Andy Warhol, Lucas Samaras, Art 21 response.

Readings like the two we had to read this week I find very intriguing, and extremely enlightening. upon reading these two pieces you are able to see that both these two artists really have a handle on who they are why they create art, what it means to them and the ideas they are trying to convey through their art. I feel much like Lucas Samaras when he is asked about himself being an artist and how he felt about it, and how more recently after setting out to be an artist twenty plus years ago he is finally beginning to feel "unembarrassed" about the proximity of himself and the great men of the past. I feel that Samaras' autointerview in many respects has similar qualities to the way that I myself think about my art, but beyond just my art, art as a whole.

Andy Warhol had some very interesting quotes throughout as well. His quotes and philosophies were quite thought provoking, three of my favorites: "If everybody's not beauty, then nobody is.", "When you think about it, department stores are kind of like museums.", and "I never understood why when you died, you didn't just vanish, and everything could just keep going the way it was only you just wouldn't be there. I always thought I'd like my own tombstone to be blank. No epitaph, and no name. Well actually I'd like it to say "figment"." These along with the rest of the quotes have given me a much better idea of Warhol's thought process behind his art, and hopefully after these two readings I can better put into words my own experiences and influences that contribute to my art.

As far as the Art 21 clips, I find them to be extremely useful tools geared towards artists looking for inspiration and insight into other artists work and their own. I have watched the show on many occasions on PBS and will continue to as long as they keep making new episodes.