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Archive for the ‘Little Known Facts’ Category

Radish & Susannah Raine-Haddad

Posted in Little Known Facts, Travel, Workshop/Retreat, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Radish Paper and Acrylic, 8" x 8"

Radish
Paper and Acrylic, 8″ x 8″

Susannah Raine-Haddad's magazine cover

Susannah Raine-Haddad’s magazine cover

The second painting I did at the Nimrod Art weekend was a small paint and paper piece of a radish.  Working with paper collage is so different from just painting.  I am glad to get the opportunity to experience it with such a wonderful instructor.

Susannah Raine-Haddad was extremely generous in her teaching.   You can learn more about her and her work on her website ZouZou’s Basement.

One of her wonderful collage pieces made the cover of Cloth-Paper-Scissors magazine earlier this year.

Thanks Susannah for sharing your skill and knowledge with us.  It was great fun!

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Rembrandt “Selfie”

Posted in Little Known Facts, Serendipity, tagged , , on June 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »

rembrandt-self-portraitA portrait long thought to be the work of one of Rembrandt’s students and credited as  “in the style of Rembrandt”  has been confirmed to be an actual Rembrandt self-portrait.  In this day of “selfies”, this is the ultimate selfie!!!  The portrait is dated 1635, when Rembrandt, who is considered to be one of the greatest painters in European art history, was 29 years old.  (Learn more about Rembrandt here. )

Valued at $50 million the painting was donated to Britain’s National Trust by a wealthy supporter.  (Read more about it here.)  I love these stories where art is “found”!

 

 

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Copyist at NGA

Posted in Little Known Facts, Travel, tagged , , , on June 10, 2014| 1 Comment »

Copyist at the National Gallery working on a "Monet"

Copyist at the National Gallery working on a “Monet”

While visiting the National Gallery of Art a few weeks ago to see the wonderful Wyeth and Degas-Cassatt exhibits I had time to walk through a few of the permanent exhibit galleries.  There were several copyist at work.  I have seen some there in the past and often wondered if I could ever have enough courage to do that.  Maybe one day.

You can see more about the copyist program at the NGA here.

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Happy Birthday Jasper Johns

Posted in Little Known Facts, Trivia, tagged , on May 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

"Flag", oil and collage on fabric mounted on plywood, 1954-55 by Jasper Johns

“Flag”, oil and collage on fabric mounted on plywood, 1954-55 by Jasper Johns

Born on May 15, 1930 in Augusta Georgia, Jasper  Johns is an American contemporary artists most well-known for his painting American Flag.  You can learn more about Johns and his art by clicking here.

 

 

Kids with Johns FlagsA few years ago in art camp we studied Johns in one of our art camp sessions and the kids produced a copy of his work.  They did a super job honoring his work.

“Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.” –Jasper Johns

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Picasso & Modigliani Sell for $Millions!

Posted in Little Known Facts, Trivia, tagged , , on May 9, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Picasso's Dora Maar

Picasso’s Dora Maar

Modigliani's Young Man

Modigliani’s Young Man

At the same Christie’s sale that saw the Monet that we talked about  yesterday go for millions there was a Picasso, “Portrait of Dora Maar”, that sold for $22.5 million.

A Modigliani sold at the same auction for $17.6 million.

At that particular auction on Tuesday, Christie’s sold 47 pieces for more than $285 million!

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Monet Sells for $27 Million

Posted in Little Known Facts, tagged , on May 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Monet's Water Lilies

Monet’s Nymphaes

On Tuesday this week an undisclosed Asian buyer purchased a Monet painting of his beloved water lilies that had not been displayed in public since 1926 for $27 million.    Beautiful!

Read more about the sale here.

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In Memory of Manet

Posted in Little Known Facts, Trivia, tagged , , on April 30, 2014| 1 Comment »

Luncheon on the Grass Edouard Manet

Luncheon on the Grass
Edouard Manet

On this day in 1883 Edouard Manet died.  He was only 51 years old.  He was instrumental in the conversion of painting from realism to impressionism.  Two of his early works caused much controversy in the art community of the time – The Luncheon on the Grass and Olympia.  These paintings are often discussed when studying impressionism and modern art.

 

Bouquet of Flowers Edouard Manet

Bouquet of Flowers
Edouard Manet

I am much more fond of some of his still life and floral paintings…and of course, his dogs.

The Dog Edouard Manet

The Dog
Edouard Manet

You can see Manet’s work in many major museums around the world.

Learn more about Manet here. 

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Celebrating 100 Years at Wrigley Field

Posted in Kickstarter-Painted Diamonds, Little Known Facts, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2014| 1 Comment »

Wrigley Field Home of the Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field
Home of the Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, turns 100 today.

When asked last year while I was painting the Kickstarter project – Painted Diamonds what is my favorite ball park to go see a ball game I said Wrigley Field.  If you haven’t been there you really have to go if you like baseball.  It’s a ball park – not a stadium.  It has an intimate feel about it.  According to where you sit you may have to lean around posts to see.  I love Wrigley.  It’s a great old park.

Happy Birthday Wrigley!

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Happy Birthday Richard Diebenkorn

Posted in Little Known Facts, Trivia, tagged , on April 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Diebenkorn's Ocean Park 67

Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park 67

Diebenkorn's Interior with Book

Diebenkorn’s Interior with Book

Born in 1922, Richard Diebenkorn became a well-known figure in the 20th Century Art World known for his Abstract Expressionistic paintings.   His landscape and figurative works are very interesting and influenced by Matisse whom he studies.  He is most well-known for his abstract series Ocean Park.

Diebenkorn died on March 30, 1993.

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More on Churchill’s Art

Posted in Little Known Facts, Trivia, tagged , on April 21, 2014| 1 Comment »

Painting kept in an attic for 30 years because the owner did not like it has turned out to be the work of Sir Winston Churchill. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1054563/Unloved-Winston-Churchill-painting-dumped-attic-30-years-sell-150-000-auction.html#ixzz2zTM9aPJM

Painting kept in an attic for 30 years because the owner did not like it has turned out to be the work of Sir Winston Churchill.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1054563/Unloved-Winston-Churchill-painting-dumped-attic-30-years-sell-150-000-auction.html#ixzz2zTM9aPJM

I love to read stories about people who came to painting late in life or people who are known for one thing and then become painters.  Winston Churchill was such a person.  I have read several books about his work as an artist and how he felt about painting.

In his essay, Painting as a Pastime,  published in The Strand Magazine in December 1921 and January 1922, he says, ” I do not presume to explain how to paint, but only how to get enjoyment. Do not turn the superior eye of critical passivity upon these efforts.  Buy a paint-box and have a try.  If you need something to occupy your leisure, to divert your mind from your daily round, to illuminate your holidays, do not be too ready to believe that you cannot find what you want here.”  

Woodland Scene Near Mimizan by Winston Churchill

Woodland Scene Near Mimizan by Winston Churchill

Churchill was an avid painter and encouraged others to try.  He often said it was a  hobby that kept the “Black Dog”, what he called depression, away.

churchpaint1

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