The Day of Art

 What: Exhibit

Who: CFADA

When: November 3, 2012

Where: Gibbs Museum  

Price: Free Admissions

     After the Painting in the Park, the paintings from that day were taken to the Gibbs Art Museum. The Gibbs, is one of the main and most popular of the museums located in Charleston. It show cases a variety of artist from around the nation. At the Gibbs, the paintings were auction off to the highest bidder. All the processed were given to the Charleston County High Schools Department.

 I began to look around in the museum, I noticed how many people where there. I wondered what kind of people would show up, I didn't know what to expect that day. When I walked around, helping my mom, I really enjoyed looking at the paintings on the walls. Everyone had a different view of what they saw. From this experience, I took away more that I expected. I realized that even though the art may look different, the people who paint it all share a common thing, the love of painting. 

Gibbes Museum of Art:  A Day at the Museum

What: It was a museum with art pictures.
Who: I went with my friends Lonnie, Trent, and Eric.
When: I went on December 4. Right after school was ended.
Where: It is on 135 Meeting Street Charleston, South Carolina.
Price: It cost seven dollar for seniors to come and look around at the Gibbes Museum.

The Gibbs Museum had some really interesting art pictures.  Some were very cool.  Some were a little different and didn't really look like anything.  They had old pictures showing people from a long time ago but they also had pictures of people that are celebrities that we know today, like Jay-Z and the Beatles.  It was a very big museum with three stories and a lot of rooms to walk around and look at the pictures.

I was surprised that I actually liked the museum.  I have never been to an art museum before.  Some of the art I did not like, but some of it was interesting.  My favorite part of the museum was the room that had all of the pictures of the musicians and celebrities.  It is a place that I would maybe go again.    

October Baby:  Finding the Real Mother

What:  October Baby about a girl that was adopted.
Who:  I watched the movie at school with a lot of other students.
When:  The movie was after school one afternoon in November.
Where:  At First Baptist School, 48 Meeting Street.
Price:  Free

The movie was about a girl that was adopted.  She did not find out that she was adopted until she was 18.  She left and went to find her mother.  She found her aunt and then found her mother.  Her mom acted like she didn't know her.  Her mom had given her up for adoption because she could not take care of her.  The daughter left her mom a note later and told her she forgives her.  Then the girl went back to her home.

I thought the movie was something that a girl would like more that a movie that a boy would like.  It was a good movie, but I don't think I would watch it again.  It was a good story and made me think about what it would be like to be adopted.

City Gallery at Waterfront Park: One Crazy Art Gallery

What:  The City Gallery at Waterfront Park
Who:  I went to the art gallery with Jenny and Bradford.
When:  I went to the gallery on December 5, 2012 during my study hall break.
Where:  The art gallery is in downtown Charleston near the waterfront park.
Price:  Free

The City Gallery at Waterfront Park had some strange pictures.  Most of them were abstract art that had lots of colors and strange objects in the pictures.  There were also art sculptures in the gallery.  There were not any other people in the gallery when we went there.  It was a two story building with a lot of art to look at.

I was surprised that the City Gallery was free.  I really did not like the art that they had because a lot of it was strange.  One strange thing was a clothes line that had clothes hanging on it.  All of the clothes had paint all over them.  I did not understand why it was in an art gallery.  I don't think I would want to go back there again.

The King's Speech:  Working Hard and Believing in Yourself

What:  The King's Speech is a movie about King George VI.
Who:  I watched this movie with other students at the school.
When:  I watched this movie after school one afternoon in October.
Where:  I watched this movie in Ms. Clark's room at First Baptist School, 48 Meeting Street.
Price:  Free

This movie is a true story about King George VI who had a stuttering problem.  He works hard with a speech therapist to learn how to talk without stuttering.  He is very nervous about making the King's Speech that would be on the radio.  Speech therapy helped him.  On the day that he had to make the speech, he was very nervous.  He had his speech therapist come in the room with him and he did the speech very well.  Everyone was very proud of him.

I liked this movie because I really like true stories.  I also liked it because I had to have a speech therapist too for many years to learn how to talk.   I learned that you should always believe in yourself and work hard.    If you work hard and don't give up, you can do many things.  I would watch this movie again.

A lot of Museums...

What: Halsey Exhibit

Who: Don ZanFanga

When: December 5, 2012

Where: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art

Price: Free


The exhibit that is currently at the Halsey is centered around this "Pulse Dome".  Is artist featured in the exhibit is Don ZanFanga.  His dome is to put in Marion Square over the fountain.  In the exhibit there was a 3D model of the Pulse dome along with some concept art.  All around the walls of the exhibit were filled with different kinds paintings and drawings much like the one down below.

When I was in the Halsey I was not quite sure what the pulse dome was so I had to go home to do a little research.  ZanFanga created the dome which was inspired by insect hives, wombs, and caves.  ZanFanga wanted his architecture to coexist with harmony in a way.  Overall, I enjoyed the Halsey and the exhibit.  The exhibit was unique, I have never seen someone want to integrate nature into architecture which I find to be very interesting.  I can not wait to see the Pulse Dome after it is built.

What: Holocaust Museum

When: November 21, 2012 (I think)

Where: Holocaust Museum in Washington DC

Price: Free (except with a thirty minute wait)

The Holocaust Museum in Washington DC was one of the most informative places about the Holocaust I've ever been to.  The museum had personal belongings of Holocaust victims, such as wooden tooth brushes,  There were dioramas of concentration camps which were very detailed and pointed out places where the victims stayed or where the gas chambers were.

Although the Museum was one of the most interesting places I've every been, I felt sick to my stomach the entire time.  I think the most memorable thing I remember about the museum was this video about experiments performed on the Jews.  The content of the video was so graphic that the museum put the T.V down into a sort of make shift box with a glass covering it, so little kids couldn't see the video.  The video showed Nazi scientists performing gruesome experiments on Jews such as a pressure experiment that would burst the victims internal organs.  Overall I liked the museum, it was informative and showed the truths of the Holocaust the textbooks were not allowed to show.

What: The Charleston Museum

When: Sometime in October...

Where: Charleston Museum

Price: Free

I think every kid that has lived in Charleston has gone to the Charleston Museum.  I have gone to the Charleston Museum more than I can count on my fingers and it has not changed.  Most of the exhibits are the same, the kids section is still even there.  When I went they had told an exhibit had just opened, the Charleston Militia. The exhibit said that the Milita was formed during the Civil War to protect those in Charleston.  The exhibit had clothes the milita wore and some of the weapons they used.

I think the Museum was boring, mostly because I had been there so much.  I do believe the museum is the ideal place for children, but the museum does a bad job of captivating a more mature audience.

What: The Smithsonian Institution

When: November 21, 2012 (I think)

Where: Washington, DC

Price: Free

Little known fact, the Smithsonian is the biggest museum in the world.  There are in total 19 museums in the Smithsonian, wish I had time to see them all but I was only able to visit one.  The museum I went to was the Air and Space museum, the goto place to learn anything about aeronautical engineering  and design.  In the museum was one of the first planes ever created a biplane, along with the UAV (Unmanned Arieal Vehicle).

Overall I really liked the museum, it showed how much technology has improved over the years.  Also there was a dehydrated space monkey, if that isn't reason enough to go to the Smithsonian.

A Meeting of Artists

A Meeting of Artists

What: Painting in Broad Street's park

Who: Painters, artists, high school students

When: Saturday November 3rd

Where: Washington Square

Price: Free

On November 3rd, Robert and I went to Washington Square, on Broad Street, where artists from Charleston were painting. People could walk around, watch the artists paint, talk to them, ask them questions. Some of the artists were famous, others were less known.

It had a pleasant atmosphere, they had food and drinks, so people could enjoy a donut while watching people paint.
There were also paintings from some High schools in Charleston, whose work was exposed, in the middle of the park.

That painting was my favorite. I feel like you can almost hear him yell.
Here are some other paintings from the High schools.

I did not like them as much, but still thought they were fairly good for high school students.

I really enjoyed that morning, everyone was friendly, and the artists were very nice.
The painters painted mostly the park, or streets close to it like Meeting and Broad Streets.

A movie at First Baptist

A movie at First Baptist

What: movie The Way

Who: Tom, played by Martin Sheen 

When: October 31st, from 3:15-5:30

Where: First Baptist School

Price: Free admission

On October 31st, I decided to go see this movie, since I did not have any event yet. I came into the classroom, and did not think i would enjoy it. But I did. 

The Way is a movie made in 2010, by Emilio Estevez. It was first a book, which was written by Jack Hitt. 

The movie is about a dad, whose son died trekking on the "El camino de Santiago" (Way of St. James). It is a pilgrimage route, which existed for centuries, and leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. He then leaves California, to go to France, where his son died. His son is incinerated, and Tom keeps the ashes. He decides to go all the way to the Cathedral, to achieve his son's goal. Tom symbolically leave ashes on the way. He meets three people, who will later be three really good friends. 

The four of them have a reason why they are doing this pilgrimage. There are a lot of drama, and Tom is not a really opened person. Everything ends up well, and they finally get to the Cathedral.

At the end of the movie, Tom ends up trekking around the world, relieved. 

I enjoyed this movie, and I really encourage you all to watch it. 

I learned a lot about religion, friendship, the love of parents, and also how hard it is to do this pilgrimage!

The Sounds of Sinatra!

Who: Darius Rucker

What: Jazz tribute to Frank Sinatra

When: February 13, 2012

Where: North Charleston Coliseum Performing Arts Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive

 The Tribute to Frank Sinatra was organized by MUSC's Children's Hospital.  The concert raised almost $300,000.  Darius Rucker came out in a tuxedo singing the mellow, soothing songs of Sinatra.  He sang for 45 minutes and then a short 15 minute intermission.  He continued to sing the classical romantic songs.  The attire ranged from cocktail attire to skinny jeans.  Those that attended the cocktail party prior to the event dressed up. However, fun was had by all.

I enjoyed the event, but I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra and others of that genre.  I even went to a Michael Bublé concert several years ago. With this, I think that Darius Rucker did a great job, but should stick with country and his band Hootie and the Blowfish.  

En Plein Aire

 What: Painting in the Park

Who: CFADA

When: November 3, 2012

Where: Washington park

Price: Free Admissions

       It was fascinating watching an artist place a blank canvas on an easel and then start painting what he sees in front of him onto canvas. I watched him first stare at the object and than start drawing it out on his canvas. I also saw young artist from Charleston County display their art work to be judged. I saw people painting form photographs and painting plain Air. I watched 30 artist paint each had their own unique way of painting. These Artist only had 3 hours to start and finish their paintings before they went up for auction and all the proceeds went to the Charleston County High Schools Art departments. 

     It was a beautiful morning and I was surprised of how much I enjoyed watching these artist paint their paintings. I thought the young artist from Charleston County were very talented. I would say the overall experience was great. I learned a great deal of the process of developing a painting.