Dean Lamont Mitchell: Paintings in Black History Month

 

 Since February is Black History Month, I like to select an artist or a movement of the culture. This time, the artist is contemporary and some of his subjects are landscapes and architecture. 

However, he also creates wonderful portraits in genre of his culture. His name is Dean Lamont Mitchell, (1957-) and his media is watercolor, oil, egg tempera and pastel.

 

Mitchell was born in PA, but grew up in FL. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be an artist. Although money was tight, by age 12, he managed to buy himself a set of oils. His talent was unquestionable and he won awards in his first competition!

When Mitchell was accepted at the Columbus School of Art & Design in Ohio, he earned money by teaching art at a Boy's Club. Clearly, his professional path was set for a life as a visual artist.

 

Confident of his ability, he began to enter his paintings at national and international art competitions. In a short period passing, he was gaining top recognition, receiving first prize at London, England. He'd go on to receive over 200 awards including some of the most prestigious exhibits.

 

 

Today, Mitchell is represented by galleries in FL, WY, KY, SC and CA. No wonder since his art is not only exceptional, but very relatable. (Because he is so talented in different subjects, throughout and below is a small sampling of his subjects.)

Fidelia Bridges: Once Famous Pre-Raphaelite Painter

 

 

 

In this hectic holiday time, it's good to feel a peaceful calm by looking at the small beauties of nature - especially when the eye can fall on what is (unfortunately) referred to as "negative space." It gives the eyes and the mind a sense of well being. Such an artist, who recreated that environment in her paintings was Fidelia Bridges (1834-1923).

 

 

Once again, we rediscover a woman artist who was renown in her time and who made a living at her art, but whose name has almost disappeared in our time. 

 

 If it wasn't for her art, her life would be a mirror of life for women as written by Jane Austen. She and her 3 siblings were orphaned by the loss of both parents. Her oldest sibling, Eliza, supported the other three by working as a school teacher - one of the few professions considered respectable for women.

 

 

 

Fidelia was sickly and spent time in her room drawing. When she was well enough to find work, she was a nanny to a wealthy family. Meanwhile, she pursued her growing interest in oil paintings. 

 

Through her employer, she met a renown painter of pre-Raphaelite nature art. His style not only influenced Bridges, but he sold some of her paintings to his patrons.It was the recognition from this patron of her art that led to support from her employer into creating a studio in the top floor of their house.They even provided the funds to send her to Italy for further training. 

 

 

By age 34, her reputation as a specialist nature painter led to membership in the American Watercolor Society - the first woman to be invited to join. Her circle of patrons included Mark Twain.

In later years, she lived in a hillside cottage overlooking meadows and a stream. There, she continued to paint, but rarely exhibit, enjoying her quiet rural setting and using the scenery for inspiration. (She was named in the book titled: "Notable American Women: 1607-1950") 

 

Soon Y. Warren: Watercolorist Extraordinaire

 As I've commented before, it seems that water color artists are some of the most skilled painters. I've tried water color, but I like to change my mind as I paint. Water color requires a lot of advanced planning. 

The water colorists, whose works I've recently found to be awe-producing, is Soon Y. Warren. She was born in South Korea and migrated to the United States in 1987. By 1998, she had reached a level of perfection as to teach her medium to others.

Warren is in many collections, often receives top honors at exhibits, writes books on painting and teaches via videos.

For this blog, instead of a lot of bio, I'd prefer to let the art speak for itself. Enjoy!

In case I've given your the impression that her only subjects are still lives and flowers, here's a couple of others to show the scope of her subjects and talent.

Why Not Just Take a Photo?

Before photography, hyperrealism was important because people wanted records of events, possessions, and ceremonies.There was only one way to accomplish that goal - hire an artist. (17th Century Flemish paintings)

Since photography came into its own in the late 1800s, artists were free to paint in more abstract manners. The movement that comes to mind as exemplifying this freedom was Impressionism.

Yet, today, there are certain artists who paint works that are referred to as "photorealism." They are so technically masterful that often the question arises, "Is that a photo or a painting?"

There have been several recent articles written about visual artists who paint photorealistically (hyperrealism). The thrust of these articles is to ask the question, "What's the point? "

Those who disagree that photography has replaced hyperrealistic painting insist that a photograph cannot capture what the hand of a painter can do - greater depth of field, understanding of nature, combinations of real and imagined.

Below are the works of three well-known photorealistic painters. The question is: Where do you think? Would it be just as well to take a photo? (click on image to enlarge)
Roberto Bernardi: (Oils)

Steve Mills: (Oils)

Eric Christensen: (Watercolor)

(He also has a video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?disv=RNKk9G-Yzjk)

Sargent: The Painter Who Did It ALL

When I first visited the museum's exhibit of John Singer Sargent's (1856-1925) works, I anticipated the works would be excellent Edwardian-era portraits of the pretty (and rich) people. What really happened bowled me over so completely I had to come back for a second tour of the exhibit. I couldn't get enough of Sargent's body of work.

Sargent had mastery of all the paint media of his time - oil, watercolor, pencil and charcoal. He was also the master of any subject - people, architecture, animals, seascapes and landscapes. His best known art showed only a little of what he accomplished in his life: 900 oil paintings and over 2000 water colors, a countless number of charcoals and many murals.

Art was such a compulsion for him that while he was visiting and camping in America he painted finished water color paintings of the camp and surroundings!

Here are a few of his watercolor paintings:(click images to enlarge)





Sargent's reputation as a formal portraitist doesn't consider works such as these:






Sargent grew tired of the time it took to complete a formal oil portrait and chose to work in charcoal.





So, what do you think? Did you already know about Sargent's vast talent?