Laguna Art Museum Analysis

Laguna Art Museum

The Laguna Art Museum’s collection consists of works from the early nineteenth century to the present day. The museum was celebrating The Plein Annual Laguna air Painting show, which consists of various painters that painted in and around Laguna Beach. The public was encouraged to view the painters during the week as they created the paintings which were available on the second floor of the gallery for sell and viewing. The Artists in California, Early Twentieth Century from the Permanent Collection is currently on display in the Upstairs Gallery. Laguna Art Museum’s collection consists of works from Laguna Beach as a community of American west and how it became a destination for artist and featured examples from all periods of California
art. The museum consists of paintings from artist William Wendt, Joseph Kleist, Matteo Sandona Charles Rollo Peters, Frank Cuprien, Granville Redmond, Donna Schuster, Mabel Alvarez, and many others. It features 85 works from the permanent collection and spans 150 years of California art. My three painting I decided to interpret were Old post office by Joseph Kleitsch, The Golden Hour by Frank Cuprien and Three Women at Seashore by Franz Arthur Bischoff.

From reading interpreting art I learned that interpretation is an articulated response based on wonder and reflection. The first painting I saw going into the permanent collection for the art museum was The Old Post Office my ultimate response was to see if there was some self reflection or a glimpse of my self with the work of art. In the painting you see a man sitting on an old town but you’re not able to see his face because of the distance he is just sitting on the porch. the ground on the painting is sort of dessert like, there’s also a black dog which I think gives it symbolism of maybe how he felt I think the man is maybe him probably a very interested man that was afraid to show people how or who he was. Before even reading the background on the artist the picture landscape looked some what like Mexico to me, and when I read the background I found out that even though he was born in Hungary he lived quite a while in Mexico which at that time period and place Mexico was pretty close. I also felt the artist made the painting strongly influence by brilliant light and diverse landscape. Overall it was soothing and relaxing from the landscape to the people and objects in the painting which offers to believe he has valuable approach to California.

The second painting was The Golden Hour by Frank Cuprien it’s a view of the ocean with gold yellows and soft browns colors that gives it sort a glow. When I saw this painting I was able to get and insight of the world through the artist and how he picture California to be. I got to perceive the painting as a warm perfect day in California. In the painting you can also see the sunset going down it’s like the perfect view. The painting gives a warm peaceful feeling I think that’s how Frank saw life in Laguna to be the painting also had sort of an impressionist feel to it. It’s a representation of an imagining of a place were there’s no people which made me consider that maybe his preference were more for the landscape and the sea than interaction with people. He also exaggerates the colors giving it more of a mild climate and a warmth feeling. To appreciate the painting I can look at what the artist gives me on the canvas and make meaning for myself about art and enjoy it for what it simply offers which is an inspirational landscape to what California was to him an overall inspirational landscape.

The third painting is by and Franz Arthur Bischoff Three Women at Seashore.
Three women at sea shore consist of three women at seashore which is oblivious to observe. The painting displayed reverence for nature, it capture the area's brilliant light and diverse landscapes. But then you have the three women and it makes you wonder why he decided to put three and how it relates to the rest of the painting. I feel the painting show a bond between the three women of how they feel connected to the whole landscape and atmosphere. However another interpretation I got from the painting is that if we only attend to look at the women in the painting and ignore the scenery then we might be missing the important aspects of the painting which is the ocean and how the colors reflect of the sunset. The third interpretation I got from the painting is how it women were portrayed at the period of time, as a female viewer it seems a as painting towards masculine desire. When you observe closely on the two women on the right it seem like they’re sort of having some sort of engagement and the one on the left looks distant to herself. Overall the picture has a lot hidden though and very soothing craftiness with a complex
manner.

All three artists and painting were inspired by the quaint street scenes and beauty of the coast. The works are noted for their beautiful, vibrant colors exploring little intimate places, quaint old streets with towering eucalyptus, coat. Original paintings created between 1870 and 1940 the purpose of the show I felt was to introduce meaningful thought and works of what California was in the twentieth century. The painters used chromatic colors that helped to capture the brilliant light and bold colors of California. From going to the museum I got to have an opportunity to hear new interpretations of the works of art from those that were already familiar with them and how if affected them and what they saw from the painting. It helped me processes my own understanding as well as the meanings the works of art derive. Form this experience I believe that each painting is unique and provides a valuable insight from the era the painting was done and an expression of the artist himself. To interpret is to make something meaningful for ourselves and then usually tell another but what one sees and how one describes art highly dependent.