This beautiful image is just one of the many fine exhibitions at the Timken

The Timken Museum was very small and intimate museum. Located near the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, it certainly has an impressive collection of European and American artworks from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. What I liked about this museum was that there was a lot of fine art, nothing abstract, just fine art. The realism in so many of these paintings impressed me because I’ve always liked detail, as well as realism.

My mom also liked this museum as well for the same reason (she likes going to Balboa Park just as much as I do and we hardly get a chance to go, so Friday seemed like a good day to visit.) We wandered around a few other museums, such as the Aerospace Museum, which is a lot bigger than it actually seems, and the Museum of Man, which was really interesting.  We just made a whole day of it, wandering around and checking out some of the various museums and their exhibits.

A stela from the Gold and Gods exhibit at the Museum of Man.

After wandering around all day, we got pretty hungry, so we decided to head home. We have plans to head back there this summer to see whatever else we didn’t get a chance to see.

 

The Museum of Making Music was very interesting little museum. Located in Carlsbad, not too far from Legoland, this little museum is huddled amongst many business offices, so one might not see it right away. My mom and I decided we’d go check it out, since I’ve heard about it and wanted to see what it was all about. I had to take my car in for 20000 mile checkup. While she was having work done (and a bath. She was pretty dirty), we decided to head to the museum in my mom’s car. What I found very interesting about this museum was that you could take pictures of the exhibits. Considering most museums don’t allow photography, this museum was an exception to the rule.  

What I found most interesting about the Museum of Making Music was that it covered a diverse range of American music history. This museum had everything from swing to blues to rock and roll to heavy metal and everything in between. Another interesting aspect of this museum was that there was a hands on room where you could make your own music with organs, drum pads, and even try your hand at scratching as well. 

I really enjoyed this museum and it certainly made me remember a lot of what I learned in my 20th Century Music class I took with Bill Bradbury a few semesters ago. So, this museum brought back a lot of what I learned in his class.

I thoroughly enjoyed this museum and we definitely have plans to go back there in the near future since it is very local and just downright interesting. 

 

My mom near an old Steinway.

 

Edison Home Phonograph

 

The Chapman Stick is a very unique instrument.

 

A more modern version of the Steinway Piano.

 

Sousaphone, invented by John Phillips Sousa.

My final spreads of my book. Enjoy!

Most of his photography work was mainly in black and white, which in a way, adds a certain drama and desolation to the image. What I mean by that is, it puts the image in almost another time and place, taking it from the real world and putting it in place that seems far from realistic. Furthermore, it tends to make the image one is looking seem almost distant and isolated.

Much of his work was also mainly of nature scenes and various flora. The image that mainly grabbed me was the tree stump with the beer can on it. Sure, it could be considered clever that someone may have decided to use that stump as a table for something, but others could also argue that it shows that mankind doesn’t truly respect nature. Instead of trying to preserve it, mankind destroys it. The beer can on the stump seems to represent a kind of disrespect to the fallen tree.

The aspects that I take from his work are that I like to take pictures of nature scenes and just like taking pictures of scenes in general. I do some experimenting with black and white, but not really to the level he does.

The project was very interesting. I mean, sending out 1000 journals and then getting them back, filled with peoples thoughts, sketches, ideas, and opinions is no small feat. Conceiving this idea and then implementing is quite an endeavor. Truly, a great project and it was nice to see him get his journals back and then create an exhibit around his 1000 journals. Really puts a new perspective on art.

These are my updated spreads of my book, “Nature’s Bounty.” Enjoy!

What I think has drawn me to Ansel Adams’ work is that it’s mostly of nature scenes. I think some of his style has influenced much of my work because I tend to take pictures of nature and various plant life (well, more so now than I did). I think a lot of his work has a peaceful quality to it, which makes it even more interesting. Also, the serenity of his work makes much of his photography more interesting to look at than some other kinds of photography, like images of war victims and the like. Furthermore, much of his imagery is in black and white, which adds a certain depth to the image, and thus putting in a different time and place. 

I think what I can really draw from his work is that it is in black and white and (I work mostly in color, but am willing to experiment in black and white a little more), is that most of his images are of nature and I tend to photograph nature quite a bit (this does not mean that I don’t photograph other things as well), but I mainly seem to be photographing plants and other aspects of nature. Furthermore, like Ansel Adams, I try to make my images appear to be focused on one central object, but sometimes my images turn out to be focused on something that’s not exactly what I was going for. I guess that happens sometimes with photographers.

A closeup of a leaf, taken by Ansel Adams. This is a small example of the extensive portfolio of the mentioned photographer.

 

This would have to be Milton Glaser's most well-known piece. The 'I Love New York' image, used to promote tourism for New York City.

Milton Glaser’s work is simple and effective. I like his work because of that style. For example, his “I love New York” logo of the heart, symbolizing the word, “love,” was designed to promote tourism for the city of New York. To this day, that logo is still very popular and still continues to be sold on a variety of objects, such as t-shirts and keychains. 

 

What I think is really prominent about his work is that it doesn’t seem so overly cluttered. Much of his work has a simplicity that still manages to get the message across.

 

These are just a few pages from my book, mostly flowers and some original haikus I created.It’s not totally complete yet, since I still need to go back add some more pictures and  poetry, but for now, here’s what I’ve got. Enjoy!

David Carson’s page layout design was very interesting and completely different from anything I’d ever seen. Much of his work seems to push the boundaries of graphic design, challenging it in a way that most would consider blasphemous.  He says the message can be lost if it is not conveyed in the way it should be. Much of the typography he uses could be considered “grunge” and is therefore, radically different then what many designers do