Class Conclusion Summary

Hayley Willever
May 3, 2010
Art History

Class Conclusion

The most important concept that I have learned from this class is to appreciate the arts and the artists who have created the magnificent pieces of art that are showcased around the world. To be perfectly honest, I did not have much of an appreciation for art until I took this course and studied the history of art. I would walk through a town square and admire the sculptures but I never gave a second thought to the artists that created them and the technique that was used. Now, I found myself trying to name the different styles and terms that describe such pieces.
I have learned the different styles and techniques that artists use and the different terms. For example, I have learned that kitsch means mass-produced inferior art that is not part of “high” art and falls under the category of “lowbrow” art. I just feel like this class has made more of a well-rounded person and more educated and I am able to get more out of life and appreciate those things I never used to. I was sitting in church Sunday morning and admiring the stained glass windows and the different Biblical stories and depictions that the windows portray. I have sat in that pew in that church for twenty years now and just actually appreciated and truly studied the windows.
One of the most exciting things I feel that I have learned from this class is the different styles of cathedrals from the different eras. When I walked into the Cathedral Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, PA, I found myself standing there in the doorway under the Rose window and being able to name the transept and alter and other various terms that describe a Gothic cathedral. Being able to do that gave me a lot of appreciation for this course.
Having a better understanding for art allows me to relate better to my surroundings. I no longer think of art as that watercolor painting hanging on the wall. Art is everything from sculptures in the park to the skyscrapers in the city to the paintings on the wall.