Asheville Art Museum is one of North Carolina’s major tourist attractions. This two-floor museum is dedicated to presenting the works of various artists. Asheville, North Carolina is an ideal place for visiting the art museum because it has a rich background in the art scene. It has also emerged as a major regional art hub attracting people from all around the country. The art museum in Asheville features both local and international artistic talent that would surely mesmerize visitors.
If you are planning to visit Asheville for art-related activities, the first stop on your tour should be the Asheville Art Museum. Here, you can view contemporary and traditional works of arts that span various disciplines. The museum is home to a wide collection of both local and international artists such as Rufus W. Smith, Frank Stella, Thomas Moran, Ray Lichtenstein, Tom Rockwell, and many more. You will surely be amazed by the breathtaking views of the Asheville Mountains from within the walls of the art museum.
Aside from the wonderful natural setting, the Asheville Art Museum is just one among the many places where you can get good souvenirs. They have photo albums with famous scenes and paintings. These photo albums are perfect gifts for your loved ones celebrating their special moments such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events. Some of these photo albums are signed and have the name and date of the guest who will be receiving the present. For your own gallery experiences, you can also display your favorite pieces of art.
If you’re a fan of the performing arts, you may want to visit the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. This renowned group performs various concerts throughout the year. They even hold concerts especially for children and teens to give them an enchanting and memorable musical experience. Most musical concerts are free of charge, but some events offer admission. If you’re interested in the symphony, all you have to do is to drop by their studios or listen to their performances online.
If photography is your passion, then you would want to visit Asheville’s Photography City. There are actually hundreds of photography spots here so you could easily spend hours just enjoying the sights and sounds. This city boasts of its own dark sky program, which makes it one of the best places in the world to take photos no matter what time of day it is. Even during the darkest hours, the lights in this city never go out.
Do you love visiting Asheville’s Music House? It is one of the most visited places here, not only because of the great music that can be heard inside but also because of the collection of fine works of art. There are actually hundreds of galleries scattered around this city showcasing the talents of local artists. You can even take in a concert from the best local musicians at the Music House.
If you want to get away from it all and relax, then you should definitely check out Asheville’s botanical garden. Here, you can indulge in your passion for gardening by strolling through the narrow pathways filled with exotic plants. You can also try to climb the wooden stairs and walking into the dark green forest. The only limitation of the botanical garden is that there are times that the temperature would be a little too cold for visitors. So it is best to book a room in one of the inns around the area. Other than the botanical garden, the Amory Botanical Gardens is also another must-visit place for anyone who loves to relax.
Finally, if you want to have one more taste of art, try visiting the Asheville Art Museum. This one of the most famous museums in the U.S. since it was established in 1963. It offers a wide variety of exhibits ranging from art to music. It has several permanent and temporary exhibitions that you can attend. No matter what kind of art you like, there is an art museum in Asheville for you.
Contemporary Art – Is It Worth The Hunt?
What is contemporary art? That’s a question many ask, since contemporary art has become one of the most popular and widely discussed forms of art today. For almost two centuries, the word “contemporary” has been used to describe art. However, there is a big difference between classic art and contemporary art, the latter refers to art that is not classical, and the former does not necessarily attempt to imitate classical art but rather attempts to make art relevant in our day and age. It tries to use modern tools such as technology, interactivity, multimedia, and art movements to tell a story in a new way, usually with a social message.
The term “contemporary art” was first used in critic Earl Nightingale’s definitive work, The Critics, published in Camera, Magazine, June, 1977. He wanted to reclaim the label “contemporary” from the art of the previous century and to give it to more “useful” forms such as performance, literature, video, and music. In his book, he singles out three key figures of that new generation of contemporary artists whose work he regards as seminal. These are photographers such as William Collins Gallant, Peter Young, and Ilse de Richey; writers like translator Peter Cowper Powys and essayist Beatrix Potter; and multimedia artists including Lucio Fontana, Ulrika Jorgensen, and Yayoi Tanimura.
In his book, Nightingale includes a list of the 50 most influential contemporary artists, which includes several names from the world of photography. However, it goes without mentioning the most famous American contemporary artist of all-PIcture, Robert Rauschenberg. This oversight might have been acceptable if it were a short list instead of an entire book, but as it is, the omission of this masterful artist from the “50 Most Influential Artists” list is uncalled for. In this article, we will look at some other names that get the book’s nod despite being overlooked by the Nightingale: curator Peter Young, sculptor Morris Louis, writer Philip Roth, and photographer Kenneth Noland.
One major criticism of Nightingale’s list is its preclusion of the most important and forward thinking thinkers in contemporary art. In his introduction, Nightingale offers a brief history of contemporary art, a sort of history lesson, if you will, but then goes on to present his list in full, mentioning neither figures mentioned in his essay nor those mentioned in the bibliography. As a result, his text comes up a bit short on the subject of invention and conceptualization, which are one of the hallmarks of contemporary art. He quotes approvingly from the works of others, but fails to discuss the importance of these and emphasizes the impression that their creation was driven by personal emotion rather than a desire to profit. This shortcoming does not impact the overall value of The Best American Contemporary Artists, though the book as a whole may suffer from a lack of depth and detail.
There are many more flaws in The Best American Contemporary Artist list, as well as several errors in grammar, punctuation, syntax, and sentence structure. If only Nightingale had taken the time to proofread his writing, the list would have been much improved. His lack of editing also makes it difficult to understand the connection he tries to make between contemporary art and architecture. It is impossible to understand his basic thesis, that architecture is a part of modern life, without going deep into the representations of space and form.
Philip Johnson is perhaps best known for his paintings of American Indian life and landscape. His name is familiar to contemporary artists who are interested in Native Americans because his style resembles that of the American Indian, particularly in his use of color. With The Best American Contemporary Art, Philip Johnson was able to immortalize the stereotype of American Indian art through a painting that had both beauty and intelligence. In an era when all too often Native Americans are depicted as caged animals in museums, The Best American Contemporary Art by Philip Johnson is a welcome corrective to this long and problematic history.
Charles Moat is another important influence on the field of contemporary art, especially with his famous painting The Ladder to Freedom. As such, Moat’s image appears on the cover of many contemporary art prints and books. Like the ones mentioned above, his work is often considered to be representative of American Indian art in its most complete form. Like Nightingale and Johnson, Moat’s use of color is always striking, bringing alive the idea of color as a primary feature of art. As Moat once pointed out “color is the language of the heart.”
There is no argument that contemporary art has greatly influenced popular culture. But it is worth remembering that such a great deal of influence is only one side of the coin. The creation of art itself has an important role to play. The Best American Contemporary Art list is an attempt to highlight the importance of art in our society. By looking at the list as a whole, we can see it as a representation of how the US views itself, and perhaps more importantly, what it does regarding the definition of contemporary art.
Famous American Painters
There are many famous American painters. Though the list is very long, some of the best known ones are below. Some of these modern artists are more into realistic pieces whereas others paint abstract paintings. Some of them have paintings which are still highly appreciated even today. This article will concentrate more on some of the most popular American, contemporary artists who can be said to belong to the best-known American group of painters.
- Robert Rauschenberg – One of the most famous American contemporary painters, Robert Rauschenberg created a world-wide reputation as a master painter and cartoon artist. His paintings are mainly of landscapes and buildings. This artist also had a huge impact on the development of modern art. Some of his most well-known works include the recognizable Manet.
- Henry Lemon – Another American contemporary painter and cartoon artist, Henry Lemon lived in New York City during the early days of the 20th century. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest painters in the history of American, contemporary paintings. Some of his most famous paintings include the recognizable Lemon Squeeze. Other popular artists today like Pollock, de Kooning, Monet and Warhol have also produced paintings which are hugely popular among art lovers.
- Mark Rothko – Another American contemporary painter and famous painter, Mark Rothko is the founder of the modern art movement in the United States. His paintings have become some of the most popular in the world. His paintings have featured in a number of award-winning campaigns, including The Man Who Played With Time (1947), The Artist (1949), Self-Portrait (Buying Waiting Tables) and Man With A Ball (1952). Some other modern artists associated with modern art paintings are Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella.
- Jasper Johns – A British photographer, Jasper Johns is one of the most famous modern artists from the British contemporary art market. His colorful pictures are greatly admired across the world. Some of his most popular works include Girl With Ball (1958), Landscape (1958) and The Little Buddha In The Kitchen (1960). Others include Self-Portrait (1958), Landscape with Figures (1958), Water Lilies in a Field (1963) and The Starry Night (1964). Many other popular artists have also produced abstract paintings inspired by Johns.
- Kenneth Noland – A Japanese American painter Kenneth Noland is another of the most famous modern artists from the American contemporary art market. His powerful images have conveyed a powerful message about social issues. His work has been greatly influenced by the American Indian movement. Some of his most popular works include The Night Window (1958), The Promenade (1960), Landscape (1961) and The Yellow Jacks (1961). Many other popular artists have produced works that share some of Noland’s themes.
- Charles Kelley – A Southwestern artist, Charles Kelley is also another of the most famous American, modern painters. His colorful paintings have helped to make Kelley one of the most popular modern artists from the American contemporary art market. Some of his most famous works include The Gods of War (1955), The Dying Man (1956), The Lady (1957) and St. Paul (1957). Many other contemporary artists have produced pieces that share parts of the styles used by Kelley.
All the above artists have produced paintings that express ideas that are popular with many Americans today. It is interesting to note that these paintings were produced long before most Americans were familiar with abstract painting. As a result, they have a unique relevance and timelessness that appeal to many generations of Americans. The above artists are just a few of the best known American, contemporary painting figures from the modern era. Combined with the popularity of Cezanne’s “umers” and Monet’s “ewater lilies”, these two popular painters have contributed greatly to the popularity of modern art in America.
An Introduction to the Definition of Art
Art is an inclusive collection of all artistic, human activities including the making of physical, visual or performing works, that exhibit the artist’s creative imagination, aesthetic ideas, or specialized skill, intended mainly to be enjoyed primarily for their visual beauty or aesthetic value. It includes arts and sciences concerned with the production of art as a form of entertainment, social perception and communication. It also includes the process of creating and producing art. The term ‘art’ is used in a broad sense to refer to the produced work of the human visual arts. It encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and activities and refers to any work of the human mind and hand that display creativity in the form of a visual art, musical art, architecture, pottery, and sculpture.
Paintings are the oldest art form and are the most familiar example of visual art. Paintings have an aesthetic, emotional and cognitive value often comparable only to other forms of artwork. Paintings have generally been categorized into two types: the representational and the abstract art. In modern times, the word may be applied to any medium that allows the artist to portray his or her thoughts, ideas or emotions in the form of a work of art.
Art is seen not so much as an artistic production as it is an expression of the artist’s thoughts and ideas. Therefore, we can speak of ‘spective art’ and ‘expressionist art’. Aesthetic taste and mood are important when determining which works of art are qualified as fine art. ‘Photography’ is an example of an artistic production that expresses the photographer’s aesthetic interest.
‘Photography’ shows how skilled a photographer is at taking stills of special events and choosing just the right background and subject matter. ‘ulpture’ refers to the output of an artist who designs and constructs a physical structure, usually representing an animal or a human being. ‘Dadaism’ refers to a group of artists who created works mainly from logos and images. ‘Formalism’, a style of painting characterized by straight lines and lightness, is an example of abstract art. ‘Graphic art’ includes any work of art that employs non-representational techniques, and ‘postmodernism’ a style of art that questions the validity of traditional values, suggesting instead that value and meaning can be determined from an aesthetic standpoint.
The term art can be used to describe any creative process by which a person produces a work of visual or a spoken expression. However, the term is normally used to refer to a specific type of art, more especially to the visual arts. It could also apply to any process by which an object is produced such as painting, sculpture, dance, pottery or printmaking. Art actually refers to the ability to create beauty and emotion in the world. This is considered as the ultimate human endeavor, for art is defined by the psychologists as the ability to experience a response involving feelings of satisfaction or pleasure. These emotional responses are commonly known as affect, which can be classified in different ways into five basic categories.
Aesthetic appeal is one of the most important aspects of art. It usually refers to the ability of a work of art to appeal to the senses. Aesthetics determine how beauty is perceived and it can therefore be defined as a personal reaction to beauty. It may involve an evaluation of the appearance of a work of art or the ability to appreciate its aesthetic content.
Aesthetics is a more complex concept than beauty because beauty is not merely a subjective feeling but also involves an evaluation of the physical and mental qualities of a work of art. Thus, aesthetics is not simply a subjective view of beauty but an objective judgment of the beauty of a work of art through the assessment of its quality and composition. Furthermore, the definition of art also includes the range of knowledge about art that includes both the history and the development of art. A further complication in the definition of art is the idea that all art has some inherent qualities or meaning. The significance of these qualities is determined by their application in the given context and thus all art forms and creations have a specific meaning.
It should be noted that the definition of beauty varies from person to person because beauty varies according to the nature of the art form, its purpose and the audience it is intended for. In general, beauty is associated with femininity and youth whereas strength and vigor are associated with adulthood and old age. The emotional response it evokes from people has also been seen to differ depending on the situation and the culture where the art piece had been made.