Let's Play Catch-up

There are only 3 weeks left in Winter Quarter but I thought I'd at least catch up on what I've learned so far.
I'm taking 3 classes this quarter: Modern Architecture and Design, History of Modern Art, and Intro to Interior Design.


In Modern Architecture, I've learned so much that I had no idea about architecture, obviously not about how to build them myself, but the class is based completely on the history of it. In the beginning of the class, I was a little disappointed when I realized it was in fact "Modern" architecture because after spending time in Europe (Norway and England) I was extremely interested in Renaissance, Gothic, and Neoclassical architecture (and general history). However, after learning more about Modern styles I'm glad I did. We've covered everything from Gaudi, and Mackintosh to Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Lautner.
My favorites so far are as follows:


Mackintosh; an architect but more of an interior designer from Glasgow Scotland. 

He used rectilinear shapes, and is known to pair soft colors of pink and purple with white and earthy browns. He has a way of using pink or purple in an interior without making the space seem feminine. You may have seen pictures from his own home, other homes, or the tea rooms he created.






He went on to found the Glasgow School of Art, which he personally designed holistically, down to the font that was used on signage!

He was also the creator of the famous Mackintosh chair.


Beautiful stuff!


Frank Lloyd Wright, not known to be the best man in the world, but many would argue that he is the best architect in the world (including himself). Just so I don't go on and on and bore anyone half to death, basically he had a wife and a bunch of kids, left them to be with a client's wife where the moved to the middle of nowhere and bought a house, he gained an incredibly bad rep and eventually someone came into his house and murdered his lover and whoever else was in there. He then had a few more girlfriends and treated them like crap, all the while being a smug asshole and proclaiming himself the best of the best and most everyone else inferior. He eventually accepted apprentices because he wasn't making any money and his school generated a large amount of well known architects. He definitely created some amazing pieces of architecture though. And these pictures deserve to be larger.

Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona (pissed I didn't 

know when I went there!)

                                                       
                                                                                           La Miniatura, California

And last but certainly not least, Falling Water, Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania

In Intro to Interior Design, it's really just been rough basics on what I'll be learning throughout my degree. Things like building codes (introducing us to handicapped codes), colors, spaces, and meanings of design. We've done a couple notable projects called "Case Studies" where we go to a venue and look at our surroundings. 

We've gone to Cupcake Royale on Capitol Hill, Seattle

Upon doing our Case Studies, we are to draw 4 pictures, identifying: an element of design, an element of attachment, an entrance, and framing. We then have to write a mini essay (about a page) answering these questions:

How is the space defined (vertical or horizontal planes)?

What is the function of the space?

Does the space have other meaning besides its function?

Describe why the materials, textures, and colors were used.

-Which leads us to the next part of our case study, putting together a board about 12 x 12 in. with select samples from the interior design library where they house all kinds of samples from carpet and linoleum to fabric, marble, and metals.

And the Seattle Public Library (10 stories!)

We've also had to go on our own personal field trips to draw an interior and a detail or a place. We have been sent to Monaco Hotel, St. Mark's Cathedral, and next we're supposed to go to the Western Bridge Apartments. 


I'm not going to bore you or possibly blind you with my drawings of some of these things, hey I'm no professional... yet? Maybe some day I'll put up some of my drawings....






In History of Western Art we've learned about everything from Baroque and Rococo, to Symbolism, and Photography so far. 
The first big project was based off of Rococo paintings that featured a swing in them. The whole idea was to figure out what the swing was meant to symbolize. Basically, because it was so long ago and sex was not so "porn this, and sex tape in the media that" that it was a humorous and mischievous way to reference sex. It's almost always a woman swinging.  Fragonard's "The Swing" is a perfect example, and my favorite.
It depicts a woman swinging in a dense garden being pushed by a servant or bishop while her lover, below her, grasps at her with desire. It's as if they've set up a secret rendezvous in the garden just so he can sneak a peak. Notice the cupid (Roman god of love) to the left, with his finger to his lips shushing the situation. And as for the sex part, well lets just say, she is swinging back and forth, her legs tossed open, while her lover's arm is perfectly placed.




Also in this class I've been assigned to visit the Gauguin (pronounced Go-gan not "gow-guin" like pen-guin as I had thought haha! oops...) and Polynesia exhibit while it's here in Seattle. I thought it was interesting how Gauguin moved to Tahiti from France just to find that perfect paradise and how the polynesian tribal art inspired him to stay and put in his two cents on the style. Other than that, it really wasn't my style, cool info though.


Anyway, that's a short little update of the majority of the first quarter in my degree. Hope I didn't bore you to death.


Until next time,