Quote of the Day

"It is a widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing." - Mark Rothko

Sir Anthony van Dyck, Two Studies of a Bearded Man.

Art Daily reports that Sotheby's New York just sold the painting featured here for a grand $7,250,500. Van Dyck (1599-1641) was the most prominent Flemish painter of the 17th century, after Peter Paul Rubens. Indeed, there are some who believe that younger Flemish painters owe far more to Van Dyck than to Rubens. An excerpt from Sotheby's catalogue notes that, "In Two Studies of a Bearded Man Van Dyck paints the same man in bust-length from two slightly different positions: one in three-quarter view looking down and the other full face, glaring out at the viewer. The sitter is an unidentified model whose domed forehead, deep-set eyes and full beard and hair make him an ideal type for a variety of figures in Van Dyck's early religious and mythological paintings, as well as for Rubens's studio compositions.... One of the most remarkable aspects of the present work is the way Van Dyck created two distinct personalities from a single model."

Quote of the Day

"Art is made to disturb. Science reassures. There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain." - Georges Braque

A Work of Futurism...PLUS!

Gino Severini, Abstract Rhythm of Madame M.S., c. 1915, oil on canvas, 83x65 cm, Mizne-Blumental Collection, Tel Aviv Museum of Art

The museum of Tel Aviv holds numerous works by important Italian artists, several of which are presently on exhibit there. Gino Severini is represented by one of his famous Futurist paintings from c. 1915, featured here. Severini (1883-1996) was an Italian painter, born in Cortona. In 1901 he moved to Rome, where he met painters Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla (who gave him lessons in Divisionism). Severini moved to Paris in 1906, and forged friendships with such figures as Picasso, Apollinaire, and Max Jacob. While living in Paris, however, he remained in close contact with his Italian associates, and joined the Futurist movement in 1910 . Although much of his Futurist work remains influenced by Divisionism, from c. 1912 forward his work also shows a strong awareness of Cubism, a movement he highly recommended to his fellow Futurists. Futurism developed primarily in Italy, in around 1910. Its objective was to express the energy and values of the machine age.

Quote of the Day

"At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since." - Salvador Dali

Quote of the Day

"Fantasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels." - Francisco Goya

Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch. Temptation of St. Anthony. Central panel. 1500. Oil on panel. Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon, Portugal.

Bosch was a brilliant and highly original Flemish painter of the late Middle Ages. His work is characterized by unusual, fantastic, iconography--and embodies a complex and wholly individual style. Bosch was regarded as a highly imaginative “creator of devils” and a powerful inventor of seeming nonsense full of satirical meaning--which in and of itself is quite a feat. Closer scrutiny also reveals a demonstrated insight into the depths of the human mind and spirit. Hieronymous Bosch is most definitely one of my greatest mentors--and a powerful source of inspiration for me, as a painter. When examining such creations as his--and of other medieval painters, like Ambrogio Lorenzetti, I cannot help but wonder what all the fuss is about with regard to the characters in James Cameron's film, Avatar. Frankly--they cannot hold a torch to these guys!

Ambrogio Lorenzetti

Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Allegory of Bad Government (detail) c. 1338-39 - Palazzo Pubblico, Siena

Ambrogio Lorenzetti is one of my all-time favorite painters! His genius was cut short by the Black Death--and one can only wonder at where his skill and imagination would have taken him. He ranks among the greatest of the Italian Sienese painters. Although his style was influenced by Duccio, by his older brother, Pietro, and by the great proto-Renaissance master, Giotto--a fierce individualism and unique inventive powers--as well as a stellar understanding of composition and form--are embedded in Ambrogio's works.

"I often think the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." - Vincent van Gogh

Quote of the Day

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." - Twyla Tharp

"One day seven years ago I found myself saying to myself -- I can't live where I want to -- I can't go where I want to go--I can't do what I want to -- I can't even say what I want to --....I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to." - Georgia O'Keeffe

Quote of the Day

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child." - Pablo Picasso

(Jill's Note: It would take me a lot longer than four years to be able to paint like Raphael--but then, I am not Picasso!)

The Movement of Picasso

Pablo Picasso

The Old Fisherman (Salmereon) 1895, Museu de Montserrat, Barcelona

Whenever I revisit the works of Pablo Picasso I discover new aspects and elements to his art and am in awe of his perpetual evolution. In surveys of Modern Art, I tell students that the broadest, most well-known movements within the period are Fauvism, Cubism, Expressionism, Dada, Surrealism, and Picasso. He cannot be categorized--and he influenced virtually all of his contemporaries, as well as the artists of later generations. His influence continues to be felt today One of my favorite class exercises is to show slides of 8 or 10 paintings--none of them with captions underneath--and ask students to try and name the artists who created these works. They come up with all kinds of answers. But...the answer is that all of the paintings I show were created by Picasso. Who would have thought--for example--that the painting shown here is a Picasso?

Quote of the Day

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." - Camille Pissarro

Welcoming a New Term!

Bradshaw Period - Nine Tassel Bradshaw Figures - detail - 390mm (15ins) to 730mm (29ins) - possibly engaged in a ceremonial dance. Notice the bangle bracelets!

One of the things I love about my work is the ongoing process of reconnecting with great works of art. Each term there are new classes to develop and teach--and the topic ideas emerge from examining art from different perspectives--and in a variety of contexts. Whenever I teach a group of students, or mentor an individual, I become excited all over again about art and art history--and the astounding vision and talent that goes into artistic creation. I also learn as much from my students as they learn from me--and benefit enormously from keeping up with the latest scholarship in art history--and the newest developments in art materials and techniques. In essence, teaching is an ongoing learning experience--and one that I find inspiring, rewarding and joyful. This term, I'm teaching the second half of a Western art survey, American genre painting, a special program on the sculpture (or designs for it) of Leonardo da Vinci, and the History of Photography. In fine arts, I'm teaching painting, dry pastels, pen & ink, and oil pastels. So I'm a busy person--as usual! Genre painting refers to works about people engaging in everyday activities. When considering how to approach the American genre painting class--I decided to explore just how far back in time genre painting extends. Lo' and behold--I discovered it dates all the way back to pre-history. In the Bradshaw paintings discovered quite by accident in the Northwest corner of Australia (the Kimberleys) in 1891 (by Joseph Bradshaw)--we see human beings (otherwise unheard of in prehistoric art) likely engaged in ceremonial dance. These works are quite sophisticated, and very different from the prehistoric cave paintings of such places as Lascaux and Altamira. These mysterious rock paintings could be anywhere from 17,000 to 50,000 years old. Our knowledge of how humans lived long ago has largely been determined by examining art. Scholars look at numerous works and piece the history together, step-by-step. Much of what we know about ancient Greece, for example, has been determined by the images on vase paintings. A fascinating process--wouldn't you agree?

Quote of the Day

"Every painting is a voyage into a sacred harbour." - Giotto di Bondone (c. 1267-1337)

The Early Middle Ages

The Fight between David and Goliath
1123 - Mural, 82 x 75 cm - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

After the fall of the Roman Empire--all knowledge of anatomical structure and examples of sophisticated paintings and sculpture appeared to have been lost. Medieval culture was essentially starting over--in terms of art. Murals such as this--without any sense of composition or anatomical structure--were being created, and they represented a far cry from the astounding works of precision and beauty that characterized antiquity. And yet...despite a complete lack of sophistication in a formal sense, these works possess a charm of their own. More importantly, they served their purpose--which was to tell the stories of the Bible to uneducated masses. Always remember that public works of art to pre-industrial cultures were the equivalent of TV and movies today!

Quote of the Day

"If I hadn't started painting, I would have raised chickens." - Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses, 1860 – 1961)

Christie's New York Recently Announced Americana Week 2010

Rare Double Portrait by Ammi Phillips (1788-1865). Art Daily reports that "[t]he lead highlight of the Americana Week sales is an exceedingly rare, full-length double portrait of Theron Simpson Ludington (1850-1922) and His Older Sister Virginia Ludington (1846-1865) by the prominent 19th-century American portrait artist Ammi Phillips (estimate: $300,000-500,000). Unknown among Phillips works until earlier this year, this dynamic, even humorous portrait of two young siblings has been passed down through generations of the Ludington family of Goshen, CT until the present day. Phillips was commissioned sometime around 1852 to paint the family’s members, which included formal portraits of the children’s parents...." Phillips was a naive (self-taught) New England painter--now regarded as one of the most important folk artists of his era. The distinctions between naive art, folk art, and outsider art are often blurred--and the terms are frequently used interchangeably. Naive artists generally refers to painters living in mainstream culture who pursue individualized subjects and themes, such as Henri Rousseau. Folk art typically embodies subjects dealing with a particular culture and/or tells us something about the community or traditions of the artist. Naive painter Grandma Moses is considered a folk artist. Outsider Art refers to works created by individuals living outside or on the fringes of mainstream society--such as homeless people, prisoners, mental patients and the like. One common feature is that all of these forms generally engage artists who have had no formal training--but who pursue their art with the same commitment as professional artists. Although their works were once widely referred to as "primitive" -- and sometimes are still so labeled -- there is a tendency among art historians to avoid that term these days. Some professional (formally trained) artists have chosen to align themselves with the Outsider Art movement--as a way of protesting and challenging what they see as the elitism of the contemporary art world.

Detroit Institute of Arts Looks at 1950s Detroit through the Eyes of Robert Frank

"Drugstore, Detroit", Robert Frank, 1955. Gelatin silver print, image: (59.1 x 40.0 cm), 23 1/4 x 15 3/4 inches. ©Robert Frank, from 'The Americans'. Detroit Institute of Arts

DETROIT, MI.- "Detroit Experiences: Robert Frank Photographs, 1955" showcases more than 50 rare and many never-before-seen black-and-white photographs taken in Detroit by legendary photographic artist Robert Frank. The exhibition will be on view at the Detroit Institute of the Arts (DIA) March 3–July 4, 2010. The exhibition is free with museum admission. In 1955 and 1956 Robert Frank traveled the U.S. taking photographs for his groundbreaking book 'The Americans', published in 1958. He set out to create a large visual record of America, and Detroit was one of his early stops. Inspired by autoworkers, the cars they made, along with local lunch counters, drive-in movies and public parks, Frank transformed everyday experiences of Detroiters into an extraordinary visual statement about American life. The above was excerpted from Art Daily. Jill's Note: In an age when everyone has a camera on hand--it's important to be reminded of the artistry and vision that contributes to a photographic work of art that is a masterpiece.

Quote of the Day

"I am essentially a painter of the kind of still life composition that communicates a sense of tranquillity and privacy, moods which I have always valued above all else." - M.C. Escher

M.C. Escher - "Drawing Hands" - 1948, lithograph.

M.C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist, noted for his distinctive prints depicting intricate interlocking patterns and optical illusions. He was especially accomplished in lithography and wood engraving. While Escher’s early work consists mainly of landscapes and townscapes, beginning in 1936 his work became increasingly more concerned with scenes of his own creation, especially with the repeating patterns and spatial illusions for which he is best known. The "Drawing Hands" are a beautiful presentation of the hands of an artist--our hands being one of our most important tools.

Quote of the Day

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for." - Georgia O'Keeffe

The Abstraction of Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe, "Red, Yellow and Black Streak", 1924. Oil on canvas, (100 × 80.6 cm), 39 3/8 × 31 3/4 inches. Musée National d’Art Moderne, Center Georges Pompidou, Paris.

American painter, best known for her large-format paintings of natural forms, especially flowers and bones, and for her depictions of New York City skyscrapers and architectural and landscape forms unique to northern New Mexico. She remains one of the most important artists in the history of art, in that her works convey the integrity of her Modernist vision, her independent spirit, and, above all, her profound sensitivity to the vitality of natural forces. O’Keeffe also played a key role in challenging the notion that gender was in any way a determinant of artistic competence or creativity. By so doing, she helped to establish a new and significant space for female artists in a realm that continues to be dominated by men.

Quote of the Day

"A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art." - Paul Cézanne

Pere Borell del Caso, "Escaping Criticism", 1874. Madrid, Banco de España

One of the goals of this blog is to share with you some of the great works of art that I find fascinating--in the hope that you'll find interest in them, too. This work is a masterful example of trompe-l’œil. The Art Daily notes that "Trompe-l’œil is distinguished not just by its realism – after all, still life, perspective painting and photography can all claim to be realistic – but by its wit. In the best trompe-l’œil the artist deliberately sets out to trick you, and then lets you know you have been tricked." Reprinted from Art Daily - 3 January 2010

Quote of the Day

"Art is a lie that makes us realize truth." - Pablo Picasso

Thanks for your visits!

Thank you all for visiting and signing in here! Heather, I'm glad the painting reminded you of Bosch (with whimsy) because that was my intention. Here's another image that seems apt for the incoming year--a time when we reflect back one more time before moving forward with new projects, ideas and goals. A sort of "Double Vision" if you will (done in oil pastels over acrylics and dyes on canvas). Hope you like it. Let me know what projects you all envision for the New Year! Note: Enlarging this Image will blur it! Sorry! I had some technical difficulty with my new camera!