Arts and Facts

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Short But Sweet: Japanese Prints

Japanese woodblock prints greatly influenced the Impressionist and Post-Impressionists and are still a great influence for artists today.

Utamaro Kitagawa

Hokausi Katsushika, The Great Wave, c. 1829-32

Hiroshige

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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Short But Sweet: Vanitas

Megan Flox-Lambert discusses Vanitas, some of it's symbolism and what it is meant to convey.

Jacopo Ligozzi, Vanitas, ca.1550-1627

Rachel Ruysch, Vanitas

St Francis of Assisi, Artist unknown

Georges de La Tour,The Magdalen with the Smoking Flame, c. 1638–1640

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Short But Sweet: Wedgwood

A bought of smallpox changed Josiah Wedgwood's life. He would have been a potter, but instead he became a business man who grew his family business into a global brand that we recognize today.

Josiah Wedgwood

Portland Vase, Roman Cameo Glass Vase, ca. 5-25 AD

Wedgwood's famous blue and white Jasperware

Wedgwood Jasperware pitcher

Wedgwoods' Abolitionist pendant

Charles Darwin, grandson of Josiah Wedgwood

Tune in next week for another Short But Sweet! We hope everyone is having a great summer!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Short But Sweet: Contrapposto

Chloe explains contrapposto.

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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Episode 69: Comic Books and Superheros

Well, it's our last episode of the season and we're leaving you with a fun one! Comic Books and Superheros was such a fun podcast to research for and record! Each of us picked our favorite superhero and there may or may not be some heated debate on who's the best superhero of them all.

In 1932 Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman, the first superhero to ever be created and put into a comic. They sold the character to DC Comics in 1938 which is when the first comic book was printed, it was called Action Comics 1 and to this day is the most expensive comic book ever sold ($2 million).

Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, first appeared in “Detective Comics” in 1939.
Kane was inspired by Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, and a Leonardo sketch depicting a bat-wing-based flying apparatus.

Batman’s look, his symbols, and his enemies have all changed over time. Here’s a history of Batman in images.

In December 1940, Captain America Comics #1 goes on sale. It sold one million copies in the first month and remained close to a million issues a month in following. .The comic was EXTREMELY popular during WWII, after pearl harbor Captain America #9 even out sold time magazine!

Wonder Woman was created by psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston. She is considered a feminist icon and is depicted as a heroine fighting for justice, love, peace, and sexual equality.

Spiderman is a child of the Marvel Comics universe, slinging into the public radar for the first time in August 1962. His daddies were Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

She-Ra is different than any of our other superheros because she was first created as an action figure by Matel who later had a cartoon made of her and her brother He-Man.

She-Ra makes her début in He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, a full length animated moviethat was created by compiling together the first five episodes of She-ra Princess of Power.

Thanks for sticking with us through Season 2! We'll have all new full length episodes starting August 7, but will be putting up Short But Sweets on Wednesday all summer long! All of us at Arts & Facts hope you have a fantastic summer!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Episode 67: Susanna and the Elders

Lauren and Megan discuss the different versions of “Susanna and the Elders” using feminist concepts to critique them. Allori, Rubens, Reni, Tintoretto, Caracci all provide a “male gaze” version of this timeless tale. We tie things up with our only female artist giving an alternative look at the true nature of Susanna.