Why I Appreciate Art!

Wow! Where do I start? I feel like I have learned SO much. I think if we all take a look back at all of our blog entries we can see how far we really have come and how much we have learned. I never thought that just because I was enrolled in an art appreciation course that that was actually going to make me appreciate art more. When I was signing up for classes I just saw that it was an online course that would be a fun and was probably a pretty easy elective. I looked up Michelle on ratemyprofessor.com and she had good reviews and the class fit into my schedule, so I signed up.

Now I am sitting here typing this blog entry and I am glad that I did sign up. For the most part, I had a lot of fun. I say "for the most part" because tests and homework aren't exactly my hobbies, but this class had a lot more than that that made everything manageable and enjoyable. I really liked going to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. I got to bring my girlfriend and some of my family and we had a good time. I really liked viewing the beautiful art in person. I like the convenience of an online class, but you usually don't get to do anything hands-on and you can easily lose a lot of the learning experience. In this class we got to go on a field trip, watch podcasts, listen to announcements, blog our thoughts and reflections, discuss the topics on a voicethread and discussion board, and we even got to make a little collage and do some other creative assignments. Michelle really used an array of learning tools to help make this class enjoyable.

I don't think I am going to major in art, but I do want it to be a part of my life. I think it is beautiful and it is a great way to express yourself. It would make for a great hobby if nothing else. I think visiting museums is a great activity and it is calm, relaxing, and neat to look at all the beautiful works. I respect those that have natural and/or acquired talent and share it with the rest of us. I now know a lot more about the different forms of art and the processes involved in creating them. I know for a fact that after taking this class that wherever I go I am going to be much more aware of the beauty all around me. I find art fascinating and I definitely wouldn't rule out the possibility of taking an art history or studio art class in the future. This has been a fun class adn I wouldn't mind taking another art class, esecially if Michelle is teaching it and I'm not saying that to kiss up! You can tell that she really cares about her students and puts the time and effort into her classes that is required in order for all of us to get the most out of being here.

Like many of you, I'm really excited for the semester to be over so I can enjoy the holidays, but it is going to be weird not logging onto blogger and blackboard every week.

I wish all of you fellow bloggers the best and have a happy holiday season!

Matt