An exploration of 60,000 years of Art History. The purpose is to educate viewers about the contexts of art, the categories, and ways in which art is judged as "good" across cultures and time. I use a sports metaphor to help students connect with and better understand the different cultural paradigms for Art.

1. Getting Into the Game Margo Wixsom – Palo Alto High School Learning the Art Score

9. Art Illustrates Scientific Concepts Peregrinationes in montem Syon Erhard Renwich 1486 Leicester Codex . Leonardo da Vinci Geometry tudies of reflections of sunlight from the moon. Italy, probably Florence, from 1508 Cultures throughout time used Art to record and illustrate scientific studies such as biology, geography, astronomy, physics, and mathematics.

12. 2 Basic Categories in the Art Game Representational art always looks like some identifiable “thing” – all viewers can identify the subject as a tree, a face, a building. Realism is representational – the style seeks to create a detailed replica of an identifiable subject . Non-representational or Abstract art does not represent any particular “thing” that viewers can agree on. You might “see something” in the arrangement of shapes and colors but all viewers can’t agree on a specific subject . The image doesn’t represent a uniformly identifiable subject . Oenpelli Tribe Aborigine Light Wave Karin Kuhlmann

13. Different Games – The Course of Empire Thomas Cole American 1836 Sunset in an Autumn Valley Shen Shih China 1544 Think of Western Art as the game of basketball – the most points wins. Realism is the primary style of Western Art, so the “object of the game” for good art in this style is more and lifelike details. More is best and “the winner” in this style. Think of Eastern Art as the game of golf – the fewest points wins. Expressivism is the primary style in Eastern Art so the “object of the game” for good art is to use the least amount of perfect strokes to capture the feeling or essence of the subject. The fewest outstanding stokes is best or “the winner.” Different Rules

14. Change of Game View from window at LeGras The first photograph by Joseph Niepce 1826 The Guy who shook up The Game! So here comes the BIG REVOLUTION in Western Art,… if the object of the game is Realism – then when the camera is perfected in the mid-1800’s the BIG question is: Why have artists anymore when the camera can make the most exact replica of the subject? Whoa! BIG shake-up for artists in the Western world’s Art rulebook when photography enters the game!

15. Change the Rules Dude ! So,… if Western artists are outdone by photography they can either hang up their brushes and go home,… or they can step out of the Realism box and change the rules of good art to include different styles of painting and,… Voila! So begins the major Art movements of the 20 th C. Artists experiment with new rules for the “game of good” in Art. Impressionism tries to capture the optics of light with color, while Pointillism explores the relationship of dots of color together. Fauvism decides to change the colors of things altogether and Sureallism blends dream imagery with reality

16. Point Systems for the New Scorecards Since the camera pretty much gets a perfect score for Realism , it’s time to revise the scorecard. Artists focus less on Realism and start to experiment with The Elements and Principles of Art to create new “game versions” or Art movements. Art movements usually have a primary focus on one or a combination of basic Elements . Minimalism ’s “scorecard” is the least amount of Elements wins – simplicity is “best.” It’s important to learn a little about any Art movement to better understand the “revised rules” and the “scoring system.” Balance Form Texture Color Proportion Value-Contrast Shape Line

17. Who’s Got the Scorecard ?! Most people “get” and appreciate Realism but are baffled by Modern movements like Abstract art since Photography entered the game. The old scorecard rated Realism high because it was easy to recognize and “pretty.” Since the rules for “good” have changed since the camera rocks the game, the artists seem to be the only ones who have the new scorecard . The major problem understanding Modern Art - is that many viewers look at it without having the new revised scorecard for Modern Art. You hear people say things like, “That’s not even good - any little kid could do that!” Washington Crossing the Delaware . Leutze Sun Arthur Dove

18. Go Game Crazy ! It gets really fun and funky as artists start to play with the rulebook of “good” Art. They explore different ideas about how art is “played” using different media and techniques. Cubists show things from multiple directions in ONE painting. Kandinsky listens to music and paints feelings rather than subjects to introduce Abstract Expressionism . Pollack does away with the easel and paintbrush altogether and starts throwing paint on a canvas on the floor!

19. Knowing the Score! Greens in Blue Mark Rothko The purpose of this presentation is to give you, the viewer , the inside scoop about what Art is , what it does and how you interpret it as an educated viewer . Abstract artists experiment with the Elements and Principles of Art like line, shape, color, repetition, form, balance, contrast, proportion, space, unity, variety, emphasis, rhythm, or texture. See if you can guess which Elements and Principles these artists are experimenting with – and become an educated viewer who knows the score! Parallell Diagonals Kandinsky The Scream Edvard Munch Reclining Woman Henry Moore Goethe’s Theory J.M.W Turner Self Portrait Van Gogh

20. Media are the materials of Art Traditional media include graphite (pencil), chalk, charcoal, paints applied to canvas, paper or board. Charcoal – Kathe Kollwitz Printing Inks - Katsushika Hokusai Pottery – John Hayes Stone Sculpture - Runyanga Pastel – Pierre Renoir Wood Carving- Polynesian Watercolor – Paul Klee Acrylic Paint – Frank Stella Printmaking involves using wood or stone to make an image that can be inked and reprinted. Sculptors use wood, stone, clay and mixed media to create artworks in 3D. See if you can identify the media @ right.