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Sketchbook Entries

Students need to constantly be looking and researching painting history throughout the semester.

 Each entry needs to complete the following:
1.    You need to complete 3 weekly. Follow calendar.  By the end of the term you will have a minimum of 40 entries. Above this, quality and quantity will give you extra credit. Your selections may be made from the history of painting, including prehistory to yesterday

2.    Place the image on the page, color or black and white

3.    Type the URL  under the details of the painting for bibliographic sourcing

4.    Name of artist, title (always in italics), year created, media, dimensions

5.    Brief information of artist including full name, nationality, b. – d., where they studied, type of painting style they are involved in. This can easily be found on the web through your search

6.    First question to answer = why did this painting draw you to it ?  Try to be as depth full and specific as possible.

7.    Second question that needs to be answered is how you believe this work relates to our class, or the assignment at hand    Note: “because it is made from paint on canvas” obviously, does not cut it!


8.    Stick your entry into your sketchbook with tape / glue – don’t let your valuable work become scattered, fly around and get lost!


    Here's your first of forty entries...

SA 121 Painting SA 321     
SPRING 2020                                                            
                                                                                        #1/40


Kenny Scharf, Places Please, 2019, spray-paint on canvas with powder-coated aluminum frame
84 × 144 in.  https://artnowla.com/2019/10/27/kenny-scharf-optimistically-melting/

Kenny Scharfis an American painter who lives in Los Angeles. California. Born 1958
Received his B.F.A. in 1980 with a major in painting at the School of Visual Arts NYC
His work is collected world wide by private collectors, major museums and galleries.
Contemporary Art / Street Art

1.     I believe I was drawn to this painting first as I love the scale of it.  I  can almost fall into it as it is over ten feet wide!  The forms themselves, amoeba-like, take up the entire space, leaving no room for a visual breath to take place.  One might think that this would cause claustrophobia in the viewer, however, it doesn’t because the figures themselves are non-threatening, comical, in constant visual motion, high contrast in complimentary colors of red and green and light and dark.  They all  also have very, very bright teeth that seem to sparkle making them non-threatening.  I also love the fact that Scharf has placed what might be found on a street wall, as graffiti onto a canvas and exhibits it inside a museum.  He thus, brings up a great deal of questioning regarding what is art, what is not, the value of painting, and fine art institutions vs. public art in general.  This is conceptually extremely mindful. I love it!

2.     I believe this is relative our course, as Scharf is experimenting with the history of painting, its forms, its methods, its subject.  I also think it really takes hold of what is happening perhaps in contemporary culture (created in 2019), with everyone seemingly ‘out there’ and available, constantly moving and chatting, that is, if they engage in social media.  The composition Kenny Scharf has created puts a great deal on the front for his viewers to tease out, albeit in very a comical way.


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