Modern Art Workshop with Barbara Gottesman

Modern Art Workshop at Cantor Art Center

Not enough modern art in your life?  Join us for a car pool trip to Cantor Art Center at Stanford on Thursday, March 3.  We will view the Anderson Collection, the Diebenkorn Sketchbook Collection, and the Rodin sculptures. Lunch at the Cool Café.  Discussion questions will be provided for each participant.

Register by e mailing Barbara at barb.gottesman@gmail.com before February 29. Fee:  $9.00  for each participant for mileage and parking. Depart Cribari East Parking Lot at 10 am on March 3.

Follow up discussion on Friday, March 4, at 1 pm in the Art Room.

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  This is a workshop for appreciating and questioning modern art.  No docent will lead us, but each person will write replies to the discussion questions which will be distributed.  The point is to understand what the artist is attempting to do and to reflect on the impact the art work has on you as the individudal viewer.

  We will arrive at Cantor Art Center at 10:40 am in order to get slot parking in front.  Park in the numbered slots and pay at the machine at the end for 4 hours.

  Meet in the lobby of the Anderson Collection, housed in a building to the left of Cantor Art Center.  View all the paintings and choose one of the five specific paintings and artists for discussion.  Jot down your replies.

  Go down the front walk to the Rodin Sculpture Garden.  Enter by way of the ramp on the side.  Turn left at "The Thinker."  Go inside the Cool Cafe and order lunch.

  Take the elevator outside the Cool Cafe.  Exit left on the second floor.  Go through the round gallery into the Stegall Gallery to see the Diebenkorn Sketchbook Exhibit.  Only one discussion question will guide this exhibit.  Sketch one thing somewhere.

Go back down to the Rodin Exhibit.  Study the sculptures, especially "Meditation."  Exit via the ramp.  Go find "Stone River."  Return to The Villages.

Two random questions about modern art will be prize worthy, so keep your eyes open.

We will meet at 1 pm on Friday, March 3, in the Art Room to discuss our replies and plan another trip.

Each particpant should bring $9 in cash exact change to pay to car pool drivers for mileage and parking.  Admission to the two buildings is free.  Lunch prices in the Cool Cafe are moderate to expensive.  You can find more details, including a lunch menu at museum.stanford.edu

Barbara will give car pool drivers directions, a map and GPS coordinates.

Each person should bring a pen and a very small sketchbook.  Good walking shoes are necessary.

Call or e mail Barbara with questions.  408-531-9402 barb.gottesman@gmail.com  

Meditation

by August Rodin

Transfiguration III

by Adolph Gottlieb

Workshop in Modern Art,

Cantor Art Center

Leader:  Barbara Gottesman

Join us at 1 pm in the Art Room on Friday, March 4, for a short discussion of all the modern art we saw at Cantor and the Anderson Collection.

1.  Discussion question for the Anderson Collection.

Choose one of these paintings:

“Ocean Park #60” by Richard Diebenkorn

“Wall Painting No. IV” by Robert Motherwell

“Lucifer” by Jackson Pollock

“Transfiguration III” by Adoph Gottlieb

“1946” by Christopher Brown

“Yosemite Falls” by Mark Tanrey

Or any sculpture (“Frog Food” is a good one).

Or any other painting that reaches out and

grabs  you.

Describe the colors in the painting.  Art is sometimes described as a communication from the artist to the viewer.  What do you think the artist is trying to convey to the viewer?  What emotional or intellectual impact does this painting have on you as the viewer?  

2.  Diebenkorn Sketch Books in Stegall Gallery, Second Floor.

How do Diebenkorn's constant sketchbooks help develop his art?    Would such a practice help your art?

3.  Rodin Sculpture Garden Discussion Question:

How does Rodin get so much kinetic energy into even a peaceful statue such as “Meditation”   much less, “The Gates of Hell”?

Bonus Questions:  Abstract Expressionism has been defined by one critic as “…action painting with the canvas as the arena for action..”

Do you agree or disagree?

Where is Andy Goldsworthy's sculpture “Stone River”?

Yosemite Falls