What ART Thou Doing?

9/27/2022

Analyze the artwork above (The Mysterious Bird [1917], Charles Burchfield). What do you notice? How do the foreground and the background of the painting juxtapose (contrast) one another? What kind of mood does each create?

65 Comments

Megan Aiello

9/27/2022 09:06:44 am

The foreground seems to be in cool tones and the closer the image got it got warmer. For me this painting creates a realaxing mood. It’s like symbolizing walking on a path to the future.

Chanci Phillips

9/27/2022 09:09:01 am

I like how you said it symbolizes walking a path to the future.

Chloe

9/27/2022 09:09:37 am

This is a really cool perspective, I like your thoughts on this piece of art.

Kennedi

9/27/2022 09:11:57 am

That's cool how you reference it into the future, like moving forward.

Nicolas

9/27/2022 09:18:37 am

I like your symbolization of walking to your future I agree but I feel the background would be the past.

travis

9/27/2022 09:20:02 am

I like the path to the future part

Chanci Phillips

9/27/2022 09:07:53 am

I noticed in the painting that the sky is grey and there is no sun. The foreground is more bright and is more colorful while the background is grey and gloomy. The foreground creates a warm and homey feeling while the background gives a grim and old mood.

Chloe

9/27/2022 09:10:49 am

That’s what I was thinking too, nice observation.

Eilah Foss

9/27/2022 09:11:01 am

I like how you described the foreground as homey!

Emylee Perkins

9/27/2022 09:13:46 am

I agree when you say that the bright colors are more comforting and the duller are more ominous.

Chloe

9/27/2022 09:08:10 am

I thought that it was interesting, in the painting it goes from a semi-clear sky to storms. It’s like a vibrant road in the middle of nowhere, a bee in a field of white roses. The background is dull, whereas the road is lively, happy even.

Megan Aiello

9/27/2022 09:10:17 am

Yeah! That’s so cool and interesting!

Raelynn

9/27/2022 09:13:05 am

Great points! I like the point about the bee.

Sean Sapp

9/27/2022 09:14:19 am

I really liked the analogy of a bee in a field of white roses

Emylee Perkins

9/27/2022 09:14:49 am

I love your metaphor of a bee in a field of white roses! Very descriptive.

Kanyon Tolman

9/27/2022 09:18:20 am

I liked your comparison of the bee and field of roses.

Eilah Foss

9/27/2022 09:08:43 am

This piece of art sets two moods. The foreground of the painting uses warm colors and shows that there is some grass on the ground that represent more of a hopeful and lively tone. The background of the painting is generally colorless with clouds and dead trees which represents gloom and death.

Chanci Phillips

9/27/2022 09:10:27 am

I agree this art piece has two very different moods.

Mariah

9/27/2022 09:11:07 am

I agree with what you said about the contrasting and what it means!

Megan Aiello

9/27/2022 09:11:51 am

Yeah I agree! You did a good job explaining the differences!!

Wyatt Nelson

9/27/2022 09:16:58 am

I like how you thought of the two sides and forces.

Raelynn

9/27/2022 09:09:53 am

The painting is probably supposed to be a representation of hope or staying on the right path. The path is very colorful and cheery and the background is dark and gloomy, and right where the path points it opens up and is lighter in the background. The background creates a kind of frightening mood where the path is hopeful.

Mariah

9/27/2022 09:11:50 am

I like how you said the background is almost frightening but the foreground is hopeful!

Eilah Foss

9/27/2022 09:12:16 am

I think your interpretation of staying on the right path is really nice, good job!

Carson

9/27/2022 09:13:47 am

I agree that it represents hope and staying on the proper path.

Mariah

9/27/2022 09:09:58 am

The background is black and white and kind of stormy and gloomy looking and the foreground is colorful and bright. This can create a mood that is mysterious or confused about its state.

Carson

9/27/2022 09:13:08 am

I completely agree with this, Mariah.

Carter Caywood

9/27/2022 09:13:12 am

I agree on how you said it creates a confused state of mood

Shay Woolf

9/27/2022 09:14:47 am

I like how you recognized confused as a mood.

Jonathan Wilson

9/27/2022 09:17:32 am

I completely agree with this.

travis

9/27/2022 09:21:03 am

I agree with what you said

Kanyon Tolman

9/27/2022 09:21:49 am

I feel the same, that it's almost like the painting is confused on what it's trying to put out.

Sean Sapp

9/27/2022 09:10:46 am

When I see that painting I think of the two ways that winter is portrayed in literature. The foreground seems to be warmer colors and more of a fun relaxing winter. While the background seems to be the foreboding side of winter, the side of winter that seems sharp and inescapable. Overall it makes me think that in the book there will be trials ahead.

Britton Hanson

9/27/2022 09:12:59 am

I like they way you described everything, good job!

Carter Bill

9/27/2022 09:16:35 am

I like how you put the seasons into comparison.

Nicolas

9/27/2022 09:24:04 am

You did an awesome job of describing the worst bit of winter I agree The back bit of the picture made me have claustrophobic thoughts that I'll be stuck there.

Carson Vennell

9/27/2022 09:10:49 am

I noticed how the road their on is colorful and bright, and the distance it's dark and gloomy. I think it resembles how even tho some things may seem all happy and gloomy, the effects of it in the future can be hazardous. I think the dark contrast with the colorful part,.and it shows that life won't always be happy. The dark seems to set a gloomy and somber one, well the colorful road seems to be more positive and happy.

Brylee Ganske

9/27/2022 09:22:11 am

I very strongly agree and like how you described the contrast.

Kennedi

9/27/2022 09:10:52 am

Everything seems to be very solemn and dreary. It kind of reminds me of Cruella Devils house thing, that Jasper and Horris take the puppies to. There are cooler tones and the sky is just black and white. The path inspires color and life, but then you look up at the sky and it almost haunts you.

Sean Sapp

9/27/2022 09:12:49 am

I had not thought about a disney movie while looking at the painting, that is really creative

Britton Hanson

9/27/2022 09:13:36 am

I like the connections, good job!

Brylee Ganske

9/27/2022 09:20:34 am

I strongly agree, and like the adjectives you used.

Britton Hanson

9/27/2022 09:10:58 am

I notice a lot of stormy clouds, and a lot of gray and black, a lot of death. But then there is the road. Which seems bright and colorful and alive. It might simblize that the road is a safe haven but anywhere off it can be sad, lonely and maybe a dangerous place.

Raelynn

9/27/2022 09:14:12 am

I like your point about the road being a safe haven.

Carter Caywood

9/27/2022 09:16:45 am

I also was thinking the same thing as the road being the only safe part of this

Wyatt Nelson

9/27/2022 09:18:04 am

I liked your thought on how it is a safe haven.

Carter Bill

9/27/2022 09:18:31 am

I like how you said that as long as you're on the road you are on the right track.

Carter Caywood

9/27/2022 09:11:44 am

It sets a sad mood almost when you first look at it as if a storm is coming. The ground is like a nice summer day but the sky or weather is coming in. The road way is a good feeling where everywhere else is very sad or scary

Britton Hanson

9/27/2022 09:21:22 am

I like what you said about the road and how it can be good feeling but then off the road its full of troubles and confusing.

Ava

9/27/2022 09:24:53 am

I like how you said sad mood, and I thought the same thing.

Emylee Perkins

9/27/2022 09:12:26 am

The path is bright and happy while the bird is dark and seems to be sinister or hiding something. I think that the mood in the front of the painting is bright and hopeful while the bird may symbolize death or something morbid.

Shay Woolf

9/27/2022 09:13:43 am

The foreground of the image has some brighter colors suggesting a brighter mood. It stands out in comprison to the backround. The backround in very monochromatic and in a greyscale making it seem gloomy or sad. The bare trees and singular bird make it seem more and more sad down the painted road in the image.

Daniel Davidson

9/27/2022 09:13:54 am

The first rise of the hill (the foreground) has some snow, but still has patches of green- representing, maybe, a newly emerging spring. Both the second stretch of road extending to the horizon (the mid-ground) and the sky spread out beyond that (the background), have an inhospitable icy feel about them. They are full of shrouded winter shades, and so appear stormy and oppressive. This is a stark difference from the spring-like forefront, which season is often used to represent hope sparked anew and new beginnings. The dreary portion does however take up the majority of the art piece, and is presented as further down the road, making it seem as though one is headed from a more comfortable place into a harsher environment.

Carter bill

9/27/2022 09:14:29 am

As I looked at this photo it appeared to be a never ending road on a stormy night. The foreground to me looks a lot more colorful and sets a good mood to where the background has color still but it's a lot darker and sets a sad stormy mood.

Jonathan Wilson

9/27/2022 09:19:50 am

I like how you recognized sad and stormy as a mood.

Wyatt Nelson

9/27/2022 09:15:06 am

In the artwork above I notice the dead trees and the darker shades in the back of the artwork. I also noticed some growth and greenery in the front of the artwork. This might symbolize that if you do not stay on the path you will find darkness. In the artwork it also shows houses and that is interesting because everything around it is dead and dreary, but this might show that in the dark there can still be life.

Kanyon Tolman

9/27/2022 09:15:22 am

As I was looking at it, it kind of seems like the environment of our current story. A blocked out sky with everything gloomy and withering. At first the painting has some vegetation/greenery, but as you continue on it gets more grey and gloomy. At first it's somewhat of an adventurous cheery feel, as you go along a nice naturistic road, but then it turns gloomy as it becomes more grey and dull.

Jonathan Wilson

9/27/2022 09:15:43 am

I think the foreground is brighter than the background so it stands out more. The background is very plain and gloomy. The image suggests a declining mood,

Ava

9/27/2022 09:16:29 am

I noticed instantly the very big difference between the sky and the road, they give off very different vibes. It gave off this mood of sadness, and like misery to me. To keep it short the painting looks unhappy. The foreground of the painting seems more warmly colored and vibrant, whereas the background is very gloomy

Briella Pace

9/27/2022 09:17:54 am

The first thing I noticed was that the background looked a lot scarier that the foreground, but after a second look I changed my mind. The foreground is a lot more desolate with dead trees, and covered in clouds. While the background is full of life, with flowing water, trees, a full community, and the clouds above are cleared, almost like the eye hurricane.

Kanyon Tolman

9/27/2022 09:25:45 am

Now that you mention it, the background doesn't seem as depressing. If you don't take second looks at some things, it can seem a lot more gloomy than it actually is.

Travis

9/27/2022 09:19:00 am

I noticed that the path has much color with more light and the rest is black and white with mostly darkness. The foreground of this picture is more colorful and bright, The background forecasts a more dark setting. The path and the front is a more happy and joyful setting and the back is a evil and sad setting.

Brylee Ganske

9/27/2022 09:19:34 am

The foreground is a brighter colored road that fades into a darker more depressing town in the background. This contrast can symbolize a darker time ahead. This sets a more depressing mood.

Kanyon Tolman

9/27/2022 09:22:57 am

I was thinking the same, especially since I don't really like people and it's heading right into a town.

Nicolas

9/27/2022 09:28:11 am

The foreground was a lot more vibrant and colorful and as you went to the background it began to stretch out and get mono and dull except for the little patch with light and color. It reminded me of Summer going to winter and how It gets cold and dull from the vibrant color.

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