1.  The deep red fire hydrant catches my eye first, of course.  When dealing with red, many of the other colors fade into the distance.  The left side of the hydrant (not sure what it's called) then points to the pole at the front as if to say, "Don't forget about him!"  It makes me feel safe to see this image.

2.  The most eye catching part is the fire hydrant, taking up the far right side of the image.  The "arm" then points to a sea greenish pole on the far left side of the image.  The hydrant has more detail because of it's distance from the camera, while the pole (closer up) is less distinct in it's details.  Between the startling red and softer green is a bolder green, grass.  Although the color of the grass is mixed with browns and other earth-tone colors, some parts are still able to shine through with bolster, creating a good contrast with the hydrant.  A sidewalk seems to begin just behind the hydrant and continues moving towards the top left of the photo until disappears off the picture.

3.  As I mentioned earlier, the lines are strong and bold in the fire hydrant as it is in better focus than the pole seen closer up.  With the combination of the "pointing" part of the hydrant and the sidewalk, a good balance of eye movement is achieved.  The use of perspective is achieved greatly in the composition as the detail in the grass is lost as it gets farther away from the viewer and the blades closest to the observer are shown in great detail.

4.  The photo tells the story of "age."  With the near-new looking hydrant and the obviously need-repair pole shows the battle these objects experience everyday with nature.  The ground work is the same.  Near the hydrant, the plants are dead, lifeless.  The shrubs behind the red monster are also brown and brittle looking.  But with those discolored images also comes a show of new-age and vigor.  The proud green grass is trying to counterbalance the cold and bleak attitude of winter.  The blades have grown fresh and new since near end of winter, while the shrubs have endured the cold and are in need of refreshing.

5.  Mr. Cezanne and I are alike in a couple aspects; instead of using the stark contrast of true complimentary colors, we instead used tones of these colors to create a more subtle hint of the contrast.  We also both used still life as our objects quite often.  Now, while his colors are even more subtle than even mine, he also repeats this contrast throughout the whole composition... not just in the main focal point of the picture. 

1.  This picture always reminds me of the power and beauty of nature.  The way the clouds fold over each other or are being whisked away plus the careful blending of reds, oranges, yellows, and even purples, creates a masterpiece unknown to any brush strokes of man.  In my opinion, nature is the best to turn to for examples of color... true, bold, color.

2.  The picture is a landscape view of a sunset, only found in Kansas.  In the bottom third of the picture or so, a silhouette of Kansas land with a glimpse of the "Kansas Mountains" in the background, fading into the distance.  Not much detail can be seen in this part of the picture, the top two-thirds holds the true beauty.  The sun cannot be seen in this photo as the clouds are thick and cover everything but the color.  They seem as though they are fresh whip cream being spread over a slice of heaven's pie, some sides being heavier and possessing more volume while other parts are more whimsical in appearance.  The colors found caressing the ripples of clouds is that seen only under the careful guidance of the hand of the heavens.  The precise blend of warm tones sets the sky on fire while the subtle hints of the cooler purple calm the soul.

3.  The colors are of course strong and the sharp contrast of the dark silhouetted bottom create a nice balance in the composition.  I like that the elevators/grain bins are off to the side and not directly in the middle.  It creates a more interesting angle to the piece and also helps the viewers eyes to have point of reference to com back to.  I would like the buildings to be even farther over I think, not a ton, but just a little.  I think the use of a landscape view helps to "broaden" the observer's eye movement and shows the vast expanse of Kansas land.

4.  Examining this photo has created a new image in my mind of Kansas.  I now realize that the beauty found here, in images such as sunsets, can only be found here.  Yes, every state has their own sunsets and captions of beauty, but none can match the undisturbed picture of a Kansas sunset.  With that, we live in "riches."

5.  Elizabeth Murray and I have very different views on color harmony.  Her ideas come from a collection of different imaginative images melded together to create a harmonious blend.  Then, she strategically adds the appropriate color combinations to, again, create a harmonious balance within the image.  My picture, on the other hand, takes her balancing and blending and applies it to nature.  Both compositions result in an interesting view for the observer.

1.  I took this picture using a setting on my camera that I can set to only show certain colors while everything else is black and white so I chose blue to bring out my eyes.  This pose is typical of my when doing self-portrait.  I've learned it is the most flattering for my facial features.  And with the use of my color detector I can bring the attention where I want it, the eyes.

2.  The center of the picture contains a face, a face torn in half by the values of light and shadow.  A small smile spreads across the girl creasing slightly around the mouth.  A hint of a neck can be seen at the bottom of the photo, giving a bust-like appearance to the composition.  On the bottom left, a sliver of background shines through the hair, carrying a blue tint, accentuating the eyes (a dominant feature in the piece).  A frame is created around the face with the dark shadows of hair.  And finally, the eyes.  A bluish-greenish tint to them, bringing the viewers eyes at their final resting place.

3.  The piece has a good balance of solid, bold line and implied lines.  Where the light hits, lines can be seen, while where the shadow overtakes, the idea of the rest of the photo is left up to the viewer.  The slight coloration in the eyes and the background give the composition a little bit different feel than the average black-n-white photo.  It gives a glimpse into the life we see everyday, a "Wizard of Oz" effect if you may.  With the combination of the lighting and the short view of the neck help to lead the viewer's eyes up the photo really well.

4.  The "Mona Lisa" smile on me leans to the idea that I-know-something-you-don't-know... that I have a "secret."  And while the smile leads one to believe I will divulge in my little secret, the eyes possess a stubbornness proving otherwise.  Only the right person will learn the ever-so-tempting hidden message.

5.  Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres uses subtle hints of light and dark to keep the image in a softer appearance; while my self-portrait is the epitome of the contrast of light and dark, creating a harsher effect.  But I believe just because I am a woman and possess womanly features, the picture softens some.  Also, with the combination of my expression and features in general, the picture leans more towards Ingres' projection of feminine beauty.

1.  The wheels are one of the first things that grab my attention.  And the angle at which they are at lead my eye down the row until it ends with the shadow.  Then the royal blue bike really grabs my attention.  It's almost as if it's saying, "Look at me!" while the rest just blend together in a jumble of metal.

2.  The composition begins with the bottom left corner with approximately a quarter of a bicycle wheel showing.  Then the eyes are led in the direction of the right top corner of the picture but four other bike wheels.  Faintly seen between the bikes and their spokes are the cycle's shadows from the afternoon sun.  These reflections help fill in any empty space between the bicycles.  With the wheels dividing the photo, the top half is filled with the rest of the bike, seats, pedals, handlebars, etc.  And the bottom half of the picture is just the cement.  But the lines of the ground lead the eye both towards the right corner as the wheels but also towards the wheels themselves.

3.  I think the composition overall is very effective.  The color is not as bright/dominant as I would have liked but it just may have been the time of day.  But I am very pleased with the color of the blue bike as well as the red reflectors on the back of some of the cycles.  It shows good contrast between some of the bikes and also shows perspective well with being able to see the spokes on the closer wheel but not the one at the back.  I also believe the placement of the bicycles helped create a more interesting view.

4.  The photo tells the story of "life."  When viewed closely, the wear-n-tear of "life" can be seen on each bike.  Some have been around longer and experienced more while other's are new to the surroundings; still learning as they  go.

5.  After viewing the artist, William Kentridge's, work I began to second my understanding of figure-ground relationship.  His drawings use images that seem to blend together in ways more imaginative than realistic.  But he is an exceptional display of this relationship concept.  While his images seem to literally meld into each other, mine are just related by the combination of the shadow and the bike and the ground.  All interlaced together to create an image.  Compared to Mr. Kentridge, my work is of a much more simple figure-ground relationship.