ekphrasis challenge - Walt Finch

Banksy. Dreams Cancelled. 2010. Boston, MA. Stencil Revolution. May 2010. Web. 1 Sept. 2015.

The school bell rings,
I go home,
I brag to my mom about my grades while she is at the sink,
She says I can do whatever I want as long as I'm willing to work instead of roam.

I wanted to be a astronaut,
Then a master chef.
It seemed all my hard work was for naught,
As I gasped for my next breath.

I have done everything right,
Yet my home is 100 square feet,
I look a sore sight,
And my body is incredibly beat.

There is nothing more I can do,
those dreams my mom said I could realize,
are now all through,
I just hope there is a next life with some kind of prize.

ekphrastic post- brandon castillo

Disciples in an uproar,

Angry and disappointed,

Who did it?

Who would give away the king of kings, Son of God for thirty silver coins?

Woe to the man who betrays the Son of man,

It would be better for him if he had not been born.

But Jesus knew this plan long before,

The establishment of a new covenant is made: blood and body.

The redemption of the world has begun.

Vinci, Leonardo Da. The Last Supper. 1494-1499. Panel Painting. Milan.                                                 

Ekphrasis Challenge: Sloan Warner

Neiman, Leroy. Orange Sky Sailing. 1998. Art Brokerage. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.


Let them out?
Or keep them in?
The flow of adrenaline is so high!

Muscles tense,
Fingers sore,
The faster he goes,
The less he cares!

Tweak this,
Tweak that,
The need for speed is overwhelming!

Point downwind,
Centerboard up,
Let the spinnaker fly!

Hike out,
Pull harder,
Just don't capsize!

Faster and faster,
He sails into this mellow light,
Chasing the boat with delight!

Ekphrastic Challenge - Aislinn Langley

Picasso, Pablo. The Old Guitarist. 1904. Oil on panel. Art Institute of Chicago.

The notes fall flat, producing only dissonance
and minor keys.
The fingers that grasp the neck of the guitar are aged
but not yet withered
or without function.

They never lost their ability to make gentle music
but lately,
in this blue room,
this blue prison of the mind,
major keys and happy tunes
are as inconceivable
as a splash of red or yellow.

The notes fall flat.
Trying to think of happier days, of youth, of the sun,
the man is only delaying
the inevitable.

The ceaseless minor chords ease him further
into the deep blue of this cavern
until
backed against a wall,
his music begins to slip from him.

He has reached the furthest corner of this room of blue.
Not afraid, only weary,

he realizes.

The chords ring out in dissonance
Then silence.

Ekphrastic Challenge--Gabriel Molina

Molina, Felipe. Codebreaker. 2015. Acrylic on canvas.

A man needs adventure

So off he goes

Hiking through mud,

Trudging through snow

His path has no order,

His trail follows no line

And his raw thoughts flow

Like a river through his mind

Through mountains and valleys

Where the heavy sun shone

And after a long time away

He makes it home

And upon his return

From his trip unknown

His hat decides to go

On an adventure of its own.

Painting Poem- Will Mthews

"Knight, Death, and the Devil" by Durer

To the untrained eye, this Knight walks alone,

Only his feeble sword to guard him against Death and the hideous devil,

 But to those who can see more clearly,

 We recognize another power at work,

A power far stronger than that of evil,

This knight is a solider of God,

Armed with his faith,

This warrior can repel any attack Death and the Devil may send,

He rides through the mangled landscape with no fear in him,

When the devil tries’ his final and most cruel trick,

The Knight triumphs, for he has

“Put on the whole armor of God

That he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ehp. 6:11)”

Art Why? Jacob Ferguson

Art is an original thought, something solely human, not found in the natural world. It can convey complex ideas, and it is amazing that people can universally understand ideas from observing some art. Visual art exists to serve as a way of demonstrating the unique ways each artist views the world. Even abstract pauntings work as a license into the mind of the artist and show an idea that may not exist in language. Written arts can explain the complex thoughts of our minds, and do so incredibly clearly. The fact that individual human-made symbols combine into more complex forms to provoke specific thoughts in other people is amazing and is why I enjoy writing. Music, however is another completely different art form that exists to create shared emotions, experiences, and ideas in people. Music can alter your reality as it's created, and I have experienced this as I have played the bassoon in multiple musical groups. In a performance time can slow down or speed up making a piece seem shorter or longer than it actually is, and this step away from the normal flow of time in our lives is reason enough to create music. I also enjoy creating music because of the combined efforts of a large group of people creating sounds that can inspire other people.

Why art? - Caleb Combs

Art is a method of personal expression.  It acts as an outlet for your thoughts and emotions.  It is a reflection of who you are and the qualities you possess.  The role of the artist is to create a visual that conveys a specific meaning.  Whether this meaning is positive or negative is irrelevant, because art is personal.  It is the responsibility of the artist to contain these negative emotions and use their artistic ability for a positive cause.  Language arts still create a visual, but in this case it is painted into your mind.  Different literary choices paint various ideas into the minds of the reader.  Language is composed in a way that expresses ideas in a non-visual manner.  I myself am no artist.  Since I was young, this was a skill I always wished I had, and envied those who did.  I find my own ways to express myself, as opposed to creating a work of art.  Art is an insight into the mind and soul of its creator.  Of all of the methods of expression, I feel this is one of the most effective methods.

Why Art?- Mikaela Gatewood

Art has been a part of human nature ever since the beginning of human life itself. From the early cave paintings of the Paleolithic era, all the way up to the contemporary performance art of the 21st century, art has been a consistent and everlasting source of expression. This could be an expression of emotion, events, opinions, colors, lines, etc. This expression not only documents human thought and progression, but has provided an emotional outlets for thousands and thousands of years.
That being said, the role and responsibility of an artist, first and foremost, is to create. Whether that be creating words, designs, movement, music, what have you, an artist creates art. While the general goal of artists may be to challenge ideas or evoke emotion, whether or not those objectives are actually achieved is entirely up to the viewer. Ultimately, in my opinion, the artist has no responsibility to any one but themselves. They can't control the responses a viewer might have to their work. They're not required to make viewers feel angry, sad, or happy. Their job is to create, and if they're lucky, their creation will have a strong impact on others.
Language arts is interesting in that it's one of the only art form that directly communicates with the viewer. The majority of other art forms such as instrumental music, drawing, or dance, don't use words. Instead, they use visuals or sound to convey their message. Language arts, however, uses words to create images and express emotion. Ultimately, language arts is made entirely out of words and nothing else, a trait that most art forms can't claim.
I'd like to think that I'm an artist. Art has been a fairly large part of my life ever since I was little. My grandma put a paintbrush in my hands as soon as I could hold one. I've taken art as an elective all throughout grade school. And one day I hope to be an architect, which is an art form in itself. I create and express my emotions through visual material, at least as best as I can. But ultimately, I think that anyone can be an artist. To be an artist is to create and express emotions, two features that are arguably considered a natural part of human life. However marginal or insignificant these creations may be, humans would not be humans if they did not create art.

Why Art - Aislinn Langley

Why art? Well, why not art? In a world largely based on answers and solutions to problems and prompt communication, art serves as an outlet for emotions we might not be otherwise able to express. Art can allow us a method of communication that transcends a simple exchange of words. Art is an exchange of feelings.

The role of the artist is to open a express something - a feeling, an idea, a view - in a way that can be universally understood or felt. The primary responsibility of the artist is to have a purpose. This could be a message that is clearly displayed, or a more subtle theme that is repeatedly hinted at. Or the purpose of art could purely be fun and entertainment. Other than that, the artist doesn't really have responsibilities or obligations to those who take in the art, in whatever medium it may be. An artist merely creates and steps back. Interpretation is left to viewers and consumers.

Language arts are set apart from other arts by their similarities to more basic forms of communication. A text chat with one's friends, an essay for school, a work of Shakespeare or Vonnegut: all are composed of words. While other kinds of art have their own mediums (music, paint, marble), literature is the art of making something meaningful out nothing but words.
  
Anyone who creates something, be it music, poetry, or countless doodles in the margins of last year's calculus, is an artist. I would, by this definition, definitely consider myself an artist, even if my calc doodles were mostly second rate.

Art- Jacob Young

Why art?
Art is, like many other things, a fiber that holds the fabric of society together. Without every fiber, the fabric would fall apart. Art is no exception. It is necessary for us, to give us anesthetic to reality, an escape for those who need it. Art has its purpose for the artist, creating something that they love, but it has even more purpose for the viewer.


What are the roles and responsibilities of an artist?
I do not believe that there are defined rules for artists. Since throughout time many diverse forms of art have been created, I would say that there are no boundaries or limits on art and artistic expression. Therefore, the artist may do as they please. However, a responsibility that the artist does have is to love what they are creating. If they do not, then it will not have its desired effect on the viewers.


What makes language arts different from other forms of art?
A painting, for example, is a picture you look at, created by the artist. The artist is showing you exactly what they want you to see. Of course, there is always room for interpretation, but in general, you are looking at what the artist wants you to look at. In language arts, the words on a page are there for you to read, but each individual reader creates their own picture in their minds of what they choose to see. In art, the artist shows the viewer, in language arts, the reader shows themselves.


Are you an artist?
I would say that I am, and it is because everyone is an artist. If you create something that you love, whether it be a piece of writing or a picture or something intangible even, you are an artist. Creating something that you love is not limited to feasible objects. If you create a friendship or a meaningful moment, that is art. It's no different than  other forms of art and it has the same desired effect. So yes,  I would consider myself an artist.

Why Art? - Walt Finch

Why art?
I think art has become an important part of society because it helps people to put a picture to the emotions they feel, but might not be able to express.  Other times it is just beautiful and people like to look at it.  Or it is cool and would make neat décor.  But I think the main reason is it helps us come to terms with our emotions.

The role of the artist is to help others to come to terms with their emotions, by providing an image that these people can relate to.  This results in most artists being deep and sensitive, having gone through suffering like in Sunny's Blues so that they can create emotional art that people can relate to.  The responsibility of the artist is to take these emotions, and portray them in a way that makes the viewer come to terms with oneself, not to hate oneself or think they are some kind of evil person.  The art should bring peace to the viewer, not turmoil, and it is important that the artist works to create the proper image.

What set the language arts apart from other arts is the ability to shape how the reader interprets one's art.  In paintings the artist paints his picture, which could mean one thing to himself, then an entirely different and unintended meaning to the viewer.  In language arts the writer can control to a certain extent the conclusion the reader arrives at by guiding them through the story and pointing out certain things.  One can also say a lot more with the language arts, considering it is words rather than a painting.  It also doesn't require one to be deep, one can read the story at the surface level, or allow the author to tell them what they should think, and not have to come up with their own conclusions like one must when viewing art.


Here the viewer is coming up with entirely their own conclusions, rather than being told what to think.  Maybe the meaning is something entirely different to her than what the artist intended.  Or maybe she just thinks it looks cool.  There are so many different ways to view or interpret art which is what makes it cool.  In language arts you are a little more limited, but you can still go at it in different lenses.  The writer does have more control though, which makes language arts unique in that aspect.

Why Art? - Emily Cashman

I think art is an outlet for anyone who is searching for a different way to express themself or in need of a break from reality, so that is one reason why it is so widely used. The freedom to create anything you want, anonymously or not, is one reason why art has been an influential aspect of most cultures throughout time. Solely by tracing human history through art, you can get a comprehensive understanding of various cultures and groups of people, which shows how art is extremely important and valuable. I think the role of an artist is to convey his or her emotions in whatever media they seem fit. In some instances, an artist even has the responsibility of accurately portraying the feelings of an entire group of people or documenting the events of a specific time. But in general, I think the only major responsibility of an artist is to translate his or her emotions into something that can be shared with others and allow people to connect with one another. I view language arts differently from other forms of art because you don’t have the option of just glancing at the work and understanding at least some of what the artist is trying to convey. Poetry, essays, and novels require more commitment because they usually just take longer to understand. That doesn’t mean you can’t stare at a painting in the MoMA for an hour and still have no idea what it means, but in my experience, language arts are longer and more comprehensive. I’m not quite sure if I view myself as an artist or not. I’m definitely not an artist in the traditional sense, but I play soccer and that is in a way a “performance”, which is a form of art, so maybe.

Why Art? -Caroline Totty

            Why art? Art because it informs us, it appeals to us, and it speaks to us. Art can come in several different forms such as music or paintings or poetry, and it is something that may not seem like a necessity to the world, but it is. It is essential to human growth because by looking at art we can learn so much from the past and the present including learning about the type of people who made the art and the setting in which it was created. We can learn not only the historical context though; oftentimes art has a deeper meaning. It may look like a fat woman or an abstract painting of a man, but chances are, the meaning is deeper. Everything was done for a reason in artwork whether that reason was the artist just being angry or if it was for the purpose of symbols and deeper meaning. Art teaches us so much more than we imagine.

            An artist's job is simply to create art. He or she has no limitations. Art is free expression therefore the role of an artist is just to create something that has meaning and appeals to them. The responsibilities of an artist go as deep as the artist wants. He or she can feel responsible for creating something that other people can relate to or something that they enjoy and don't care what other people think. Every artist is different and every artist has his or her own responsibilities.

            The difference between language arts and other arts is mainly the way it is presented. Arts such as paintings or drawings tell a story through a picture. Art such as music tells a story through sounds and sometimes lyrics. Art such as literature or poetry, or language arts, tell a story through words. I think everyone is an artist in his or her own special way. I don’t really know how I’m an artist yet, but I am sure I will find out.

Why Art? david chen

Why art? Well art is a complex topic since what makes something aesthetically pleasing is subjective based on the person. The beauty in it though is seeing all the different types of genres and distinctions in it. There's art of all shapes and sizes, from physical art like sculptures to art that entrances one's senses like music. Thus, i can see the importance of art pieces and the role they could potentially have in human life.
The role of the artist is to create the piece. There aren't really any requirements lest it be that the art originates from their inner creativity. The artist is responsible for not making anyone lose their senses with terrible production.
The language arts differs from the other art forms in the way it is transferred. Instead of images or sounds, meaningful words are exchanged to get across a message. I am an artist because I have indeed sketched up numerous exhibits and masterpieces in my time as a master painter showcased throughout the world.

Why Art?- Andrew Collins

I believe that Art's main function in our society is to give us a break from necessity. We need to work, we need to eat, we need to sleep, but we don't need to make or appreciate art. Just the simple fact that no part of art is absolutely necessary draws us to it, so we may get a break from our duties and responsibilities. Art is a pure expression of our consciousness, our feelings, and our struggles, with no strings attached. It allows us to escape from our material world and simply feel.

The purpose of the artist is to allow us an outlet to understand our surroundings in ways that we never thought possible. Well crafted art opens our minds to new possibilities. The primary responsibility of the artist is to create a clean separation from our responsibilities and our struggles so that we may think and feel more clearly.

Language arts is separated from other art forms by its necessity. Language arts enables us to effectively translate our thoughts to others in a very efficient manner. Without it we would have made almost zero progress as a race. Visual art may tell stories, but without the communication enabled by language arts we would be stuck in the stone age.

I do consider myself an artist. I actually perform my favorite type of art, jazz music, regularly. Whenever I play an improvised solo on saxophone I am creating art on the fly. I always try and create a meaningful melody that my audience can relate to. Each solo is a story that crafts itself as it is played. That is my favorite part of my art, that it crafts itself in real time.

Why art?
Art has been an integral part of every distinct culture for thousands of years. Developments have been made and have been accompanied by drastic changes regarding both the styles of art and the conceptions of what can qualify an object or expression as belonging to this category. Despite these changes, I feel that the fundamental purposes and effects of art have been relatively consistent, particularly in the time since the establishment of the Greco-Roman tradition.
So what are these functions? While there are numerous exceptions to any rule, it is my view that art has largely been a response to disenchantment or confusion with reality. As discussed in class, there are a plethora of examples of contemporary artists seeking escape through their work. The visual arts can be traced back in meaning to a relatively recent time during which nearly all expression was related to religion of some sort, which is another way of seeking solace from the confusion of every day life.
With this view in mind, I think the artist has two distinct roles. The first is self serving, an attempt to express something to one's self that other, more scientific media, cannot reach. The second is in diffusing the creativity of her or his work and exploration to others. The concept of responsibility here holds little importance, specifically because of the subjectivity that gives art it's importance.
One example of a media that can follow this conception is written fiction. Take a novel, for example.
There are character, and stories, and a great number of very deliberate choices by an author. These deliberate choices obviously still fulfill the second role (that of diffusion), but they do little for the first. It could be that the second reason suffices as a purpose for the first, or that there are other, more hidden truths from which the writer can benefit.
The thing that sets this form of artistic expression apart is it's incredible ability for directness. In no other mode of creative communication can the producer jump so extremely from an abstract discussion of a fictional world to a concise and concrete address regarding the world in which we live, or fail to live in.
I think of myself as an artist as I do any other producer of material. I write, I sing, I play music, and I communicate, each another valuable form of expression that most of us partake in. In doing so we contribute to the ongoing dialogue, we reveal our lives to others for inspection or shield them from view. In any case, we make art.

8/24- brandon castillo

Art's importance in society is marked by the ability of it to connect people together in whatever media it is made in and it is done through the emotional power which the art conveys.  

The role of the artist is express his emotion in whatever he does: it could be an actual piece of art but it could also be a beautifully made essay, basketball plan, or speech; art is whatever the artist wants to make it. My opinion on the responsibility of the artist is that the artist gets to decide how direct they want to be about their ideas or emotions; they can be super to-the-point or can be abstract. The artist gets to choose which method is best but with the abstract approach, the viewer/reader has the ability to create their own ideas that might be different from the author's .  

I think language arts is different from regular arts because you use your tongue and pen. You can choose not only what you want to say but you say it by your choice of diction and syntax. You are able to attack it with different methods like metaphors, personification, similes, or analogies to exemplify your ideas and emotions to the reader. 

 I believe that I am an artist because I get to choose what I write and how I write it when I write essays, I am able to express my ideas to people with emotional and logical appeal, I can use my basketball moves to move people to tears.

Why Art?

Why Art? For me I have always found the art people readily think of, paintings and drawings, relatively boring, but that does not mean I don’t appreciate their great importance. Many pieces of art tell stories of cultures that have long since faded away, while others wow the viewers with mind numbing beauty and skill. Art like paintings, drawings, and sculptures are just the tip of the ice berg, I mean in my opinion everything can be perceived as an art, whether its movies, stand-up comedy, professional football, or writing it’s still a form of art work and expression. So the role of an artist if they are a quarterback or a novelist is to entertain the audience and to put beauty and skill into their media. Making their main responsibility a very challenging one, this is to not disappoint the audience and to try to bring them something fresh and new every time they perform.

Language arts are a special breed of arts because in my opinion at least they have the most potential to change the world.  You have common examples of this like the Bible and the Koran, but then you have other works of language arts like Uncle Tom’s Cabin which help to gain supporters for the abolitionist cause. Without books we could not call ourselves a sophisticated society.

Am I an Artist? I’d like to think I am, I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh, so through my comedy I hope that I am able to entertain others which would then by my own measures qualify me as an artist.

Art- James Jones

            Why art? Because art is easily accessible expression. There is an art form for nearly everyone, whether it be painting, music, writing, acting etc. etc. Art provides a means of conveying the feelings one desires to show. Blues musicians used their songs to express their troubles, writers express the beliefs and moral lessons that they desire to teach, they all express what can’t just be expressed in normal spoken word. Some things need a more powerful medium to be communicated, and the medium for many people is art. Art is also experienced by more than just it’s creators. It is a wonderful group experience that many people get to share.

            The role of the artist is to create. They are the ones that have the message to send and the beauty to show. They provide the material for people to take in and interpret. Their responsibilities are to create something that they enjoy and hope that others share that enjoyment, and to effectively convey whatever message that they want to convey.

            I am somewhat an artist because I play music. Sadly I don’t get to play guitar as much as I used to but I still pick it up from time to time. My favorite genre to play has always been blues because of how much emotion blues musicians put into their work. No matter how simple or complex it is when I play a blues song I feel like I’m really pouring my heart out and expressing myself without even having to say a word, it’s wonderful.   

Sloan Warner: Art 8/24

There are a myriad of reasons why art is so prevalent in our society today. First of all, art is entertaining to everyone whether it be music, paintings, sculptures, architecture, even films and television shows. In present day life, there isn’t anyone who goes through a day without coming across art at all. It surrounds us so much because we are entertained by which emotions it can cause us to feel. Whether positive or negative emotions being felt, the audience continues to return to be entertained or moved again. The emotions in singing a song as loud as your heart desires can be quite therapeutic to some who look to art to help them when they want to change their current emotions. Some look to art for guidance, listening to song lyrics and such. Arts can have effects like drugs and can be insanely addicting.

The role of the artist is to entertain the audience in the best way possible. Anyone who evokes any intended emotion on another can be considered an artist.  The role of the artist is to act as best they can when they are performing and create new acts or pieces in which they can perform.

Language arts is not different than any other art in manipulating audiences’ emotions, and is only different because of the medium in which the art is expressed. The Language arts is expressed in a textual medium allowing to entertain the audience in a differentiated way from all other art forms.

I am an artist because I am sometimes entertaining to be around and I have an effect on the people around me which can change their emotions in a good or bad way. Though I may not be the best painter or actor, I do have artistic qualities.

Image: Many types of art can be viewed on these two devices

Why Art?--Gabriel Molina

I feel like there are a lot of answers to the question, "Why art?" For me personally, one of the purposes I see for art is expression of the artist. Based on my conversations and interactions with artistically minded people, as well as based on my own experience, forms of art are sometimes the only or the best means for one to express themselves. Another purpose I see in it is simply to create beauty. I think there is an importance in appreciating beauty, whether it's in literature, visual art, music, etc. Artists contribute that beauty to the world.


That means part of the role of the artist is to create that beauty. Artists are often artists because they have the ability to see things others don't, or at least to see them in a different way. So I would say part of their role is to share that perspective with others, through their respective means of art. My dad is a professional painter, for example. For him not to paint would almost rob the world of something. He has a unique way of seeing things, and no one else can paint what he does, so part of his role I think is to share that. I would say another role of an artist is to be open, honest, revealing. I think mainly of music in this context. I find music (and other art) that is open and revealing about the artist far more interesting and immersing than that which lacks honesty. I believe that's a role/responsibility of the artist.


Language arts differs from the other arts because of the means of expression. There is art expressed through music, there is art expressed through visual means, and language arts uses words ("language") to express a message. I think since language is used widely so much, it takes a significant degree of creativity to use it in artistic expression. Poetry comes to mind. It takes words that we use all the time, and through rearranging, adding rhythm, and other devices, makes it artistic. It amazes me the ability of some people to do this so well. Same with prose. Though it usually uses a similar rhythm to what we are used to speaking and hearing daily, a writer uses devices and structure and lots of creative thought to express a message in a deeper way than just stating it blatantly.


I am an artist. At least part of me is. I am mainly a musician, an acoustic guitarist. I don't do much performing, though I have before, but my playing guitar is mainly an outlet, a means of expression for me. I learn songs, but I also find my own melodies and rhythms, etc. Sometimes I find myself with something inside me that I just can't find the words to express. So through guitar I attempt to express those things. Though all of that is without words/lyrics, I have recently found myself captivated by poetry as well as lyrics in music. I hope to improve my ability to express myself in words, whether through poetry or through lyrics. Yes I am an artist.