I guess it started back in elementary school when I was the only girl who could not draw. I could really whack a soccer ball, but when you put a marker in my hand, the results were disastrous. In the consequent years, I would smile and nod my head whenever I was in the midst of an art-related conversation. Until recently, I thought that Leonardo and Michelangelo were strictly ninja turtles.
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Fast forward to the present. I am in university. My program requires that I take at least one Art History class. I cave. A Monet exhibition comes to Montreal and I decide that I cannot wait any longer. I would learn to appreciate art.
In hopes of aiding my fellow art ignorami, I have thrown together a few basic rules that will help even the most clueless.
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Find A Guru Without my art guru (aka Sista Krista), I would be nowhere. I told her, I wanted to accompany her to Monet. After she ridiculed me for fifteen minutes, we set a date. She told me that Claude Monet was the father of Impressionism, and that he created a beautiful garden with exotic flowers so that he could paint them.
Impressionism Impressionism, my Art Guru tells me, is when the artist observes a physical entity taking into account the effects of light and angles. Impressionists focus on colours and overall effect rather than detail and minute features like the Renaissance artists. Other Impressionists include Renoir, Morisot, and Cassat. The exhibition in Montreal features paintings from the later years of his life when he was living at Giverny, where he built a beautiful garden.
If there's a movie or other supplemental informtaion, read it! The movie about Monet was very enlightening. It talked about his life and what inspired him in his artwork. However, there was some weird accordian guy that kept on appearing which was a little unnerving. Art Guru got mad because she had planned to tell me all of the information that was in the movie. I also read the posters that imparted very valuable information.
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If I could do it, you could do it. I thoroughly enjoyed the Monet exhibition. My Art Guru thought it was a little skimpy and, thus, disappointing. I didn't listen to her. I may be a simpleton, but I had acquired a certain level of adeptness.
So, I'd conquere Monet. I felt a resounding sense of accomplishment. No more ninja turtles for me. Bring on the art!!
