advice for those reading is to seek out and explore your local art scene.  Every community has one.  How is your local art unique to other forms of art you see?  Does it adequately represent the local culture?  Do you know of any famous artists who have come from your home town?  If so, do you think that living there had any effect on their subsequent work? Treat your local museum or gallery as if it were your own private collection and use this blog as a resource to construct your own criticisms and ideas.


There are no wrong answers in art.  Everyone has valid observations to contribute.  I'm interested in what those of you who have had no artistic experience have to say about the works I'll be discussing.  I'd like for SmART Observations to be an interactive experience for anyone willing to participate.  In essence, I seek outside ideas.


POST if I say something inaccurate; POST if you love the work; POST if you hate the work; POST a personal story related to the work; POST questions; POST your emotions and thoughts; POST POST POST POST POST POST.


Some rules:
1) I will never speak about paintings I have never encountered in person.
2) I will not pretend to speak about time periods or styles that I know very little about (I'll mostly be focusing on modern and contemporary works of art).
3) I will use language to describe and analyze the paintings in a way that everyone can understand.


Cool guys, I'm excited to get started!  Tomorrow I'll discuss our first artwork.  I know you're just antsy with anticipation :o)


Thanks for reading, 


-N.B.F.