Final Blog

I learned a lot from my time in Artists Among Poets. It gave me a stronger art historical knowledge of the last hundred or so years. I learned a lot about the different styles of poetry, and really found types that I was more comfortable writing in and artfully expressing myself in. When I began the course, I wasn’t too enthusiastic about poetry but as the class went on I found poetry styles that really worked for me. I can confidently say that I enjoy poetry, both writing and reading. I became more confident presenting my work through the weeks and learned how to better analyse poetry. I learned how to connect visual arts with poetry cohesively and about poets in history interacting with visual artists, creating a community of inspiration. I believe a class like Artists Among Poets is valuable for art students who might be better at visually expressing themselves than through words because it teaches you how to bring the same emotion and inspiration to poems as one does the art in their program of study. Having a strong foundation in art history gives me material to pull from while making visual pieces, and now I do the same with poetry, pulling inspiration and trying out styles from the last hundred years or so in the history of poetry.

I think there are a few different roles in society for artists today. There’s of course the designer which has become more and more prominent in contemporary times, learning how to convey information in visually appealing ways and create products and work that people want. An artist also has the role of social commentary in contemporary times. Using art to connect with people on a different level, to help them understand different viewpoints through expressive visuals is always something I’ve aspired to do and many artists today really do that. In a world full of technology, a big part of being an artist is really connecting with other humans on a really base level. Art transcends language and in a post human era, it’s one of the most powerful ways to connect. Above all, art should be more than just pretty, it should have meaning. Art is impactful, and can accomplish much. During the Obama campaign in 2008, Shepard Fairey made an influential “change” poster. He branded Obama and created huge change in the world, helping elect the first black president. Art has the power to really make impact and in a turbulent society should really be used to do so.