Ruminations on Art and Life

At the Orsay in Paris

2012-01-31T09:58:00.000-08:00

My previous visits to Paris had been filled with the less daunting art museums than the Louvre. I had been to the Pan-Arab Museum, the Rodin, the Picasso and several other small museums which could be enjoyed in a single day.

My last trip to Paris was in very cold December. Thinking that the museums would be less crowded, I made a commitment to see the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay (above photo).

The Louvre was gigantic, noisy and difficult to navigate. On the other hand,the Orsay was "just right" (as Goldilocks would say). I was enchanted with it the minute I passed through the ticket booth. It was like coming home. Perfect. I would return several more times just to see everything and commit what I saw to memory. (I'm sure there's still my well-worn path from the Metro to the Orsay.)

The Orsay building started life as a train station facing the Seine river. Thanks to the 14-year vision of Michel Laclotte, the chief curator of the paintings department at the Louvre, the station was converted to an art museum in 1986.

The museum is dedicated to the period from 1848 to 1905. For those of you who are enchanted by the Impressionists' period as I am, this museum is heaven. Yet, the museum levels are arranged so that the viewer can see the works of master artist prior to the Impressionist all the way to the post-Impressionists.

My personal favorite was the area where pastels are exhibited. You can see the quick sketches of Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, and others who were drawing in the moment. These sketches were often done on whatever paper was available. To keep paper and pastel from deterioration, these rooms are darkened and the arts kept in temperature/moistured controlled glass displays.

There is a feeling of reference in these darkened room. It's as if the viewer is watching the hand of the artist at the moment of creativity. It was time travel. As I looked at the sketches and the immediacy of them, I felt as if I was looking over the shoulder of the artist.

On my last day in Paris, I resolved to spend whatever time I had in the Orsay, soaking up the art.

I salute the visionaries who created such a wonderful museum. Must not forget... when you need a break, the French live up to their gastronomic reputation - the restaurant is a delight. (photo left)

Next week join me for the art at the Orsay and a few personal favorites.

Meantime don't forget the contest to NAME the ART.

The Dragon Year

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

Did you feel a sea change in the past few days? It's probably because Monday, January 23rd, we entered the Chinese Year of the Dragon.

The Chinese have certain symbols for their biggest celebration and it is more than coincidental that red is the chosen color. Red represents fire and is considered an auspicious symbol to celebrate good fortune.

Red paper cutouts are placed on the door wishing "happiness," "joy" or "prosperity." Red packets containing money are exchanged and red clothing is worn to ward off evil spirits.

Red door banners with a Chinese character for "blessings" is hung upside down to represent "blessings to come."

This year is represented by the Zodiac symbol of the Dragon. Western cultures consider the Dragon as evil, but in Asia the Dragon is a very good symbol. A Dragon year is considered the luckiest year in the Chinese Zodiac - and we could use it this election year.

Since Chinese New Years' celebrations last for 15 days, so we can still enjoy it. Here's wishing you a most auspicious year - Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Porcelain Beauty

2012-01-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

How often have you heard or read of someone having "porcelain skin?" What comes to mind? Probably something like, white, translucent and flawless as described for the finest porcelain china. Did you know that porcelain didn't start out that way?

Porcelain was created in China starting about 100 CE. The first Chinese experiments were anything but white and flawless. What made porcelain popular was that it could be fired in a very high kiln making it more durable than clay. It would be another 400 years before the Chinese created the porcelain we know today.

Once the Chinese had mastered the means to create white porcelain and control the glazes, artists could create beautiful scenes on vessels and other decorative
pieces. It was China's secret and they guarded it well.

It is said that Chinese porcelain was introduced to Europeans by Marco Polo in 1295 CE. Porcelain pieces were so highly prized by the oligarchy of Europe the they referred to them as "white gold."

The demand for porcelain gave China an exclusive export market. However, exporting to Europe from China was a difficult, arduous and even dangerous process. It was valuable and fragile cargo. European demand and the difficulties of transport led to experimentation to create porcelain locally.

It would be a few centuries of hit and miss until early in the 18th Century when Johann Friederich Böttger of Dresden created a ceramic material that had the strength, whiteness and translucence of Chinese porcelain. European production of porcelain was initiated by the Meissen factory and factories spread through Europe such as: Straffordshire in England, Limoges and Sevres in France.

This story of a scarce and prized item that humans value is repeated many times in our history. Maybe it isn't always necessity that creates inventions. What do you think?

(Below: early Meissen porcelain images)

Betty Woodman: Potter, Painter, Sculptor, Printer

2012-01-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

Betty Woodman (1930-) started her art career as a ceramic potter. Over the years, she has added painter, ceramicist, sculptor and printer to her resume. At age 81, she is still remarkably innovative, exuberant and eclectic in her work.

A tiny woman, Woodman produces many monumentally sized installations. For example, her commission for the U. S. Embassy in Beijing, China was approximately 30 feet by 27 feet!

Her energy is so contagious that she reminds me of Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010),whose fertile imagination guided her artwork until she was in her 90s. (See archive – Sept, 2009) Another shared area was the size of their works - both women made large-scale sculptures.

Woodman has received many kudos and awards over the years including a Fullbright-Hays Scholarship to Florence, Italy; National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship at Bellagio, Italy, and many Honorary Doctorates from renowned schools of fine arts.

Her mastery (but not the large scale) of her works can be seen below. I’ve chosen images, which reflect her eclectic combination of clay sculpture, painting and print. However, if you want to see Woodman in action, there’s a short video of the installation in Beijing, China, in 2009 when she was a mere 79 years old. (Click on the URL to enjoy the fullness of her art, her energy and her exuberance for her work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT6-Qusq95U )

Your 6-Word Memoir

2012-01-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Since this is the first week of the New Year and many of us are looking back on the previous year, I thought it'd be fun to repeat a Feb., 2010 blog:

Last Thursday I was driving to the post office and listening to NPR. The host was interviewing the authors of a book on 6-word memoirs.

The authors said that allegedly Hemingway was challenged in a bar (where else?) to come up with a 6-word memoir. He responded, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." That's profound, but then again, he was a writer. Less daunting were funny ones from Stephen Colbert and Dave Barry.

The NPR host invited listeners to phone in their 6-word memoir. It was wonderful. Memoirs were serious, funny or poignant. Since I was driving, the only one I can remember to quote is: "Bachelor party, You-Tube video, Wedding canceled."

Now, since this blog is titled Ruminations on Art and Life, I invite you to make up your own 6-word memoir.

Beggar at the Wedding

2011-12-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful spring day. My friend had invited me to her wedding at the Jewish synagogue located in the midst of a very nice neighborhood.

I arrived early to help the bride however I could. The hall was lovely. Everything about it celebrated the happiness of the wedding couple's commitment to each other.

Outside the synagogue I heard some kind of a hubbub. I went outside to see what was happening. On the sidewalk in front of the temple was a very shabbily dressed old man asking for handouts from the guests. (When the bride realized what was happening, she was very upset.)

To calm the scene, the rabbi went out and spoke with the man. The rabbi told the old beggar that rather than beg, he was invited to stay and rejoice with the other guests. The bride was beside herself that this shabby old beggar would be present at her most auspicious and memorable day.

Well, the rabbi entered back into the hall and told the bride that the beggar was a mitzvah - a good deed and a blessing at her wedding. With the rabbi's explanation, the bride relaxed and told others with pride of the blessing of a beggar at the wedding.

You see, once she chose to look at the situation differently, it stopped being an intrusion on her happiness and became a mitzvah to bless her wedding.

As the saying goes, "What you pay attention to determines what you miss." She saw only his exterior appearance until someone pointed out what it meant to do a good deed and invite him to eat.

This is a true story that happened many years ago. The couple is still together and I have never forgotten what it taught me.

And, so Dear Reader, may the coming year be full of good deeds (mitzvahs) and their attendant blessings on you.

Happy HanaRamaKwanzaMas! (click image to enlarge)

2011-12-20T21:07:00.001-08:00

Imogen Cunningman: Photographer par excellence

2011-12-13T10:16:00.000-08:00

Recently I was asked who taught me about shadows, tones, and textures for my art. I answered,"A big source was making studies from Imogen Cunningham's book titled, Flora, which I had found in a used book store." I thought the photography was wonderful and I wanted to know more about the artist.

Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976)was born in Portland, Oregon. (Her father named her Imogen after the heroine in Shakespeare's Cymbeline.) Growing up, she took art lessons every summer. She found her medium in photography and bought her first camera at 18.

Her further education in photography was at the UW in Seattle where she studied chemistry in order to learn more about photo lab techniques. After graduation, she worked for the famed photographer, Edward Curtis.

Cunningham was about 26 years old when she received a grant to go to Germany for further study of photographic chemistry. She returned to Seattle and opened a portrait studio. (She was the only photographer who was a charter member of the Society of Seattle Artists. )

Her stunning work gained international recognition and exhibitions - Fellow of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and collected by the Smithsonian Institute.

Although it was her plant photos that caught my attention, she was also known for her nudes and industrial landscapes.

Were you familiar with her work? What do you think of her photography?

What's In a Name? Étienne de Silhouette

2011-12-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

There's evidence dating back to the first century in Greece of back-lit portraits - what we refer to today as "silhouettes." I have no idea what this art form was named before Étienne de Silhouette. (1709-1767) It is interesting to discover how this art form took his name. After all, there's no historical evidence of his having a talent for such art.

As it happens,he was the Minister of Finance in 1759 in the court of Louis XV. Just like today, he had the ungrateful task of controlling the deficit and raising enough money to finance the Seven Years' War against Britain.

M. Silhouette's austerity moves made him unpopular and gained him a reputation of being a penny-pincher. The phrase, a la Silhouette became a common phrase for anything done on the cheap. In the same period, shadow cutouts were very popular and inexpensive. And that, dear reader, is how these forms of portraits became known as "silhouettes."

Isn't it fun to know the history of words? Do you have a favorite word with a history you know?

The Magic Show: What do You Think?

2011-11-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been to an art exhibit and found yourself intrigued by a certain painting? So much so that you needed to look at it awhile to allow the mind to interpret what the eyes were seeing? It's that sense that something is "off."

Intriguing the viewer's mind has been the goal of many talented artists. They are like magicians who use sleight of hand to capture the attention of the audience. I thought it would be fun to demonstrate a subtle form of this sleight of hand in a few well-known paintings. (click on image to enlarge)

Degas' painting: "The Bar at the Folies Bergère"

Look carefully. Is that the same girl in a mirror or a different girl?

Manet's painting: "The Waitress"

Where is the person in the top hat sitting?

Degas' painting: "Ballet Rehearsal"

Are we seeing another room in the background or is that a mirror reflecting the rest of the room?

Intriguing, yes?

A Story of Hope, Courage and Gratitude

2011-11-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

My first thoughts for the blog was an iconic Thanksgiving art image. Then I received an email that changed my mind. It shifted my thoughts to reflecting on generosity of spirit and gratitude.

Often we remember the worst of the news. Stories of greed, malice, deception and all manner of cruelty that frightens us and keeps us from trusting and hoping. Then, along comes a story of such bravery, courage and gratitude that we are uplifted.

The email was about a 50-ton female humpback whale who became unmercifully entwined in long, heavy crab pot lines in San Francisco bay. She could barely keep her blowhole above the water line. A fishing boat captain saw her plight and called for a rescue team.

The rescuers could tell that the ropes were cutting in so deeply there was blubber in the water. The divers held out little hope for her survival. However, that little spark of hope was just enough for them to risk getting in the water with her.

They knew full well the damage she could do to the divers if she became frightened by their actions. The divers needed time to cut through heavy ropes entangling her dorsal and tail fins and to remove the ropes from her mouth and baleen. (Being near her mouth involved working right in front of her fist-sized eye.) She watched and stayed calm. She knew. She understood.

I can't say how she knew given the history of hunting the humpbacks to near extinction, but she did. Perhaps it was the way the divers approached her. They entered her realm with kindness and compassion - wishing only to help. Maybe she sensed their meaning.

When free, she circled and approached each diver gently nudging them. Yes, she knew.

What if we approached life with kindness and compassion towards all beings? And what if we remembered to show sincere gratitude for who and/or what we've been given?

May every day be a day of Thanksgiving!

(By request,this is a reprint of 2010 Thanksgiving)

The Store is Open... Yeah!

2011-11-15T17:05:00.003-08:00

So many people are fans of my "Progressions" series but can't justify buying art in these days of economic insecurity. They are looking at the holidays and those hard-to-shop-for people with no idea as to what to get them. I think I've hit upon something.

What if you could buy practical gifts based on unique art that ranged in price from $10.95 to $32.95? If it sounds like a plan to you, consider these gift ideas:

A tempered glass tray that can be used as a cutting board, a serving tray, a trivet and looks so colorfully decorative in the kitchen.

I've chosen one out of each of the "Progressions" series - Food, Drink & Dessert

How about a hefty 15-0z ceramic mug for hot coffee or hot cocoa with a wraparound design based on "Progressions" from coffee beans to latte? (or cocoa beans to hot chocolate with whipped cream? Yum!)

Then there are ceramic tiles which can serve as coasters or purchased with a lovely wrought iron trivet - which doubles as a wall decoration when not in use.

There are packets of note cards, recipe and book markers - great stocking stuffers! There's even a close-out on cards and a special holiday offering of 10% from each online sale donated to the food bank!

Where is it? It's on my new online store. You can find most of these artful holiday items on the "Boutique" pages. You can go directly at:http://www.r-atencio-annex.com/Gallery/Boutique/boutique.html

The Sphinx of Delft - Part Two

2011-11-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in last week's blog, very little is known about Vermeer (1632-1675). It's as if he arrived a fully-developed master painter into the Delft Guild of Saint Luke. To this day, the identity of his master(s), the nature of his training, and the period of his apprenticeship remain a mystery.

Naturally, this leaves room for speculation. The one thing certain is that styles of art, composition and subjects are a cultural matter and culture evolves slowly.

Artists generally start by copying popular styles and slowly developing their own individual expression. Based on that notion, it is possible to speculate that Vermeer was influenced by several contemporary painters.

Carel Fabritius (1622-1654), who apprenticed with Rembrandt, could have been an influence. His portraits were very similar to Rembrandt and he used perspective in innovative ways which seems to have influenced Vermeer.(left: Fabritius; right: Vermeer)

Another influence often speculated was Gerard Ter Borch (1617-1681), who painted "genre" or scenes of daily life. (Left: Ter Borch; right: Vermeer)

Then there was Pieter de Hooch, who lived in the same town as Vermeer and shared Vermeer's style and subject matter. His paintings, like Vermeer’s, are usually small and display the same great power of composition.

So, there you have it, dear reader. When you compare their styles and subjects, do you agree that Fabritius, ter Broch or de Hooch could have influenced Vermeer?

The Sphinx of Delft

2011-11-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

The artist, Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), left no evidence of his biography except for a few legal documents. No confirmed images. No information about his art training. No evidence of having served an apprenticeship. Yet, he is in full bloom as a master painter in 1653 when he joined the Guild of Saint Luke - meaning he had completed an apprenticeship with someone, somewhere.

In fact, on three occasions, he served as head of the guild. So, why is there so little mention of him in the notes of other artists in the guild?

Vermeer needed money to support his wife and 11 surviving children, but it appears that he only produced 3 paintings a year and never took on apprentices. How did he manage?

All the questions led Théophile Thoré-Bürger, the 19th century art critic, to refer to Vermeer as the "Sphinx of Delft."

All the gaps in his background and his artworks have provided authors with a wonderful opportunity to make stuff up. There are many books of fiction about his subjects, his works and his life. If we can't know who was his master, at least we can know something about who influenced him - and that will be the subject of next week's blog.

Meet the Delaunays

2011-10-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Delaunays - Robert and Sonia - were a married artist couple. Artists marrying other artists is not too unusual. What makes the Delaunays unusual was that while their individual work is quite distinctive, it is also compatible for exhibiting together. As a matter of fact, as I write this, the Delaunays' art is on exhibit in Japan - some 30 years after the last partner's death!

Robert Delaunay (1885-1941) was senior to Sonia by six months, so we'll look at his background first. Born in Paris, Robert studied art and began exhibiting at the tender age of 19. His influences were: Paul Cézanne and later Vasily Kandinsky.

Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) was born in the Ukraine and studied art in Germany. She disliked the strictures of art school and left for Paris where she was influenced by the art of Van Gogh, Gauguin and Rousseau.

Robert and Sonia met in 1908. Sonia said of Robert, "In Robert Delaunay I found a poet. A poet who wrote not with words but with colours." They married and had a son, Charles.
Sonia made a quilt for Charles that is now in the collection at Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris. This patchwork quilt would be the turning point of Sonia's art.

As Sonia moved towards cubism, Robert was studying color theory. Together, the Delaunays founded an art movement known as "orphism" which combined purely abstract shapes with bright colors.

All the while the Delaunay family was supported by Sonia's allowance from her family in Russia. WWI forced the family to leave Paris for Spain. During this same time, the onset of the Russian Revolution meant the end of Sonia's allowance. To generate income, Robert designed stage sets and Sonia designed costumes for the opera until the end of WWI at which time the family returned to Paris. The Delaunays continued to paint, design and collaborate until 1941 when Robert succumbed to cancer.

Sonia carried on designing fabrics, clothes and costumes. She also spent a good deal of her energy and money on retrospectives of Robert's art. In time, she passed through the sadness of loss. She spent the last part of her life painting and re-establishing her own artistic and design contributions. (Below left are Robert's paintings and on the right are Sonia's geometric textile designs.)

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Da-Da, Da-Da, Da-Da

2011-10-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

When the times reach a point where people begin to question the wisdom of their leaders, it is art that often mirrors the populace. Such a time occurred during WWI and continued for seven years (1916-1923). It was known as the "Dada" anti-art movement.

Dada was a French word for a hobby horse but the word had no meaning in other European languages. Since it didn't make sense, it was the perfect word for a movement that wanted to break with tradition and the rules of art. The break was the way that artists expressed their anger at WWI and the insanity of authority.

The artists of the movement created shock art in the words they chose and the everyday items that they referred to as "art." The viewers' shock and anger were the two responses the Dadaists enjoyed most of all. The point was to provoke and outrage critics and viewers as to the outmoded art traditions and the absurdities of life.

Marcel Duchamp, who was one of the best-known of the Dadaist, painted a mustache on a copy of the Mona Lisa. He also titled a urinal "Fountain" and hung it on a wall.

Some of the other artists who were connected with this anti-art movement included: Man Ray, Jean Arp, Raoul Hausmann, Hannah Hoch, Beatrice Wood, and Max Ernst. All connected to the movement created works that were not just shocking but also humorous, whimsical, and nonsensical.

Interestingly, what seemed shocking and outrageous then is now part of the art scene. Assemblages of recycled materials, collages, and photo montages are all widely accepted.

Can you recall seeing art that fit the description of Dada?

Madonna, Barbra Streisand, & Jack Nicholson Collect Her

2011-10-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

Her name was Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980). Ever heard of her? No? Yet she is highly collectible and Madonna has featured de Lempicka's art in several of her music videos.

Born in Russia of Polish heritage, de Lempicka left home at the age of 15 after her parents divorced and her mother remarried. At that tender age, she married a Russian man who she first saw at the opera. Four years later during the Russian Revolution, de Lempicka would rescue her husband from prison where the Bolsheviks held him. Together, they escaped to Paris where many of the upper-class had fled.

In her travels, de Lempicka had observed the works of the master painters of Europe. In Paris, she studied painting privately at the Academie de la Grand Chaumiere. After a few years, she became the most recognized and popular painter of the Art Deco style.

With the advent of WWII in Europe, de Lempicka came for an "extended stay" in America. She began to experiment with other methods of painting. As so many artists (and musicians) have found out the hard way, the public can easily reject any change in style or method. So it was for de Lempicka. She continued to paint, but she stopped exhibiting.

She moved to Mexico where she lived out her final years. When Art Deco was rediscovered, de Lempicka's works became very collectible and that is how she came to be collected by modern-day celebrities.

Artists Make Dessert Happenings

2011-10-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

With the decision that annual art museum dinners were boring, visual artists were invited to turn their creativity to making desserts. There was even an organization founded to foster this not-so-lofty-art concept. The organization was named "Kreemart." (Cream-art?)

The idea was to create performance art into edible desserts. In other words, dessert became the floor show at events such as the annual dinner for the Patrons of the Tate Modern.

The artistic trio known as "Los Carpinteros" created a dessert known as "Brazo Gitano" (Gypsy Arm). It is actually a jelly or cream roll from Spain. However, the artists dressed like butchers. They served the cakes as if the patrons were coming to a butcher shop, including taking a number ticket.

When the patron's number was called, a thin slice of meat...er...cake was cut and handed to the diners on butcher wrap!

At another event, performance artist, Marina Abramovic, had individual fine dark-chocolate molds made of her lips that were then brushed with edible 24-K gold leaf.

As the patrons ate the delicious lips, the gold stuck to their lips - a kind of transfer of design.

Argentine sculptor, Leandro Erlich, created a replica of Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona couch as a cake.Ehrlich created a corner as a psychologist's office - complete with a blatant sketch of a nude woman on the wall just over the chocolate couch.

To show the range of creativity, the highly regarded sculptor, Teresita Fernandez, created a more serious dessert. She copied the 1930s house designed for a single woman by architect, Gregory Ain. However, being a dessert, the plate-glass windows were made of carmelized sugar, the marble floors of almond paste and the dirt under the rooms of brownies.

OK. Put on your creative hat. What would you make if asked by Kreemart?

Not a Man of His Times

2011-09-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

He is regarded as one of the most important American artists. Still, most people don't know his name or his art work. He was featured on PBS' "American Masters." Yet, there was no stir or conversation about his art and biography. Who was this artist who mattered so much and so little all at the same time?

He was Thomas Eakins (1844-1916). (Notice that the dates of his lifetime coincide with the rise of the avant garde styles of Impressionism and Cubism.)In spite of the era, Eakins was true to his artistic instincts and that meant he was "deeply traditional."

Eakins was true to his believe in the beauty of nature especially the human form. If that meant going against the tide of popular techniques, so be it. That's not to say that he turned his back on what was new and exciting. (He was fascinated with photography and made many inventive contributions to motion studies.)It was more that Eakins disliked trends and affectations.

He studied in Paris, Madrid and Seville. As Eakins traveled, he gained an appreciation of classical painters from earlier times whose portraitures explored the personality of the model.

Eakins' method was to paint portraits very slowly and meticulously. He spoke very little to his model. Most often, the person posing would relax and drop any facade. These portraits rendered a psychological realism not appreciated at the time - especially with all the interest in the new art movements. However, the passage of time changes many things.

Today, in the world of art, Eakins is highly regarded. In 1964, Tom Canaday, art critic for the New York Times wrote:

Today he seems to us to have recorded his fellow Americans with a perception that was often as tender as it was vigorous, and to have preserved for us the essence of an American life which, indeed, he did not idealize--because it seemed to him beautiful beyond the necessity of idealization.

All of the images on this blog are his paintings. What do you think of his work? Did you already know his name and art?

Tragic Beauty

2011-09-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

While in an art museum, I saw a portrait of such a stunningly beautiful and elegant woman, I determined to find out more about her when I returned home. (The portrait I saw is on the left.)

She was Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie (1837-1898), Empress of Austria and Queen Consort of Hungary. To her family and friends, she was called "Sissi." Even though her father was a Bavarian Duke, Elisabeth and her siblings grew up some distance from the royal court and the strictures of court life.

Elisabeth was 15 years-old, when 23 year-old Austrian emperor, Franz Joseph, came calling on her older sister, Helene. He didn't know Helene and came at the insistence of his domineering mother. However, when the emperor saw Elisabeth, he disobeyed his mother and insisted on marrying Elisabeth. (Helene on left, Sissi on right)

With the marriage, Elisabeth was immersed into the Austrian royal court and her mother-in-law's, Archduchess Sophie, domination. Elisabeth would have 4 children - all taken from her at birth - to be reared under Sophie's rule. Elisabeth wasn't even allowed to nurse. It was among Elisabeth's many sorrows.

Without the tending of her children, Elisabeth turned her attention to two things: her appearance and her adopted country.

Elisabeth was beautiful. She never wore any makeup and yet her inherent beauty was evident in all her portraits. Her hair was so abundant and long that it took 2-3 hours every day just to style it. Her daily cares involved dieting and exercising. She was adored by her adopted countrymen for her beauty as well as her kind demeanor.

She often used the ear of the her emperor-husband to generate clemency for war prisoners or to help the Hungarian cause leading to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. Through all, she dealt with many personal tragedies.

First and most important would be the death of each of her children. This would be followed by the deaths of her mother, father, sister and her best friend. It was all too much and at age 52, she chose only to wear black. She also contrived to be away from the royal court as much as possible.

Historians consider that her poor health was psychosomatic as she always felt better when she traveled elsewhere. It was while on her way back from a vacation with her lady-in-waiting that she would meet Luigi Lucheni.

Elisabeth's departure was reported in the news and Lucheni was, in his words, "looking for a royal to assassinate" to gain prominence for his anarchical cause. After identifying her, Lucheni stabbed her once and the wound penetrated her heart. (photo shows her day before assassination)

Her death and funeral were the equivalent of the modern-day response to Princess Diana's death. In the end, all the royal court pomp and ceremony that Elisabeth tried to resist were visited on her.

Van Gogh: In the Eyes of the Beholder

2011-09-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

This last weekend on NPR, I listened to an interview of a Dutch musician and artist by the name of Van Eck. He was describing and promoting his album titled, "Van Gogh by Van Eck."

Personally, I have always felt that Van Gogh's painting "The Potato Eaters" was a sad comment on the daily lives of farm peasants in those days. The people in the painting are gathered around a single light, a plate of potatoes and what looks like a tea drink. The conversation between the subjects seems intense. The first time I saw this painting, I felt a sadness for what seemed like a harsh life.

Van Eck saw something quite different. In the interview, he stated that upon his examination of Van Gogh's life, he observed that Van Gogh had a difficult relationship with his father. Therefore, Van Eck felt that based on Van Gogh's family yearnings, the artist wanted to portray a poor family sharing a meal and the happenings of the day with the pleasure of being in the bosom of the family. That is the basis for an upbeat mood in Van Eck's musical piece titled, "One of the Family." (You can listen to a sampling by clicking here and scrolling down to song)

What do you feel when you look at " The Potato Eaters?" If you listened to the music sampling, did you find your opinion of the painting shift?

The Wonders (and Turmoil) of The Barnes

2011-08-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

In my previous art blog, I described an art collector named Dr. Albert Barnes. (See: "A Most Irascible Art Collector") Prior to Dr. Barnes' death, he set up a foundation to maintain and preserve his art collection.

Dr. Barnes did not like the museum way of exhibiting art. He saw his art collection, horticulture and architecture as a source of education. Therefore, he saw the collection as integral to its location in Merion, PA. (about 5 miles from Philadelphia)

To make sure that all would remain intact, Dr. Barnes set up a foundation. That's how the Barnes' extensive collection of impressionism and post-impressionism arts were treated until recent times.

As it happens, a collection valued at 6 BILLION dollars, is well, real money. Those who, working for the good of the public, decided that it should be open to the public as a museum and have wrested control from Merion, PA. (If you are interested in finding out more about how this control was taken, check out the documentary, "Art of the Steal" )

Below are renderings of the new museum located in Philadelphia. (The Merion, PA. building is above, left)

Besides the Renoir above of the little girl, here are a very small glimpse of the collection including Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani and Cezanne:

A Most Irascible Art Collector

2011-08-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Albert C. Barnes (1872-1951) was an American chemist who made his fortune by the development of a pharmaceutical; which he sold for 6 million dollars. This fortune enabled him to indulge his passion for buying art.

He had a keen eye for art and business. It was the Depression and many a failed businessman had to sell his art collection. As Barnes said, "...my specialty was robbing the suckers who had invested all their money in flimsy securities and then had to sell their priceless paintings to keep a roof over their heads."

In time, Barnes would own 69 Cezannes, 60 Matisses, 141 Renoirs and 44 Picassos. In all, he would amass some 2500 paintings! His collection included artists such as: Degas, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Seurat, and Rousseau.

Barnes had a particular disdain for art historians. He felt that they "stifled self-expression and art appreciation." As a result, in 1923 he opened his home for public viewing of the collection. The public had little understanding of the avant garde art and the critics gave the collection unfavorable reviews.

After that experience, Barnes allowed only limited access to the collection; which resided in his Pennsylvania home. He alone could grant access and he had no qualms about turning down requests from people such as T. S. Eliot and James A. Michener. (and, of course, any art historians or critics).

Before his death, he set up a foundation for his collection. Given his irascible nature, the terms of the Barnes Foundation would prove controversial and even make the news in 2011!

Next Week: The Barnes Foundation Turmoil (and the most beautiful art images.)

Manet or Monet - Who's Who?

2011-08-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

I was telling a friend about seeing a "Manet" and she said, "Don't you mean Monet?" I can understand the confusion. Two French impressionist painters with similar names, living at the same time who were also personal friends. It can seem confusing, so let's see if we can find the differences that distinguished Manet from Monet.

Since Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was born first, we'll start with him. Manet created the foundations for Impressionism. He walked the line between Realism and Impressionism. He painted directly from models to canvas as Realism required, but as an Impressionist, he worked quickly and completed the painting in one seating. He did not suffer the tedium of waiting for a layer of paint to dry and then adding another layer. No. Instead he applied the exact color directly and, if he didn't like it, he scraped it off and tried again.(Portrait of Berthe Morisot, Impressionist Artist)

By contrast, Claude Monet (1840-1926) was not interested much in the subject or model and preferred to consider the colors of the object. In other words, it wasn't a tree or grass. It was a square of green, a rectangle of blue, or a line of red. Monet would paint the same scene be it his gardens, a church or a stack of hay as changing bits of color.

How to tell whose work it is? If it is painted with dabs of color, you are looking at a Monet. If instead you are looking at models in a loosely painted style, it's a Manet.

Now, try your hand at identifying if the paintings below are Manet or Monet.

Beautiful Auto Sculptures: The Hood Ornaments

2011-08-08T20:07:00.001-07:00

The other night I was watching "Antique Road Show." The show featured a collection of car hood ornaments. Some were really beautiful sculptures made by famous artists such as crystal ones designed by Rene Lalique.

There was a time in manufacturing when something so utilitarian as a hood ornament (They were originally thermometers to track radiator temperatures.)was embellished as part of the culture of beauty.

Here are a few designs from the cars of 1920-30s art deco era with animals and figures of Greek gods and goddesses:

In the 1940-50s, interest was in aviation as shown in these images:

Today, there are still a few luxury cars with hood ornaments, but most cars display only the logo of the manufacturer. Should you decide to have a special hood ornament designed for your car, there is one surviving design company - Louis Lejeune Ltd, England, established 1910.

I imagine it would cost more to make a custom hood ornament than most of today's cars are worth. You could look at it as an investment in the future. After all, some day that ornament may show up on a collectible show and astonish your heirs with its value. While you're thinking that prospect over, here are a few other beautiful hood ornaments:

Haitian Artists: Indomitable Spirits

2011-08-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

As the news reported, on January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced a catastrophic earthquake followed by 12 days of aftershocks. Destruction was everywhere including several important art galleries and museums.

Perhaps in other countries the loss of valuable art would be very unfortunate, but for Haitians it adds immeasurably to their misery. Art represents not only an important part of national pride, but also a great deal of income for the country. Indeed. For many Haitians, art is their "economic lifeline."

Within 9 months after the disaster, in spite of spates of hunger and impossible living conditions, Haitian artists' creative spirits were flourishing. They were inspired by their experiences of the earthquake.

Shows and exhibits were arranged throughout the United States. These efforts helped to generate income and donations for Haiti. The display of new art so soon after the earthquake also reflected the indomitable spirit of Haitian people. As the artist Duffaut quoted to The Smithsonian magazine, "Haiti will be back."

Pacheco and the Andes

2011-07-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is about the work of a Bolivian artist who you may not know. Her name? Maria Luisa Pacheco. (1919-1982). Yet, she was an international award-winning artist who also received three consecutive Guggenheim fellowships.

Pacheco studied at the art academy in her hometown of La Paz, Bolivia. After her studies, she worked as an illustrator for a daily newspaper. A scholarship, awarded by the Spanish government, allowed her to continue her studies in Madrid.

Eventually, Pacheco would settle in New York and become an American citizen. However, her best-known art reflected her childhood views of Bolivia. Her most famous and masterful paintings were inspired by the glaciers and peaks of the Andes mountains.

Below are some of Pacheco's abstract paintings of the mountains in all their majesty. (She incorporated wood, sand and cloth into her collages and paintings to add textural relief. )

Opening Night Par-tee!

2011-07-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

Arriving before the crowd, we watched as the catering company set up the delicious food (including some sensational toffee cookies - yum!) and the wine bar. Two early arrivals - Jan and Jessica - presented a lovely card and a pot of gorgeous yellow daisy. (Click on images to enlarge)

The walls of the stately gallery were dotted with all these bright, colorful paintings. The lighting was just perfect. Each piece was highlighted like an aura with soft cast shadows beyond the frame.

So many friends showed up. Most had made a 2.5-3 hour round trip to help me celebrate. For friends Mike and Karen, it was a 6-hour round car ride. (They tried to claim a phantom prize for having made the longest trip. They had to capitulate as it was Birdie from Vermont who planned her vacation around the event.) A shout out to the ladies who designated the exhibit as a "road trip" as soon as I announced that I was having a showing.

Finally, to those who came to help mark this event and those who wished they could, YOU are my inspiration.

It's Almost Show Time!

2011-07-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

It'd be difficult to write about other art or artists on this blog when I'm a few days from my first solo exhibit and that's occupying my thoughts. (Above image is the front of the Umpqua Valley Art Gallery, Roseburg, Oregon where I'll be exhibiting.)

Last Friday, my friend and I delivered 26 triptychs for the "Progressions" series to the gallery. After unwrapping them, the gallery director and I arranged them against the walls to figure out the best way to display the work. It's an interesting process - trying to imagine how they will look once they're suspended.

Arranging the setting for art is an art in itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and learned more about the discerning eye of a gallery director. There are many considerations with regards to the placement of the art... height for viewing, lighting without glare, logical placement of surrounding art by colors, subject and size. Wonderful lesson.

Below is the info on the opening. (Click to enlarge) For those of you who cannot make the opening, the exhibit will be up until Sept. 5th.

Next week's blog: Posting of Opening and Photos.

Before Buffalo Bill

2011-07-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Long before "Buffalo Bill" Cody took his Wild West show to Europe, there was a man - an artist - who brought Native Americans to Europe. His name was George Catlin. (1796-1872)

Catlin was born in the Pennsylvania. As a young person, Catlin was fascinated by the Native American artifacts he found. Although Catlin would train as a lawyer, he had drawn and etched since childhood. It would be the combination of painting and curiosity that lead to the passion of his life - chronicling the lives of Native Americans. In 1823, he closed his law practice to make a career in painting.

He traveled all the way to the North Dakota/Montana border visiting and painting 18 tribes along the way. When Catlin returned to the East, he had a gallery of 500 paintings of Native American portraits and culture.

Catlin toured with his gallery and collection of artifact. By 1842, he was exhibiting in England and then in the Louvre in Paris. Catlin was accompanied by members of the Ojibbeways and later the Ioways tribes.

As a viewer, not only could you see the portraiture, but also you could interview the native people through an interpreter. Can you imagine the sensational stir this group created some 30 years before Buffalo Bill?

An Exciting Video of Art and Suspense

2011-06-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Last week on public television, I watched a very suspenseful documentary. I really was on the edge of my seat. Besides suspense, there was passion, love, art, compassion, joy and sadness. The title of the video was, "Kings of Pastries."

The title may have you wondering if I've gone around the bend. After all, "Kings of Pastries" doesn't sound very emotional and riveting. Believe me, it was.

Let's backup for a little slice of history. Since the 1920s, France has conducted competition known as: "Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France" ("MOF") or Best Craftsman in France. There are 180 different professions that hold competitions. France is the only country that gives top honors and national recognition to craftsmanship so outstanding as to earn the title of MOF.

One of the 180 professions included is pastry. The documentary follows one top pastry chef as he prepares for the grueling process of working out designs, making the required creations, and rehearsing enough times to make sure he can perform on time. In the film, he is one among 16 international pastry chefs who are seeking the title and prestige of MOF.

In three days, the chefs have to create lollipops, chocolates, macaroons, wedding cakes, bijou (jewel), sugar sculptures and the list continues. Everything must be kept clean, they must stay within the time allowed, and they must create a coordinated pastry buffet table. Oh, did I mention that all must be tasty, too?

I won't spoil the ending nor tell you of the heartbreaking mishap. I just wanted you to know that in a world where we are told that everything is going downhill and nobody cares about quality... well, striving for MOF defies those beliefs.

.

Toilers of the Sea

2011-06-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

It's officially summer and my thoughts wandered to sunny days on the beach. As thoughts will go, my mind then remembered a summer of travel and a trip to a maritime museum.

The museum was a wonderful experience. I learned so much. One thing I recalled was the beautiful crafts that the sailors made while at sea. Using available materials, intricate and imaginative crafts were made from shells, whalebone, rope and canvas.

Most of these objects were of small size in order to store them in a cramped space on board. Some items were made to give to loved ones. Others were made to sell to visitors on excursions. Whatever the purpose, the sailors used crafts to fill the time.

These sailors were mostly self-taught. They sewed torn sails, knotted rope cables worked yarn they bought in ports or observed natives. The crafts are extensive - inlaid boxes, rope mats, ships in bottles - and so the list continues. Below are images of some of the works.

These are embroidery examples of "sailors woolies" made in the 19th century by English sailors:

The hexagons below were made mostly from shells and were known as "Sailor Valentines:"

Possibly the best known sailors' art was scrimshaw. Although they etched mainly on the bones or ivory of mammals, on the right is an image of scrimshaw made from sword bill fish.

Do you have a fond memory of a summer trip to a museum?

The Barefoot Artist Has Died

2011-06-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

M. F.Husain (Maqbool Fida Husain) died a little over a week ago at age 95. An artist of Indian origin, he was often referred to as the "Picasso of India."

Husain was also known for his eccentricities. Even though his paintings sold for millions of dollars, he had no money in the bank. He wore tailored-made suits, but almost never wearing shoes and socks. (Hence he was also referred to as "The Barefoot Artist.")

Eccentricities aside, Husain was a highly-talented artist leaving a legacy as a painter, printer, film maker and photographer.

In the 1940s, he was a member of a progressive art group who broke away from traditional forms of Indian art movements. Husain developed his own forms of Cubism, Surrealism, and Impressionism.

In the 1970s, Husain created art based on the Hindu deities showing them nude or in sexually suggestive poses. This would prove his undoing some 20 years later.

Although he was among the few artists to gain recognition and accolades in his lifetime, in the 1990s,he was criticized and sued for those works he had done in the 1970s. Given the laws of India, where a lawsuit can be brought for "hurting sentiments of people," he felt he had no choice but to leave his homeland.

Husain died in London having never set his bare feet again on India's soil.

He was a very prolific painter with a long life, below is a small sampling of his works.

It's A Relief .. an Art Relief

2011-06-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, I spent Friday through Sunday in a clay sculpture workshop. It wasn't the 3-D form where you can walk all around the sculpture. This workshop was about a sculptural art form referred to as "relief sculpting."

In relief, the reduction of the background projects the object forward - not unlike what is done in a painting. With clay, it is not only possible to remove background, but also to build up the foreground. To me, this makes clay relief work a combination of 2-D and 3-D.

There are three major categories of relief sculpture. They are: "bas relief" (low relief), "alto relief" (high relief) and "sunk relief" - a form not used much nowadays. Of the three, the most commonly used is bas relief . It's even found on our coins.

Alto or high relief is the term used when more than half the figure projects from the background. Mount Rushmore is a well-known example.

The reverse of projecting the figure is sunk relief. It was used extensively in Ancient Egypt.

Now, back to the workshop... on the left is the tree branch I used as a model. On the right is my first effort at bas relief.

Russian Impressionism- Part II: The Soviet Influence

2011-05-31T15:06:00.001-07:00

Last week's subject was the French Impressionists' influence on Russian artists before the Russian revolution. This week's blog is how Russian artists continued to evolve while isolated behind the Iron Curtain.

When the Communist Party came to power, they suppressed all forms of art that had roots in foreign techniques or style. In spite of these dictates, Russian artists managed to use the techniques of impressionism in combination with subjects acceptable to the Soviets.

The result was a uniquely Russian style. When the Iron Curtain fell away and the art of 5 decades (appx. 1930-1980) was finally available to view, it was clear that Russian art had developed in a very different way than in the West.

The West had evolved from Impressionism into styles such as Cubism, Fauvism, and Expressionism. By contrast, Russian artists used a more realistic approach.

They portrayed the lives of the Russian citizens. Their art was realistically full of optimism, hope and dreams of the ordinary people. The style and subjects are now referred to as "Russian Impressionism."

Have you seen Russian Impressionism before? What do you think of this style that continued into the 1980s?

Russian Impressionism - Part 1: The French Influence

2011-05-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

In my blog of May, 2010, I described my experience at the D'Orsay Museum in Paris and the special exhibit of Russian Impressionism. It made me aware of the influence of the French Impressionists on Russian artists.

Russia's art history was very much linked to the rest of Europe - until the Soviets came to power. Prior to that, Russian nobility preferred the realism and representational art works - just as the rest of Europe before the French Impressionists.

With the rise of Impressionism, Russian artists found new inspiration and direction. Like some of the French anarchist artist of the Industrial Age (Archive: Luce, Feb. 2010), Russian artists not only painted landscapes but also the poverty and suffering of the people.

When the iron curtain fell, Russian artists were prohibited from painting modern art for the "elitist." Instead, they were required to paint realistically so that it was understandable to the masses.

Interestingly, Russian art evolved to generate modern art paintings together with subjects acceptable to the Soviet government. This combination is known as "Russian Impressionism" and is the subject of next week's blog.

Pissarro: The Impressionists' Father Figure

2011-05-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

In early Modern Art, Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) was one of the most influential Impressionists. Nowadays, his contributions to art and artist seem to be overshadowed by other Impressionists such as Monet and Degas - that would be unfortunate. It was his experiences and personality that held the Impressionists together.

For one thing, his experience of the world was different from these French painters. He was not a native Frenchman. He was born in St. Thomas (now part of the Virgin Islands.) His father was a Portuguese Jew and his mother was Creole.

There was a great intolerance for the mixed marriage and the siblings were sent to all-black primary school. At age 12, Pissarro's father sent him to France to study art.

Perhaps it was the segregation on the island that made Pissarro show "sympathy and understanding" as Cezanne described him. When the Salon des Beaux Artes refused the paintings of the Impressionists, it was Pissarro with his strong sense of fairness who created the first charter for the artists' group. (It was this group that formed the "Salon des Refuses")

Pissarro's personality held the disparate group of artists together. (It certainly helped that he was a gray beard by age 43.) The other artists including Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cezanne, and Degas, considered him a kind and patient father figure.

Yet, it wasn't only his demeanor. It was also his extensive contributions to the techniques of Impressionism. In the history of art, Pissarro is referred to as "the Father of Impressionism." (In recognition of Pissarro after his death, Paul Cezanne referred to himself as "Paul Cezanne, pupil of Pissarro." )

His kindness, fairness and tolerance as a father and teacher would extend even to his own children. As a matter of fact, more than 150 years after his death there are famous artists and curators in his direct lineage who proudly carry the name "Pissarro."

Father, indeed.

An Artist of Limitless Space

2011-05-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Vija Celmins (1938-) is an extraordinary visual artist. Celmins' early works were astonishingly realistic paintings of objects such as kitchen appliances and airplanes.

She has always had a great eye for detail regardless of the media. She has produced ultra-realistic works in oils, charcoal, pencil, sculpture and print. It is hard to imagine such control in some of those media which are not considered conducive to fine workmanship.

Celmins has evolved in her drawings and paintings. Nowadays,her works give no reference to the viewer of horizon or central points of interest. It is all about the vastness. The viewer knows that even though the scene is cropped, it actually extends well beyond the limitations of the frame.

Below are more recent completed works from her various series based on seas, night skies and webs.

Good News! 20 More "Progressions" Completed!

2011-05-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

More progress on the "Progressions...." I've now completed 20 of the 26 that I promised to the gallery for my solo exhibit in July.

As the date gets closer, I'll be sending out invitations . In the meantime, please mark your calendar to join me on July 15th for the opening of the show. It's a Friday evening and, hopefully, a warm summer night. Gather friends and make it a fun road trip.

Below are numbers 15-20... Enjoy!

When the Bells Tolled for Her

2011-04-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Her life was short. She was 26 when she died and she was buried days later on her 27th birthday. Yet she live long enough to make her mark on photojournalism - as the first woman to cover a war and die while doing so.

It was 1936 and Gerda Taro (nee Gerta Pohorylle; 1910-1937), was a photo assistant to Robert Capa (nee Endre Ernő Friedmann; 1913-1954), a photographer and photojournalist best known for his photos on the front lines of war zones.

Taro was a German Jewess. She knew about fascism first-hand. She opposed the Nazi party in Germany and was arrested for distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets. After her release, the family left Germany.

When the Spanish Civil War broke out, she went with Capa to cover the anti-fascists soldiers. It was there that she established herself as a war photographer. Below are some of her photos at Navacerrada Pass, Segovia front, Spain:

(This failed offensive was the basis for Ernest Hemingway's, "For Whom the Bells Tolled.")

A year later, Taro would be killed in a freak war accident. Her fame was such that LIFE magazine printed two full pages about her.

Rembrandt Has the Last Laugh

2011-04-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Henry Clay Frick was one of the more famous or infamous robber barons of the 19th century.(1849-1919) He owned or controlled most of the coke and steel output in the East.

Frick was, by all accounts, a typical CEO of those days - ruthless in business, highly competitive with his colleagues and compassionless with his workers.

He even built a mansion in New York City to rival that of his friend, Andrew Carnegie. Frick said he was building a mansion to "make Carnegie's place look like a miner's shack." Frick stocked his home with art - mainly European paintings from the old Masters. This is where Rembrandt might have had the last laugh.

Frick paid top dollar for Rembrandt's works. In the 1890s it was truly top dollar as Rembrandt was highly prized. Frick even arranged to have first rights of refusal on all Rembrandts.

Actually, some of the paintings were not Rembrandts, but "in the style of Rembrandt." One of the most controversial being "The Polish Rider," which had been the highlight of an exhibit by Frick.

Two other "Rembrandts" in Frick's collection have been since been attributed to unknown artists - probably students of the Master. They are: "Portrait of a Young Artist" and "Old Woman with a Book."

Can you imagine what Frick would have done if he had lived to know that he paid top price for art now regarded as being from the "Rembrandt School?" Poetic justice, perhaps?

Ashcan Art

2011-04-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

In terms of derogatory descriptions of art, "Ashcan Art" sounds worse than "Impressionism" - another term coined by critics. (Archive: Oct, 2010-Durand-Ruel) Ashcan Art had much
in common with Impressionism.

Like the Impressionists' Salon des Refuses, these American artist created their own exhibition. It was a non-juried show organized by the artists. This bull-by-the-horns action by artists was regarded just as scandalously as it had been for the Impressionists. Yet the exhibition changed the direction and definition of art in America.

Beyond these rebellious similarities against the decision makers of what constitutes fine art, there was a major difference between the two schools of art. It was their choice of subjects.

Ashcan painters (This period is more appropriately titled, "American Realism.") were not interested in painting bucolic scenes nor the industrial age. They were interested in portraying the grittiness of urban life. They wanted to chronicle the urban lives of the poor and the disenfranchised of the city. They painted overcrowding, boxing, prostitution, drunks and everyday realities of poverty. (Since ashcans were ubiquitous in the urban landscape, this art movement became known as "ashcan art." )

These artists were referred by some critics as "apostles of ugliness." At the top and below are some of the art created during this time. What do you think? Should artists paint only the beauty of life and nature or are paintings of squalor and poverty appropriate subjects?

Brian Lanker Dreamt a World

2011-04-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

Brian Lanker died recently. He was 63 years old. I came to know of him as an extraordinary photojournalist through his book, "I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America."

I did not know Mr. Lanker personally. Yet, having been touched by his book, I was saddened to know that such a compassionate and caring man had died.

He must have have a special understanding of women. After all, his Pulitzer Prize for feature photography was his photo titled, "Moment of Life." It captured the moment just after the birth of a baby and the look of delight on the mother's face.

Lanker had to have been an empathetic man. He said that he came to understand the "double minority" of black women after reading "The Color Purple." Then, when he heard Barbara Jordan (1936-1996),the first Southern black woman elected to the House of Representatives, give the keynote address at the 1976 Democratic Convention, he said, "You're the one who belongs in the White House."

Like Barbara Jordan, many black women had overcome daunting odds. Lanker wanted to acknowledge their accomplishments. He received a two-year grant from Eastman-Kodak to photograph and quote 75 black women. Some were well-known - many were unsung heroines.

The exhibition of Lanker's photographs of the women debuted at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. to record attendance. His book proved so popular that it is now in its 14th printing.

Thank you, Brian Lanker, for creating a homage to courageous women and for using your talents in the name of kindness, compassion and a strong sense of justice.

Progress of "Progressions"

2011-03-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

You are the first to get a preview of my most recent art for my first solo exhibit in July, 2011. (You can see more "Progressions" at my website.)

The gallery manager is most interested in displaying the "Progressions" series. I received wonderful comments about the unusual subject, the lively colors and the smiles on viewers' faces when they "get it." (That pleased me most of all.) Having crowed enough, here are the works to date:

"PROGRESSIONS" (the NEWEST ones...)

I'd enjoy hearing your comments/suggestions for more "Progressions."

One last thing: Thank you to so many of you who responded to last week's email with concern,good wishes and prayers. Your words of encouragement meant so much to me.

Victor Horta and the Whiplash Curve

2011-03-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

In this blog, I have written about painters, sculptors, and printers but never about architects. It was not an oversight. It was because many avant garde architects such as Gaudi and Gehring have been widely recognized. Then, I came across Victor Horta (1861-1947) who has been called, "the key European Art Nouveau Architect."

Born in Ghent, Belgium, Horta was educated in music, art, design and architecture. Early in his career, he began to work with iron and glass - often thought of as hard and angular materials. Horta designs wove them into sinuous shapes for both the exterior and interior.

He designed a few houses, but quickly moved on to designing public buildings. His signature design was the whiplash curves which you can see in the photos here. These have a certain feeling of plant tendrils and became part of

the description of the Art Nouveau period.

After WWI, Horta moved from the curving, sweeping style to a more geometrical one. This evolution would lead to Art Deco and Modernism. However, modernist felt no connection to Horta's Art Nouveau style. Several buildings were demolished in the 1960s.

UNESCO stepped in and preserved some of Horta's houses and buildings as World Heritage Sites. We are lucky to have these beautiful designs. So, if you're ever in Belgium...

Tubes, Easels, and Railroads

2011-03-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

Did you see "The Girl with the Pearl Earring?" If so, perhaps you remember that she began assisting the Dutch artist, Vermeer (1632-1675), in grinding the pigments and adding the oil to make his paints.

In those days, oil painters could only sketch outdoors. The materials they needed to schlepp were too cumbersome to actually paint the scene away from their studios. Reference sketches left the artist relying on rough outlines and memory. This led to final paintings that were fanciful especially in the backgrounds and figures.

Three inventions released oil painters to paint directly from nature. They were: industrially-mixed paint in tubes, light-weight, portable easels and the speed of railroad travel.

Starting in the late 19th century,artists could gather up their supplies, board a railroad and arrive at a place in the country to paint directly on canvas - even to paint a final version.

Painting directly outdoors became known as "en plein" air or "in the open air." It was a wonderful opportunity for artists and generated some of the finest Impressionist paintings we treasure. (Monet, above; Pissarro, below left, Morisot, below right)

Today, there are plein air painting groups and workshops everywhere. So when someone tells you it is a plein air painting, you'll be able to shake your head and say, "I thought so."

Atencio Meets Atencio

2011-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

It's interesting how an unfamiliar last name can lead to so many unique and imaginative spellings. Personally, my name has been spelled Antencio, Atenico, Artencio - you get the idea.

One day while googling "Atencio" and all the variations, I came across Gilbert Benjamin Atencio (1930-1995). I was drawn to him as he was an artist in an artistic family. (His aunt was the internationally known potter, Maria Martinez. Below, right)

As a Tewa Pueblo Indian, Gilbert used art to interpret the stories told to him by his aunties. His favorite subjects were the ceremonial scenes and figures of his people.

Gilbert's early works reflect the sparse, traditional flat style. In the 1970s, Gilbert began experimenting with a more abstract style. In the top tier are his earlier works followed by his later more elaborate works. What do you think of his evolution?

Simon Rodia's Vision

2011-02-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.

It was while I was researching Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect, that my mind somehow associated Gaudi's work with Simon Rodia's (1875-1965) Watts Towers.

As with most people who live for 90 years, Rodia had a lengthy story to tell. It would include his birth in Italy , his immigration at age 15 to America, and his journey to settle in the West. He would tell us about how he came to a vision on the small triangular residential lot he bought in Watts - a district of Los Angeles.

The vision was to build something lasting - something for the people to enjoy. This vision would become the Watts Towers. Rodia built his dream from all types of recycled materials - pottery, glass, structural steel, and seashells. He would etch designs in the mortar that he used to enrobe the steel and to embed his found materials.

Rodia worked without scaffolds, welding equipment, or plans. He used a window washer’s belt to climb the towers, and pipe-fitting tools to connect the metal. Much of the work was done after he'd finished a very physical day job.

When he left the project some 34 years later at age 79, he had developed 17 structures including several towers. One is 99.5 feet tall - amazing what a passion to follow a vision can create.

The Fall of the Muse

2011-02-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

In today's world, we read with interest and curiosity about the escapades of young, gorgeous, high-profile women. We elevate to celebrity those beautiful and talented but flawed women and then cast them down. We cluck and carry on about all the news space devoted to them and we treat all of it as recent phenomenon. Not so. Consider Evelyn Nesbit. (1884-1967)

Nesbit was an artist model and muse. By all accounts, she was an exceptionally beautiful young woman and the sole support of her family. She first came to notice as the model for Charles Dana Gibson's "Gibson Girl."

For 20 years the Gibson girl epitomized beauty and grace. From the late 19th to the early 20th century her image was merchandised on everything from cups and saucers to umbrella stands. Women strove for the "Gibson Girl" look.

Today, Nesbit would be a supermodel. She even commanded modeling fees equivalent to about $200/half day and $400/ full day.

Like today, all that came to an end for Nesbit at a young age. (She was 21) Her husband shot and killed the man who was her ex-lover. The newspapers ran sensationalized and often fictionalized stories
about her even though she had nothing to do with the murder. It would create much curiosity and interest in her - until the next scandal came along. (Think of the movie, "Chicago.)

What is it about our regard for women? We have many ill-behaved, naughty male actors and sports figures. Yet, once they get sober or stop the behavior, we accept them. Why isn't it the same for most women?

Nesbit said that her dead lover was lucky. He died in the middle of his career as a very successful architect while she lived the rest of her life remembered only for the sensational murder. As a biographer wrote of Nesbit, "Her celebrity lasted from ages 14 to 21 and her entire life was defined by that period."

Desboutin: More than a Model

2011-02-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

If Marcellin Desboutin (1823-1902) is remembered at all, it is usually in respect to his role as a model for Manet and Degas. (Below are images of him as painted by Manet and Degas, respectively.)

However, Desboutin was much more than a model. He was a well-known and well-regarded artist in his own right.

In spite of his scruffy appearance (self-portrait, left), he was high born, well educated and an exceptional painter and printmaker. As a painter, he exhibited with the Impressionists in the Salon des Refuses. However, it was mainly as a printmaker that Desboutin was best known in the Impressionist era.

He was 50 years old when he studied etching. By his own account, he had squandered his fortune and lost a mansion in Italy. He came to Paris and settled into the penniless Bohemian life of an artist. Once he learned etching, he was able to support himself to some degree by creating and selling portraits.

Desboutin portraits were usually an edition of 20 and included portraits not only of Manet and Degas but also Renoir, Morisot (see Archives, Jan. 2010), Zola and Duranty. His artist friends considered his work to be wonderfully spontaneous and exceptionally good. Desboutin captured the immediacy that the Impressionists preferred over the stiffly posed portraits of previous times. Here are a few of his prints: (click to enlarge)

Two interesting facts were discovered in my research: In 1890 Desboutin along with Rodin, Carriere and Meissonier, was a founder of Society of Beaux-Arts and at a robust 74 years of age he was honored with the Gran Prix at the Exposition Universelle.

For all of the recognition and honors paid to Desboutin during his life, the lasting recognition of him centers on the paintings by Manet and Degas where he is referred to as "the artist-model." Interesting how time will remember someone, yes?

At the Stroke of Midnight

2011-02-01T13:00:00.001-08:00

February 3rd begins the 15-day celebration of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. It is the longest and most festive of Chinese holidays. In China, it's known as the Spring Festival and everyone who follows tradition spends weeks before preparing for it.

Everything is swept and cleaned of the old year to let in the new year. (No sweeping is done during the first of the holiday for fear of sweeping out the good luck of the New Year.)Special foods are prepared, gifts are purchased, and sometimes a new coat of red paint is applied to windows and doors. Red being the color of the festival.

You see, there is an ancient legend that a mythical beast named Nien came and devoured everything - even children - on the first day of the New Year. So, every year the people put out food in hopes that the monster would not attack them. One day, a little child was wearing red clothes and the color frightened Nien. Hence the use of red for lanterns, scrolls and firecrackers to mark the Chinese New Year.

Scrolls and images are placed on doors and windows. Two of the oldest traditions of festival art are paper cutouts (on right)and wood-prints.

Wood-prints or nianhua are special to the New Year festival. These prints were actually a combination of wood prints and painting. (Nowadays it is done with offset printing and lithography.)

The prints are usually put on both sides of the door to keep evil away and allow only good luck to enter. These "door-gods" have evolved over a very long time (started circa 200 BCE).

The subjects evolved from deities and spirits to fat, healthy babies, flowers and birds. They represent health, wealth, good fortune, and happiness.

One last note: The Year of the Rabbit is about peace, calm, family and security. May it be so!

Stieglitz: The Godfather of Photography

2011-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Writing two weeks ago about Mabel Dodge Luhan (Archives:January, 2011) and last week about Pamela Colman Smith made me think more about the role of Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) in that early Modern era.

Based on receiving many a quizzical look when I mention Stieglitz, I'd have to say that unless you are a historian of art and photography, his fame seems to be diminishing. It's hard to know why since he was so good at his profession. Furthermore, it was Stieglitz who was largely responsible for the promotion of photography as an art form.

You see, photography was to the late 19th and early 20th centuries what digital art is to the 21st century. The question was and is: Is it an art form or manipulation of something that was invented by someone else? Stiegltiz answered the question by placing photography alongside paintings in his New York galleries.

Stieglitz elevated photography to a accepted medium of fine art. He was also a tireless promoter who influenced photographers, sculptors and painters - including his own wife, Georgia O' Keeffe.

Insofar as his own talent in concerned, here are a sampling of photos taken by him. (Please click on image to enlarge.) It seems that these alone would be cause to remember him. (The hands are those of his wife, Georgia O' Keeffe.)

Pamela Colman Smith: You've Probably Seen Her Art

2011-01-18T08:07:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you've heard of Alfred Stieglitz.(1864-1946) He was a famous late 19th-early 20th century photographer. He owned a renowned New York gallery to exhibit his and other artists' work. He was also the mentor and husband of Georgia O'Keeffe.

While Stieglitz was personally interested in photography, he recognized brilliance in other media. He cared little about gender and encouraged talented men and women. As a matter of fact, there's a traveling exhibit titled, "Women of the Stieglitz Circle"

The exhibit features works by Georgia O' Keeffe as well as 5 other women painters and photographers. Among the featured painters is Pamela "Pixie" Colman Smith. (1878-1951)

Ms. Smith's artistic style was very popular. In 1907, Stieglitz featured her work at his gallery and nearly every piece sold. So, how did such an artist slip into obscurity? Perhaps she didn't. Perhaps many of us have seen her work - even handled it - and didn't know it was created by Pamela Colman Smith.

First, a little background. She was born and raised in England. By 1909, she was back in her native land and used a small inheritance to buy a cottage in Cornwall. She never married. She continued to take illustration commissions and to send art to Stieglitz for sale at his gallery.

She wrote Stieglitz a letter in November, 1909. In part, this is what she wrote:

I've just finished a big job for very little cash! A set of designs for a deck of Tarot cards. 80 designs.

The illustrations that Smith created are still in use on those cards today. The deck is the "Rider-Waite" Tarot deck. Also called the "Waite-Smith" or "Waite-Colman Smith" deck.

Now you know.

Wizardry in Taos

2011-01-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

If you peek behind the curtain of historically famous art and art movements, you'll discover a wizard. In most cases the wizard doesn't have any tangible art talent. What wizards do have is the ability to recognize and nurture the talents of others. Think Wizard of Oz. Think de Medicis. Think M.Durand-Ruel. (See Archives - Oct.,2010) Think Mabel Dodge Luhan. (1879-1962)

Born into a wealthy New York family, Luhan (nee Ganson) became prominent for her salons in New York and Europe. Wherever she was, she gathered together the artists, writers, politicians, eccentrics and radicals of all types. Her list of guests were the names that appeared on the pages of art and society during the early 1900s. However for such a Victorian woman, Luhan had a decidedly free-spirit streak. Luhan wanted to leave the strictures of the East. Her need for self expression led her to Santa Barbara and then to Taos, New Mexico.

None of her friends understood how such a well-bred sophisticated woman wanted to live in a remote dusty place such as Taos. Luhan loved the area and wrote about the sense of space and spirituality. In Taos, she met and married Tony Luhan, a Taos Pueblo man. Together, they expanded a small adobe house into a large compound.

Ms. Luhan invited her Eastern friends to come for a visit. Once again, she gathered together the avant-garde artists and thinkers of post-war America. It was under her influence that Georgia O' Keeffe decided to settle near Taos.

Many other artists accepted her invitation. Willa Cather, D. H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams, Thomas Wolfe, Carl Jung, Edna Ferber, Leopold Stowkowski and Greta Garbo represented only a small portion of the guests who stayed and felt the influence of Taos- thanks to Luhan.

Although Luhan died in 1962, her home - registered as a historic landmark - remains a retreat for creativity. If the experiences of a workshop, a need for artistic solitude or a desire to free the mind from clutter appeals to you, Luhan's wizardry is waiting.

The Artist and the New Year's Baby

2011-01-04T09:19:00.001-08:00

Have you heard of J. C. Leyendecker?(1874-1951) What if I added that he was the illustrator who inspired Norman Rockwell?

You see, Leyendecker was the illustrator of the magazine covers at the very popular Saturday Evening Post. In that role, he preceded Rockwell.

I was searching for iconic images for 2011's first blog. There were many images of chubby, precocious New Year's babies which I had seen before. What I didn't know was that they were all illustrations by one artist - J. C. Leyendecker. As I researched his name, I found that he was responsible for the style and look of the magazine's covers. I needed to know more about him and share what I learned with you.

Born in Germany, Leyendecker emigrated as a child to the United States. He was only a a teenager when he received his first paid commission for illustrations. Formal training at the Chicago Art Institute would follow. After an additional year of art study in Paris, he returned to Chicago and begin receiving commissions.

In the course of 44 years, he illustrated at least 322 magazine covers for the Saturday Evening Post! Leyendecker's creative output would include not only the chubby New Year's baby, but also the rotund image of Santa Claus. (Perhaps based on the poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Moore.)

One more bit of interesting info: Leyendecker's illustration style not only influenced Rockwell's work, but also today's artists. It seems that computer game illustrators have used his techniques for various game graphics. Inspiring artist indeed!

Here are a few more of his New Year's baby covers... and Happy 2011 to you!

The Christmas Gift.....

2010-12-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

It was Sunday and I was watching TV. One of the featured stories was an interview and as I listened,I knew this story would be the one I'd retell for this Christmas week's blog

The interviewee was a 91-year old woman named Helen who was recalling when, as a 14-year old during the Depression, she and her family barely had enough to eat. This story was far too common during the Great Depression which started in the U.S.A., spread throughout the world, and lasted about a 10 years.

In the Depression, there were no economic safety nets - no food stamps, no unemployment insurance and no Social Security. Hard working employees and farmers saw their income, if they could keep their job, reduced to a pittance. Many people went hungry, lost their homes, and gave their children over to orphanages so that at least their children could have food and shelter.

Helen's own family regularly ran out of food, cut cardboard for the holes in their shoes and did without warm clothing in their town of Canton, Ohio. One day close to Christmas, Helen read an ad in the neighbor's borrowed hometown newspaper.

Someone named "B. Virdot" was offering to help needy families
in time for Christmas. This benefactor asked only that letters be written explaining their plight. Helen was the youngest person to do so. Her letter was chosen!

When Helen received the largess of $5.00, she bought clothes for her siblings, Christmas dinner for her family and new shoes for herself. What a Christmas!

It would be 77 years later when Helen found out who her benefactor was and then only because the identity of "B. Virdot" was discovered by Ted Gup, the donor's grandson.

Gup was going through his deceased grandfather's old suitcase when he came upon letters written to "B. Virdot." There were also 150 cashed checks. Then, Gup found the yellowed newspaper ad and realized that it was his grandfather, Sam Stone, who used the amalgam of his own daughters' names to create "B. Viradot." (Barbara, Virgina and Dorothy)

Sam Stone, an orthodox Jewish immigrant who had come to this country, learned English and worked his way up from menial and harsh physical jobs to owning his own chain of shops, had given 150 Christian families a Christmas gift.

May your holiday blessings be shared with a sense of compassion and gratitude.

The Unrecognized Artists...

2010-12-13T20:43:00.000-08:00

Last week's blog was about the modern day influences of the Hudson River School - a pastoral art movement of the mid-19th century.

The movement included names such as Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church and Albert Bierstadt. What you don't hear about - even in Wikipedia - are the names of the women artists in the movement. The question is: why not?

The answer is reminiscent of the same circumstances that surrounded the women Impressionists artists. (Archives: Morisot - Jan. 2010).Women were excluded from the academies and did not have access to wealthy patrons. Some were actually forbidden to make art and came to art later in their lives. Some were the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of their highly recognized male artists and were not able to compete. (Portrait of Eliza Greatorex above.)

Now, recognition of these gifted artists is beginning to happen. There have been recent museum exhibits and an article in the Smithsonian magazine on these talented women.

These were women who hiked in long skirts and corsets through the mountains and cliffs to paint, etch, photograph and embroider images of the landscapes. Many of these women traveled throughout the east and went even south all the way to Florida for the opportunity to paint the countryside and waterways in the Hudson River School style.

Here are some of the women whose names are finally being recognized:

Laura Woodward (1834-1926)

Harriet Cany Peale (1800-1869)

Elizabeth Gilbert Jerome (1824-1910)

Susie Barstow (1857-1934)

Julia Hart Beers (1835-1913)

Eliza Greatorex (1819-1897)

Stephen Hannock: A Throwback to Another Time... or Not

2010-12-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes on the PBS' Antique Roadshow there will be a pastoral scene of water and a valley. The appraiser will say, "This is from the Hudson River School." However, it wasn't an actual school. It was a group of mid-19th century landscape painters of great talent who were inspired by the area around the Hudson River. (On the left is a work by Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), arguably the most famous artist of this style and subject.)

In time, this style of work was considered too realistic and romantic. Then along came Stephen Hannock. (1951-)

Stephen Hannock is often described as a throwback to that Hudson River School. You might agree based on the image below. Hannock paints pastoral scenes with the luminescence and large dimensions of those 19th century painters. Yet, his techniques are modern and, upon closer viewing, there is something else.

With regards to the technique, Hannock doesn't like the way light plays on the paint ridges and so he sands them down - with an electric sander - between paint layers in order to achieve the luminosity. The "something else" is text. Hannock embeds text of his thoughts and recollections in the vista. On the left is an entire painting and on the right is a close up with barely discernible text.

Do his techniques and text make him uniquely modern or is he really a throwback to the Hudson River School because his subject and ultimate works are so highly reminiscent of those painters?

If you go to his website by clicking here Hannock's site shows areas of a painting where he has placed text. If you click on those areas you can see more distinct examples of his writing.

An Open House Invitation... a Chance to Share

2010-11-30T20:05:00.000-08:00

For a few months now, I've been preparing for this coming weekend's Open House and Studio Sale. I stayed mindful of the economy and created inexpensive gift items exclusively for this event.

There are hand-painted one-of-a-kind ornaments. Some are classic. Most are interestingly different subjects for ornaments.

There are also wooden boxes with glass top frames. Under the glass is an original pastel. The boxes come in a variety of sizes, colors and subjects. Here are a few of the paintings:

My friends, the ones who love to shop garage sales, brought me turned wood recycles which I painted with original designs.

There will be note cards, unusual place markers, small framed art.

This is not just a Studio Sale. It is an Open House. A chance for us to visit, share time, sip hot mulled cider and sample home-made goodies. There's even a small gallery to see what new art I've been making.

There's really only one thing I ask (besides YOUR presence): Please bring canned goods for the collection bin. If we fill the bin, each person who contributed will be entered for a chance to win a very special art piece. See you SOON!

This blog travels to many places - too far to actually join us this weekend. I wish you could. However, your spirit and the spirit of giving will be.

Louise Nevelson: The Other Louise

2010-11-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

It seems that the 20th Century provided us with two outstanding sculptors named "Louise." Both were born in Europe and immigrated to the U.S., both made monumentally-sized sculptures and both had long lives devoted to art. One of the two, Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010), was the subject of this blog in August, 2009.

The other, Louise - that is Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) - was not only an outstanding 20th century sculptor, but was considered a pioneer in the use of found objects as part of her sculptures.

The daughter of a family in the timber business, it seems that Nevelson could not resist scavenging objects, especially woods ones, to create her art. She was known for her creations of sculptures of geometric shapes based on the assemblage of reused items. A lintel, a door frame, an old chair or a crate all held design possibilities for Nevelson.

Out of found materials came her signature sculptures which were often large and always painted black, white or gold. (One of her sculptures measured about 55 feet!) Below are images of some of Nevelson's sculptures which you can click to enlarge.

There is just one last thing: both Louises continued to work on commission until shortly before they died. They were two women of immense vigor and passion for art. As Nevelson stated, "It isn't how you live, but how you finish."

Chuck Close: The Invincible Magician

2010-11-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

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If you've ever had the pleasure of standing in front of one of Chuck Close's (1940-) enormous portraits, there is that feeling of magic. When you stand near, it is a jumble of small colored shapes. The mind's eye sees no specific image, but stand back and there it is. The viewer's eyes blend the colorful shapes and a face appears - a portrait of someone. It is like the magic of an illusionist.

The magic doesn't end with the portrait for there is something else. Chuck Close has "face blindness" ("Prosopagnosia" in medicalese) How is it possible that someone who cannot distinguish faces is a famous portraitist?

Close says that he can only recognize faces when they are static. It is a problem of recognition in 3-dimension. As Close describes, "... move your head one half inch and its a face I've never seen before." Naturally, Close does not paint portraits from life, but rather from photographs. That's not the last of the magic...

...after spinal artery collapse left Close paralyzed, he learned to paint again by strapping a brush to his wrist. In his wheelchair, he is elevated up to scaffolding where the canvas is raised as he paints to a finished size of 9 feet x 7 feet! One painting may take him 6 months as he interprets a photo into a series of small colored areas on a very large canvas.

How does he do it all? I'd say he's a magician with an invincible spirit.

The Winner: The Mola

2010-11-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

When the Christians first happened upon the Kuna tribe living in what is now Panama, the women were heavily decorated with geometric paintings. Of course, nudity was simply not acceptable and so the women began to wear chemises or blouses. Sounds rather boring except you could say that the women had something up their collective sleeves.

You see,the women began using introduced fabrics to create a reverse applique for decorative panels on their blouses ("molas" in Kuna language).

In reverse applique, all the layers (Kuna women use up to 7 layers of different colors) are sewn together. Then the design is formed by cutting away the pattern through each layer, turning under and hand stitching the raw edge.

Typically, a woman wears two mola panels as part of her blouse - one in front and the other in the back - based on the same theme.

Now, a short digression into history: The Kuna did live in Panama, but with the diseases and social pressure of the invaders, they moved to the San Blas islands off the Panamanian coast. As too often happens, the government tried to force the Kuna to integrate by requiring they wear western clothing and outlawing the molas. This led to Kuna resistance and an uprising.

Today, Kuna Yala (Kuna Land) is a semi-autonomous region of Panama and the molas made by the women are one of the most important cash exports for the Kunas.

Below are examples of traditional and contemporary mola themes.

Do-Ho Suh, Part Two

2010-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my story about a trip to the Seattle Art Museum and seeing the beautiful sculpture of an Asian-style emperor's robe made of dog tags? (see: Archive - May, 2010) The sculptor of this memorable piece, Do-Ho Suh (1962-) is Korean and divides his time between New York and Seoul.

It is Suh's life in the two cities plus his time as a soldier under Korea's requirement of a 2-year military commitment that informs his art. His sculptures consider the complex relationship between individuality and the individual's responsibility to the collective culture. Pointedly, he titled the two series featured here as "Some/One" and "Cause/Effect."

Here are some of the thought-provoking installations and magnifications:

An Exceptional Dinner Party...

2010-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

When I was in grammar school, a man I knew explained to me that a woman's mind is shaped differently and that is why she does well in the home but not with originality. He asked me if I could name any famous women artists, composers, writers or musicians. At that time, I couldn't think of a one, but I knew instinctively that he was wrong.

Judy Chicago (nee Cohen) (1939-) may have felt similarly while in art school when she was told women were more suited to homemaking than art. Apparently, Chicago did not think that sounded right either.

Chicago searched for women in history who made contributions to society and the arts from the goddess figures to Georgia O'Keeffe. Using that time frame, Chicago created a 48-foot long (each side) triangular dinner table titled, "Dinner Party" (1974-1979) listing 1,038 women. Of these notable women, 999 were listed on the porcelain tiles and 39 had place settings on the table. Symbolism abounded in every aspect of this work which took about 200 volunteers to complete.

Each woman represented at the table reflected what arts women were allowed: a hand stitched table runner based on the type of female handwork in her particular era and a hand-painted china plate. There was also a chalice - ancient symbol of the womb. The triangular shape of the installation evoked the symbol of the eternal feminine.

There was a lot of controversy and criticism for this work and finding a permanent home became an issue. The installation finally found a home at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art.

Today, I could answer that long-ago question of women's contribution to society and the arts. I would not only include Chicago's list, but all those brave, courageous, contemporary women who shoulders I stand on. Do you have any modern-day sheros?

2,500 plus One - Alejandro Santiago

2010-10-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Alejandro Santiago (1964-) is a highly-trained and well-known Mexican artist. He was born and raised in Teococuilco in the state of Oaxaca. You might be thinking, "Why does that matter?"

It's because Santiago returned to his hometown after spending several years in Europe only to find that half of the population - some 2,500 people - had left. He had come home to a shell of a town. Most of the working age population had emigrated. Those who remained were either old or children who had been left with grandparents. Some of these emigrants would die in the desert, but against their poverty it was a chance they were willing to take.

In a dream, Santiago saw a way to repopulate those 2,500 souls plus his own to the town. With a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation and 35 workers, he created 2501 clay sculptures. No two figures are alike. Santiago personally shaped each one in a crude way to represent the native people and the hardships of their lives.

The figures are on exhibit now, but eventually Santiago will place them in Teococuilco to celebrate the "migrants' return." Or as one curator described these sculptures, "...as if to summon the absent ones."

The Impressionist's Hero: M. Durand-Ruel

2010-10-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Last week the blog was about Theo Van Gogh, who did everything he could to promote and sell the art of Vincent as well as the other Impressionists. As I mentioned then, the art world purchased art and gave commissions to artists whose work reflected the stringency of the Academie de Beaux-Artes. By 1860, certain artists began to rebel against the rigidity of being told what and how they were to paint.

These artist started their own exhibitions in the Salon de Refuse. Their exhibits in Paris were considered outrageous and even scandalous. The art was ridiculed and, for the most part, no one was interested in buying the art. Against that background, these artists found support in many ways from Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922).

Paul's father had been art dealer and in 1865, Paul took over the business. He believed deeply in the Impressionists. He supported the artist by buying the art outright*, gave stipends to the artists, and held solo exhibitions. Eventually, some artwork sold, but not in any serious way in France.

However, during 1886 and 1887, he launched exhibits in the United States and experienced great success. He so appreciated the open-mindedness of the Americans for impressionism that he was quoted as saying, "The American public does not laugh. It buys!"

From 1870 until his death, Paul became the best known art dealer for French Impressionism in the world. Most of the Impressionists struggled financially. Imagine how much worse it would have been without M. Durand-Ruel's support!
*Between 1891 and 1922, Paul Durand-Ruel purchased close to 12,000
pictures, including more than 1,000 Monets, approximately 1,500 Renoirs, more than 400 each by Degas and Sisleys, about 800 Pissarros, close to 200 Manets and appx. 400 Mary Cassatts. "...My craziness has become wisdom. To say that if I had died at sixty years old, I would have died crippled in debt, insolvent amongst undiscovered treasures…”

The Other Van Gogh...

2010-09-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Of all that is popularly known about Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) , few know that his original job as a 20 year old was at Goupil et Cie, art dealers located in the Hague. In time, Vincent became disenchanted with the notion of art being treated as a commodity. Lucky for Vincent, his younger brother, Theo (1857-1891)(photo left) didn't agree with that notion and also worked at Goupil et Cie.

Theo would give all the money that he could to help Vincent in his career. The facts of Theo's efforts to help Vincent are legendary. Usually, the story of Theo ends there. However, Theo did a great deal to support all the impressionist painters.

To some degree, art is a commodity (sorry, Vincent)and like the stock market, a dealer needs to make a market for an artist. Theo was one of the art dealers who created popularity and a market for artists such as Degas and Monet. Can you imagine what that must have taken? (Degas painting above left-Monet directly right.)

At that time, the Academie de Beaux-Artes set the standard of art as being realistic and highly polished. The jury for exhibitions would refuse entry to "radical" impressionistic painters. Against all this, it must have been hard for Theo to sell art as a commodity that might not be an appreciating asset. Yet, he did. I can't help but think of Theo not only as a steadfast, loyal and patient brother but also a man with a futuristic eye.

What I've Been Doing...

2010-09-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

Every so often I enjoy sharing with you what I've been doing in art. As you may recall, I had painted six oils on canvas of Greek portals. Well, one more is complete and here it is.

The dusty window appeared to be part of a closed ceramic studio. I thought of the potential that soon this shop would become a lively place for tourists to buy authentic Greek art.

Two more Greek paintings are in progress, but I've had to put the oil paints away for now and begin the items for my Holiday Open House and Studio Sale.

Knowing that folks are trying to find gifts that are unique but not pricey, I found some inexpensive boxes with framed glass lids. I purchased a variety of sizes with windows as small as 2" x 4.5" to the largest at 6.6" x 9".

The plan is to create an original pastel under the glass. Each original pastel will be unique and have a different subject. So far, I've completed a ladybug, tetras, a puffin, begonias, hummingbirds, and a bleeding heart flower. Whew! Here's a few of the completed pastels:

My goal is to finish these small pastels by the end of September The October project is to paint original Xmas ornaments. Stay tuned, boys and girls!

What is Weightier: Images or Words?

2010-09-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

The combination of art and text have been around for a long time. Think illuminated manuscripts and Arab calligraphy. However, in the 1960s, something shifted in the world of art.

Conceptual artists became less interested in building beautiful scrolling and objects of nature around letters and text. Instead, these artists decided to make the letters or text the subject of their art. One of the most well-known artist today making words into an art form is Jenny Holzer (1950-).

Holzer focuses on phrases that provoke thought. She started with street posters and has widened her "canvas" to include all sorts of materials including footstools, stone benches, photographs, t-shirts, LED signs on buildings and even the internet. (If you search the 'net, you will find websites that list her "truisms" such as, "Abuse of Power Comes as No Surprise" or "An Elite is Inevitable.")

(You can click on images to read.)

In time, Holzer began to use the text of poets, authors, and even declassified U.S. Army documents. These efforts seem to be the artist's attempt to elicit debate or perhaps even enlighten viewers. In either case, do you think that words can carry as much weight as images?

An Artistic Style Originated by a Woman....

2010-09-07T11:44:00.001-07:00

In a previous blog, I mentioned an Italian woman, Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), who was a famous pastel painter. Her fame is even greater than pastel for she is considered the first woman in history to initiate a new style of art. At the time, it was called goût moderne. Today, we refer to the style as "rococo."

Carriera was born in Venice to a government clerk and a lace maker. Her early works were lace patterns, but sometime later she began painting miniature portraits for snuffboxes. The beauty of her miniatures and the loose, spontaneous brushstroke of this new style led to fame and acceptance at the very highest levels. In addition to creating a style of painting, there were many more "firsts" from this talented and innovative artist.

She painted finished portraits with pastels on paper - at a time when pastels were considered ideal for sketching only. She promoted the use of tempera on ivory instead of using vellum. She was such a good artist that she was accepted into the French Royal Academy even though it had previously banned women. She made a very fine living from the commissions she received from monarchy, wealthy patrons and collectors throughout Europe - allowing her to be the sole support of her self, her mother and her unmarried sister. Needless to say, she inspired many other women artists.

Here is a quote from a website regarding one of her paintings:

"... artist Rosalba Carriera is credited with winning respect from the art establishment and favor in the courts for pastel portraiture. Her delicate handling of the pastel medium beautifully captured the Rococo rage for pretty powdered faces and flowing fabrics. In A Young Lady with a Parrot, Carriera used a “dry-brush” technique, dragging her pastel lightly over a contrasting color, to suggest the gauzy material draped across the young lady and clear, wet-chalk accents to realize the lady’s floral hairpiece and jewelry."

Did you know of Carriera? Studied her works? Any pastelists care to comment?

The Turners

2010-08-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

At a recent exhibition of late 19th and early 20th century art, Karen Brosius, executive director of the Columbia Museum commented, "The Turners grab you by the throat with their turbulence and atmospheric effects..." What did she mean by "the Turners?"

Ms. Brosius was referring to the works of J.M.W.Turner (1775-1851) - one of the finest painters of light. He is also referred to as "the First Impressionists." For it was Turner, who 40 years before Monet, found the way to make forms dissolve in light.

"A group of French painters, united in the same aesthetic aims...applying themselves with passion to the rendering of form in movement as well as the fugitive phenomena of light, cannot forget that they have been preceded in this path by a great master of the English, the illustrious Turner." (from a letter signed by Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Renoir, and others)

Today, dear reader, instead of a biography, we'll let some of the Turners illustrate why he is and was so highly regarded. (You'll notice how his work became less about details, but the details left became more important. ) click on images to enlarge

I hope you enjoy his art as much as I did when first introduced to "the Turners."

A 20th Century Master of Forms and Shapes

2010-08-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

In college our drawing instructor projected a blurred image on a screen. The image was unidentifiable so that the students could not assume shape or form as they drew it. Slowly, the instructor sharpened the image as we students feverishly worked to modify our drawings based on changing information. Finally, the image came into view. It was Edward Weston's iconic photograph of a sea shell. After that, I searched to know more about him.

Edward Weston (1886-1958) was born at a time when photography was becoming available to a wider audience - thanks to the inventions of George Eastman (Eastman Kodak). For it was on Weston's 16th birthday that he would receive his first camera - a Kodak box camera. He was hooked.

At age 20, Weston's photograph titled, Spring, Chicago would be published in a full-page spread in the magazine Camera and Darkroom. He would become a recognized and respected portrait photographer in Glendale, CA. However, he wanted to grow artistically so he raised the money to go to New York. He wanted to study with the foremost photographer of the age - Alfred Stieglitz.

Weston was encouraged by Stieglitz and his wife, Georgia O' Keeffe as well as other artists and photographers to continue his exploration of abstract modernism. This would lead to Weston to his most famous period wherein he photographed vegetables in a sculptural form.

Below are some of his vegetables works. While admiring the beauty of forms, can you identify the objects?