Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean

               By: Madeline Chavira

Christopher Francis Ocean, better known by his stage name Frank Ocean, is an American singer/ songwriter. He is a very talented and aspiring artist that has achieved so much. He truly started from nothing and worked hard on his own to get where he is today. He is most famous for his lyrics that deal with themes of love, misgiving, nostalgia and longing. The reason why I believe he is such a great artist is because his music is so soothing and enticing I can’t help but keep listening. He has received two Grammy’s for Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Rap/ Sung Collaboration and has even been nominated and won various prestigious European music awards. With only two albums out (Nostalgia, Ultra and Channel Orange), he is at the top of his game and is still recording.

Frank Ocean was born in Long Beach, California but soon moved to New Orleans, Louisiana where was influenced by the local jazz scene and loved music ever since. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit his hometown and destroyed his recording studio. With nothing left in New Orleans he decided to start new in Los Angeles. He got a songwriting deal and began writing songs for artist like Justin Bieber, John Legend, and Beyoncé. As much as he liked writing songs he wanted to be a songwriter and perform his own songs. He began to record his own mix tapes. He joined rap groups and was featured in songs with big named rappers until his breakthrough single “Thinkin Bout You”.

http://frankocean.net/ · Frank Ocean Fansite

This is a link to Frank Ocean’s fansite. It is an online source for information and news about Frank Ocean. The website is frequently updated with information about his new music and collaborations. It has tabs with links to music, music vidoes, lyrics, photos, concerts, and more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/magazine/frank-ocean-can-fly.html?_r=1&

· New York Times Article 

This link is to an article by Jeff Himmelman for the New York Times that was published in 2013. I really liked this article because it shows how real and down to earth Frank Ocean is. It also goes through a little bit of his history along with some samples of his music sprinkled throughout the article.

http://frankocean.tumblr.com/ · Frank Ocean's tumblr

This link is to his personal tumblr where he posts pictures of his performances or just recreational pictures. He also posts some poems, links to ticket for his shows and merchandise, videos, and sneak peeks to his new music. It is a great way to connect to his fans on a personal level.

Dance 108 Blog – Frank Stella

            Even though I could have focused on a painter, signer, dancer, etc. that I was already a fan of I thought it would be more interesting to find a new artist that I liked to focus on.  I like abstract art, so after searching the Internet for abstract artists, I found Frank Stella.  Frank Stella makes some of the most unique, interesting pieces that I have ever seen and I was immediately drawn to it.  His artwork not only includes paintings but also elaborate sculptures of all different shapes. I really enjoy his use of lines, shapes, and colors.

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-stella-frank.htm

This was a useful website because it broke information about Frank Stella into different sections so it was very easy to read.  There are sections like Frank Stella’s key ideas, his biography, and his legacy.  My favorite part is at the end, which includes multiple different Frank Stella quotes.

http://www.artnet.com/artists/frank-stella/

This was my favorite site about Frank Stella to view all of his different, wonderful masterpieces.  You can scroll down the page looking at hundreds of his pieces with the title and year of the piece and which gallery it is placed in.

http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=5640

This website had a detailed description about Frank Stella and shows very interesting sketches by Stella for different sculptures that I’m sure he intended to create.  The best part is that you can view a slideshow of his work.

Bill Evans

Bill Evans

By: Evan Yuhas

Bill Evans - Portrait in Jazz (1960)

          I had discovered Bill Evans at a time when I knew very little jazz musicians. Although I have since enjoyed many more, the music of Bill Evans still resonates as sharply as ever. I have always been impressed with his ability to sharply transition from an uplifting segment to something near tragic. To me, Bill Evans' wrote some of the more beautifully stimulating and profoundly sad jazz pieces of his time. But at the same time, I find myself relaxed every time I listen to his music, something that I have taken advantage of through the years in times of stress or worry. Bill Evans was an American pianist who often worked in trio and is often considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Evans' techniques and interesting interpretations of traditional jazz have influenced the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, and Chick Corea. Unlike many other jazz musicians, he never became interested in newer styles of jazz that emerged, like jazz fusion. Unfortunately, the latter years of his life are marked with hard drug use and depression. 

All About Jazz: This first sight is a fantastic walk-through of Bill Evans' life. From a young age to his time with Miles Davis, this site gives a clear account on his career and why he has made such an impact on jazz music everywhere. This site also goes into depth on some of the quirky mannerisms and unique methods that Bill deployed as an artist. In general, this site is a great place to read about many famous jazz musicians and different jazz styles. All about jazz - Bill Evans 

In addition to another extensive biography, this second site houses numerous interview audio segments and information regarding his albums, the piano's he used, and his compositions. In particular, a section to the left of the site labeled 'Evans style' is a fantastic read. This section gives in depth detail on who influenced Bill and the artists that were influenced by Bill. Bill Evans - The Quiet Revolutionary 

Another great source of Bill Evans is Youtube. There are a plethora of songs and albums that Youtube has to offer. Although this site does not give any information on Bill Evans, perhaps listening to his music yourself will give you more than pages of informational text ever could. Full Albums 

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard (1961) 

    

Vincent Van Gogh

 

Vincent Van Gogh

By: Melissa Clay

 

 

            The artist I chose is Vincent Van Gogh. He is of course, the now famous artist from the late 1800’s. He began painting as a child and completed thousands of work of art in his short life. The reason that he resonates with me, is because he struggled with severe depression and mental illness, as do I. I can see his emotional struggle in his artwork and am able to relate to his art because of it. For example, “Starry Night” which is my favorite, looks to be dark, gloomy, and almost scary. But there is also hope there. The starts and bits of light and the calm of the scene give hope in a scary world. I chose to share his work because it is personal to me, and that feels more real than just picking someone who paints pretty flowers.

 

Wikipedia: The first page I found is quite useful. It shows images of him and his life and work, as well as describing him. It tells about who he is, where he came from, his mental illness, and his art pre and post mortem. It was retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh

 

Van Gogh Gallery: The second page I found was another detailed Biography of his life, from the Van Gogh Gallery. It gives and overview, then breaks into sections: Early Years, Later Years, Time Line, Mental State, Influences, Influence, Short Facts, and His Paintings. This was retrieved from: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/biography.html

 

Van Gogh Gallery: The final page I found is the website that holds the above biography. http://www.vangoghgallery.com. This has not only his biography, but an online shop for Van Gogh items, Images of his art and information about them and the medium used. This would be a great site to check out for anyone interested in the artist.

Lang Lang

Lang Lang

By: Rongshan(Susan) Zhao

    Lang Lang is the most famous and talented pianist in China, even in tie world. He was the first employed by the world's top Chinese pianist Berlin Philharmonic and the American Symphony Orchestra five, get a number of prestigious awards category of classical music, including classical German Echo Awards, Classical Brit Award for artistic achievement Bernstein Awards, an international awards such as Mendelssohn. Worked in a number of the world's attention on important occasions performances at home and abroad, including the Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, China 60th anniversary celebration, China 2010 Shanghai World Expo opening ceremony, the White House, U.S. Independence Day celebrations, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration celebration, French National Day celebrations.

    When Lang Lang becomes famous, he emphasizes the importance of arts education in teachers and children grow up in, and he has been keen to share ideas and experiences of children around the world. Lang Lang established Lang Lang International Music Foundation in 2008 in New York and  Lang Lang Music World in 2012 in Shenzhen, China. Lang Lang expectations for the next generation of young people to create a better environment for the growth and development of the platform, and expand young classical music audiences.

http://langlang.com/

This website is Lang Lang 's official website, it publishes Lang Lang's musics, videos, concerts, and also provides the information about Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lang_Lang_(pianist)

This website provides Lang Lang's general information, such as his early life, awards and outreach. And also mentioned Lang Lang's performing and recording career, like White House state dinner.

https://www.youtube.com/user/langlang

This YouTube Channel records Lang Lang' related videos, playlists, and also provides a discussion area and allows Lang Lang's fans to post any questions or comments.

Mercier Philip Cunningham

Mercier Philip “Merce” Cunningham

By: Camille Strawn

"You had to think about [composition], not just have some feeling about what you were going to do next." 

                                                                                                                    –Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham is known as a leader of American avant-garde. As a dancer and choreographer, Cunningham paved the way for modern dancers and visual artists alike with his innovation and collaborations within multiple artistic disciplines. I admire Merce Cunningham for his creative pairings amongst contemporary, visual, and performing arts. Cunningham was never afraid to experiment with dance and the fantastic spectacles that could be made. The history and legacy of Merce Cunningham first caught my eye in 2009, soon after the time of his death. Cunningham was honored with a segment about his creative vision, accomplishments, and famous dance company in The Seattle Times. I learned that he was born in Centralia, WA in 1919 and that he entered Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA in 1937. Cunningham originally entered the school as an aspiring actor, but quickly took to dance and became a star performer. While attending Cornish, Cunningham met a music composer named John Cage. Cage would become Cunningham’s longtime creative partner. The two experimented with dance by introducing concepts of time, space, and new visual elements. Both Cunningham and Cage believed that dance should not depend on musical structure. Dance should be allowed to wander independently. The two collaborated to choreograph multiple pieces with their innovative techniques in mind.

Eventually, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company was formed in 1953 as a means of further exploring ideas. Cunningham continued to work with many musicians, artists, and designers including Andy Warhol and Radiohead. His legacy carried on thanks to publicity from his dance company, foundation for emerging artists, and his very own dance studio. Dancers, visual artists, and musicians set out on a three year tour after Cunningham’s passing in an effort to continue spreading the word about his choreographic work. Merce Cunningham inspires me through his efforts to blend multiple visual arts and through his positive influence on local dancers and artists.

http://www.mercecunningham.org/merce-cunningham/

This is the only site that is fully dedicated to the life and legacy of Merce Cunningham. It includes information about trust funds, foundations, famous pieces, and shows. The history that is included seems to be mostly after his breakthrough as a choreographer and visionary. There is little to no information about his life before dance. Mostly, the site offers programs and various ways to get involved in groups that help to keep Cunningham's vision alive.

http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2009548549_cunninghamobit28.html

 I first read this article soon after Merce Cunningham’s death in 2009. The segment was written as a tribute to Cunningham, a local frontier of modern dance and American avant-garde. I find this article to be particularly helpful because it gives information about his family, schooling, and dance education before his major breakthroughs. Because the article was written to highlight Cunningham’s local stardom, a lot of information about his years at Cornish College of the Arts has been included.

https://nplusonemag.com/issue-16/essays/the-merce-cunningham-archives/

This article does a fabulous job of focusing on concepts of experimental dance and on the artistic collaboration between John Cage and Merce Cunningham. Here, we learn about what it took to create these experimental pieces with Cunningham, as well as about how these pieces were reworked for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company after he was gone. We are introduced to the interesting creative process, which many times included unconventional methods including scientific and mathematical thinking. 

                                                                             

                                       

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding

By: Carly Trager

The inspiring Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is a compelling and talented artist. She is capable of singing, songwriting, and playing multiple instruments. Her voice and her songs are extremely captivating because they are full of rich textures. Her lyrics are catchy and her music is dance worthy. She combines different styles of genres to give her fans something new to experience. Not only is Ellie Goulding an amazing artist but she also gives back to people all over the world. Being an avid runner allows her to connect with her fans by inviting them to run with her. She also has participated in many running events to support numerous charities. Ellie Goulding is extremely talented, but I found her interesting because of her passion to help people and to support a healthy lifestyle. Being so young, we can expect only good things to come from Ellie Goulding. 

Ellie Goulding's Official Website | http://elliegoulding.com
This website includes a biography, new information, videos, music, and lyrics to her songs. You can also purchase merchandise from her online store! This is a great tool to find out when and where Ellie Goulding will be performing. 

Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellie_Goulding
This is a general overview of Ellie Goulding's life including how she began her career, her family, and her passions outside singing. Additionally, the history of her music is explained including the many awards she has received and when albums were released. The website gives an overall look into Ellie Goulding's background. 

YouTube Channel | http://www.youtube.com/user/elliegoulding
This channel showcases all of Ellie Goulding's music videos including behind the scenes of most of her videos. Through this YouTube channel you can connect with other fans and discuss about Ellie Goulding.