life and art collide

Although, in my opinion, this class has been difficult because of all work in the portfolio, I have enjoyed learning about art and exploring more about the question of "What is art?" This past weekend I went to the National Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was exciting to see art works by artists who I didn't know anything about until after reading about them for my portfolio and actually understanding why they created the particular piece and their motivation from the movement they were involved in. 

One artist that I recently learned about was Paul Gauguin. His painting, The Vision after the Sermon or JAcob Wrestling with the Angel is in the gallery in Scotland. This piece was in the Impressionist section of the gallery, even though he is known more for being involved in the Post-Impressionist movement. His interesting outlook on art, the different color schemes he is known for using, and the composition of his art differed greatly from the other pieces of art by Monet and Georges Seurat that were found in the same room. 

Looking at these pieces, in the small room upstairs in the Scotland Gallery, it occurred to me that even today, people have different colors in which they use to paint by living their lives. Everyone has different beliefs, different viewpoints (like the compositions) and this is visible in the canvas of our lifestyles. This may sound silly or even absurd, but these paintings are just little glimpses into the life of these artists. Whether it is something they believe, something they saw that moved them, or something they wanted to convey to someone else, I think it is moving that we are all artists. Though I myself do not paint, I still have feelings and wants to convey. I just communicate them in a different way. I do appreciate the people who paint, and have changed the world because of their artistic talents. I really enjoyed the museum in Edinburgh.