Global Art Blog

Vincent Van Gogh ~ A Legacy of Nervous Anxiety

2012-01-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

I'm probably only one of a handful of people who don't enjoy looking at Van Gogh's paintings. They make me nervous. I can feel the loneliness, confusion and fear. It's impossible for an artist to hide their mental state from the world. Take Mark Rothko for example. Shortly after his palette went completely black he committed suicide. Dark colors such as those chosen by Rothko and another favorite Edvard Munch shout to the world that severe depression has set in.

With Van Gogh the message was not so clear. His actions not his art told the story. He always chose bright palettes. His was a different sort of mental illness. The kind that cuts, bleeds and sent his close friend Paul Gauguin fleeing the studio they shared in fear. Van Gogh fought hard against the madness but at times it completely consumed him. When one studies his brush strokes they too begin to feel a somewhat maddening nervous anxiety.

With that said those of us who love modern art do owe Van Gogh a great deal of gratitude. His art took us beyond post impressionism right to the edge of modern art when he painted, 'Wheat field with Crows'. This painting makes me nervous too but in it I can see not just a legacy of a nervous anxiety but pure unbridled talent and artistic genius. Sadly, Van Gogh shot himself the same month he painted these wheat fields in Auvers. In this painting Van Gogh does reveal his true mental state at the time. And what we see in this painting is a mind contemplating suicide -- three indecisive paths, a dark sky with black crows overhead symbolizing death looming in the distance.

I wish Van Gogh could have foreseen the future. If he had known how many people would someday revere him as a great master no doubt he would have had a much happier life. No one knows what tomorrow might bring.

"In art, all who have done something other than their predecessors have merited the epithet of revolutionary; and it is they alone who are masters." Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?"

~ Paul Gauguin

David Nordahl's Farewell to Michael Jackson

2012-01-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

I recently came across David Nordahl's farewell note to Michael Jackson posted on art.com. The artist gave a very brief peek into his 20 year friendship with the musical genius stating that each time he was with Michael and his children he gained a new appreciation for Michael's talent, wit and intelligence. I must say that the rumors that surrounded Michael were upsetting. Was the self proclaimed King of Pop guilty of molesting children -- I don't think so. And reading words like these which were spoken by someone who actually knew Michael makes me doubt the allegations even more. I'm sure Michael was incredibly grateful to be surrounded by loyal friends like David Nordahl who despite being forced to deal with negative press due to their friendship remained beside him.

Over a 17 year period David accepted several requests from Michael along with many others to paint for him. Michael's imagination, regal self image and love for children called for story book images. Michael who never wanted to lose his child-like enthusiasm for life always envisioned himself surrounded by children. In one painting entitled, 'Field of Dreams' the artist painted Michael leading a group of children down the fabled yellow brick road. In another Micheal is a statues figure surrounded by little angels placing flowers in his hair. Once the scandal broke the artist was forced to defend his creations. David Nordahl did so by simply stating the truth -- the images he brought to life on canvas were nothing more than the product of Michael's imagination and there was nothing sinister about them. Looking at the paintings and considering the wealthy client who paid upwards to $150,000 per painting one can clearly see that the artist did a brilliant job on each commissioned piece of artwork. In fact, he gave the client much more than his money's worth. An accomplishment that when dealing with eccentric clients is almost impossible to achieve.

Many today aren't aware of the fact that David Nordahl was already a well established artist prior to his Michael Jackson paintings. In fact, Michael came across his artwork while visiting a famous friend's, Steven Spielberg, office. It was Apache Indians and their conflicts with the United States Military that made David famous not Michael Jackson. And although he will be remembered like so many others for his friendship with the King of Pop those of us who love American history and our children will remain forever grateful to him for bringing the 19th century western frontier to life.

A Personal Tribute to Sir Paul Getty KBE by Andrew Stewart Jamieson

2011-04-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

This month marks the 8th anniversary of the death of Sir Paul Getty KBE, the reclusive billionaire philanthropist and patron of many good causes.

I had the privilege of meeting Sir Paul in 2000, three years before his death and I spent some time with him discussing art and medieval books, when I visited him at his London home. I was made very welcome and he treated me like he had known me his whole life, we sat in his penthouse in St. James watching cricket on a large television surrounded by the many works of art Sir Paul had collected and when I expressed my admiration especially for a Burne –Jones’ painting we discussed the pre raphaelites as well as my own heraldic work.

Sir Paul was a great bibliophile and knowing my love for medieval books invited me on what was to be the first of several visits to his country estate in Buckinghamshire where he and his charming wife Lady Victoria received me warmly and I was shown the Holy Grail, his library.

Beautifully housed in a building specifically designed, it contained many fine volumes, Sir Paul was particularly interested in fine bindings and I was shown some beautiful examples by his Librarian, Bryan Maggs who was himself part of the esteemed Maggs family who own Maggs Bros., the famous book shop in Berkeley Square. There amongst the models of American battleships in fine display cases I revelled in some very beautiful medieval and glorious Victorian books including a 12th century Psalter and a Kelmscott Chaucer, produced by William Morris.This was of great interest to me because Morris was a founder and early brother of the Art Workers Guild, an august body to which I was elected in 2002.

Sir Paul commissioned an illuminated manuscript book from me based on the poem The Lady of Shalott, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson sadly however by this time Sir Paul was seriously ill but thankfully on my last visit to his estate he was able to see his finished pages. His final words to me were, ‘This is a beautiful work, I only wish I had met you 20 years ago, we could have produced great wonders together’.

Sir Paul Getty, died in April, 2003 he was a true, humble and generous man, who like the illuminated books he so cherished, brought light to the lives of many ordinary people and many causes great and small in the purist tradition of chivalry. He will live long in the memory of those who had the privilege to meet him and I for one count myself honoured to have known this ‘perfect knight’, the world is a darker place without him.

An excerpt from Heraldic Artist Andrew Stewart Jamieson's, "Strange Landscape -- A journey into the fascinating realm of heraldic art."

2011-04-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

In August 1975 whilst working with my grandfather for the Summer vacation at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden I happened upon a building one evening on my walk home to Shoreditch via the Embankment in London.

The building was just down from St. Paul’s Cathedral and was an imposing edifice in the Queen Anne style surrounding a courtyard on three sides and with an ornate set of iron railings to the front. It was not the building that caught my eye, beautiful as it was, but the coats of arms on the building and the heraldic banner that fluttered gently in the breeze.

I stood by the railings looking at the gold glinting in the sun and felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned to see a very tall, distinguished and impeccably dressed man who introduced himself as Sedley Andrus, Lancaster Herald of Arms. He asked if I should like to go inside and see the coats of arms. I was shown books on heraldry and introduced to an artist working in his Dickensian attic, He was painting a red eagle on a piece of vellum and the colours jumped out at me. I still feel that sense of excitement when I see colour on vellum.The artist was the late Norman Mainwaring who was at the time considered to be the chief herald painter at the College.

I had always been interested in knights and heraldry ever since seeing the movie The Black Shield of Falworth starring Tony Curtis! The scene in the Library where he finds the ‘great book of heraldry’, caught my imagination. I spent many hours as a child sat in the reference section of the local library, absorbing as many pictures of shields as I could find. However that chance meeting outside Her Majesty’s College of Arms on that warm August day set into motion a series of events that would see me go to art school and become a fully trained and professional heraldic artist.

So what is it about this subject that had such an impact on a small lad growing up on a working class council estate in East London ?
The colours, certainly, bright and pure and the symbols some of which are as old as mankind itself and of course it is possibly the first sustained form of Fantasy Art. Maybe it was an escape from my urban surroundings but whatever the reason I was hooked!

Heraldry has been defined as the systematic and hereditary adoption of symbols or devices arranged on the surface of a shield. It was born in the tempestuous maelstrom that was 12th Century Europe. A continent that was emerging from the so called ‘Dark Ages’ and a time of relative stability and growing self-confidence.

It was an age of awakening; new cathedrals soared into the medieval sky, their new gothic style testament to belief in God and Holy Mother Church. Mystics like Bernard of Clairvaux and Abbess Hildegarde of Bingen preached radical doctrines, The Knights Templar were at their zenith and the troubadours, the ‘Courts of Love’ and the code of Chivalry were all flourishing, thanks to writers like Cretian de Troyes and Wolfram von Eschenbach. In France Abbot Sugar of St. Denis believed that high art was the way for man to aspire to heavenly perfection and the Cathedrals of Europe with their coloured glass, brightly colourful interiors and painted murals typified this belief.

Little wonder then that heraldry was adopted so willingly in a mostly illiterate society that loved colour and display. It spread throughout Europe like a new religion, its priests were the wandering Herald/Minstrels and its plain chant was blazon. Kings, nobles, clergy and merchants all became willing disciples and the adoption of hereditary devices became an affirmation of personal confidence and status.

This ‘scyaunce’ of heraldry had it’s own language and code called Blazon, a unique language which governed strictly how the symbols should be placed and displayed on the shield. However it was and still is the art that is the point of contact for most people. Without the pictorial display the ancient, obscure and academic language of heraldry would be lost on most people and that is why the art of heraldry is more important than some heraldic academics would care to admit.

The heraldic artist takes this written description and ‘translates’ it into a recognisable image. The art of course came before the language, which as we have seen was needed to bring some kind of governance and stop people from adopting the same devices in the same form on their shields or personal seals.

The art and the subject are still thriving in the 21st century, and whilst in past times a coat of arms may have been seen as a sign in some nations of superiority of class today it is quite different. In a technological age of impersonality a coat of arms marks out an individual and it is in a modern sense a unique personal ‘logo’ or brand. I cant abide snobbery in any form, and whilst I have come across many who still rather pathetically think a coat of arms gives them some kind of ‘nobility’ thankfully for the most part most of my clients just have the same almost childlike passion for the colour and symbolism, of what is after all a deeply romantic subject.

In the next instalment we will begin our journey into the strange landscape that is the fantastic realm of the heraldic imagination and art.

Sir Stanley Spencer RA by Andrew Stewart Jamieson

2011-03-16T16:01:00.000-07:00

One of the most original British artists who’s unique vision and deeply held religious beliefs helped immortalise his native village of Cookham in Berkshire the source of inspiration for much of his finest work.

Spencer was born in 1891 in the village of Cookham and after a rudimentary education he attended Maidenhead Technical Institute where he learnt to draw in the academic fashion from plaster casts. From here in 1908 he went on to the Slade School in London. Here Professor Henry Tonks who was an ex surgeon with an eye for meticulous detail taught him drawing. In 1912 Spencer left the school as a distinguished student having won two art prizes.

At the outbreak of war in 1914 he volunteered for military service in the Army. An experience he was later to draw on to produce some of his finest paintings.

During World War II he was appointed an official war artist and produced a series of striking paintings showing workers in the Glasgow shipyards. He married Hilda Carline a fellow student at the Slade but the marriage was doomed when he developed a sexual infatuation with Patricia Preese, whom he disastrously married when Hilda divorced him in 1937. Spencer spent the rest of his life living alone hoping that Hilda would return to him. She never did and when she died he painted a series of touching paintings in her memory.

He was elected twice to the Royal Academy in London, having resigned once when two of his paintings were refused and in 1959 the year of his death he was knighted.

The last fifteen years of his life were spent back in Cookham where he painted some of his finest work and he became a familiar and somewhat eccentric sight around the village wheeling a child’s pram holding all his art equipment. The landscapes he painted in an around Cookham, to generate income are still very fresh and expertly observed.

Of the visionary works Spencer produced some merit particular attention.
The Murals he painted for the Burghclere Chapel between 1927 and 1932 in which we see snapshots of his life in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Beautifully painted with the artist’s sense of religious beliefs shining through in the works.

The Resurrection Cookham, a unique and truly original take on the traditional imagery usually associated with the theme. Spencer shows the resurrected villagers awakening in their village churchyard but there is no hellfire and damnation here, just a joyous sense of awakening in the place they want to be.

Christ Preaching at the Cookham Regatta, a huge painting unfinished at the artists death, where Christ is depicted in a barge preaching to assembled masses attending the boating regatta held annually on the river Thames. In it we see echoes of Giotto and an attention to detail almost Pre Raphaelite in its observation.

When asked about these religious paintings Spencer stated that, ‘My feeling for things holy was very strong at the time’, and he also believed that, ‘where I live has a rich religious significance’.

Sir Stanley Spencer died in 1959.

‘My longings become pictures’
Sir Stanley Spencer

SAMUEL PALMER English Visionary Painter (1805 - 1881) by Heraldic Artist Andrew Stewart Jamieson

2011-03-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

Palmer is relatively unknown artist who after a lifelong struggle died unrecognised and yet he has influenced some of the greatest English painters.

To understand Palmers ‘visionary’ works you need to have experienced the southern English pastoral landscape, to have sat on a hill at twilight, or walked the wooded lanes and seen the moon rising low above hill sides. To have heard the bleating of sheep, or experienced the fragrance of wild honeysuckle growing in the hedgerows. Because this landscape at certain times of the day becomes enchanted and has an atmosphere and aura like no other. To Palmer it literally was a ‘New Jerusalem’ touched by the divine hand of God a landscape of religious intensity and this was the key to Palmer’s genius of vision that he combined the reality of the landscape with an intense poet like spirituality.

Samuel Palmer was born in 1805 into an eccentric and relatively poor family that had turned its back on the modernity of early 19th Century England. He had a very religious upbringing and was taught and sheltered at home but his childhood was a happy one and he was close to his parents.

Samuel showed a propensity for art from an early age and his work was fairly ordinary until in 1824 when he met William Blake. Blake’s work and vision had a profound effect on the young artist and his circle of friends who paid regular visits to Blake, who by now had become almost a Deity in their eyes.

When Palmer’s fathers bookselling business failed he and Palmer moved to a picturesque village in Shoreham, Kent in the beautiful Darrent valley. Here Palmer found what he called his ‘Valley of Vision’. His friends who had christened themselves, ‘The Ancients’ and declared their motto to be ‘Poetry and Sentiment’ and Blake visited him there in the house that Palmer named, ‘Rat Abbey’. They talked of art and poetry usually reciting favourite verses loudly whilst walking in the moonlight. The frightened local rustics called them ‘extollegers’ (astrologers), because of their strange antics.

The period that Palmer was in Shoreham was to see his visions and dreams depicted in beautiful watercolours. His view of the English countryside was infused with a golden light and heavenly aspect. It was in his eyes the New Jerusalem and the cornfields, pollarded water meadows and hop gardens and the steeply wooded valley are depicted in an almost biblical way, yet losing none of their essential Englishness.

His studies of moonlight subjects are quite beautiful and very poetic. His favourite authors were Virgil and Milton and he returned time and again to their works seeking inspiration and we an see their influence in several of the Shoreham works.

Such intensity of vision cannot last and he eventually returned to London and then followed the worst twenty years of his life. He married and had three children but tragically lost two to illness. His wife was the daughter of the artist John Linnell who never ceased trying to bully Palmer into changing his style to a more popular one but Palmer refused and remained quite poor. Even when he visited Italy for two years he still refused to bow to pressure to paint in a grander style for the British tourists. In the end his father in law bought him a house in Redhill, Surrey called Furze Hill House and provided him with an income. Palmer did not like it as it was too suburban but he was now free of money worries and he retired to a small studio in the house surrounded by his antiquities. To this reclusive world, his friends visited and they reminisced about Shoreham. Memories that Palmer was to rely on more and more in his later years.

In 1867 he began etching and the resultant works that he produced in this period until his death rank equal to anything he had produced whilst at Shoreham. The etchings were for Milton’s L’Allegro and Il Penseroso. In these beautifully crafted etchings we see all of the artists poetic ambition brought to life in exquisite detail. They capture not only an English landscape but also a fantasy world and in them we see reflected his trips to Wales and Italy.

Samuel Palmer died in 1828. He is buried in a small churchyard in Reigate in Surrey.

‘The visions of the soul, being perfect, are the only true standard by which nature must be tried.’
Samuel Palmer

Berlin East Side Gallery

2010-01-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Artists from all over the world traveled to Germany in the late eighties and early nineties to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. They came from as far away as America, Scotland and Canada. A 1.3 km long section of the wall had been rescued from the cheering chisel bearing crowds. It was to stand as an international memorial to freedom. Covered in colorful murals carrying messages of peace and hope to future generations. Artists from East and West Germany also joined the project and found themselves painting side by side on the inhumane barrier that had separated them for three decades.

Over 800,000 East German residents passed over the wall on November 9, 1989. Many sobbed as they re-entered West Berlin for the first time in 30 years. Family, friends and an entire country were reunited on that day. Which was followed by a two day long street party filled at first with shock and disbelief but finally, errupting into joy and laughter. The Cold War had ended peacefully. A country divided no more. East Germany was free.

The memorial known as Berlin's, 'East Side Gallery' is the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall. It is the world's largest open air gallery with over 100 paintings permanently on display. Of course, an outdoor gallery of this size is extremely difficult to maintain. Erosion and vandalism have caused many to question Berlin's commitment to maintain the gallery for future generations. But, the original artists remain as committed today as they were over 2 decades ago. In 2008 and 2009 many returned to restore their murals for 20Th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Edvard Munch ~ A Lifetime of Nervous Anxiety

2010-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

In my younger years I used to get on my friend's nerves talking about Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Okay, I still do at times but I try to contain myself. I simply love his work. I wish I had been born in another place and time so I could have known him. I know the man was severely depressed, Zoloft would have done him wonders, but still he was an artistic genius. Lucky for me, and some 16,000 Facebook fans he willed a large portion of his estate to the city of Oslo. To house this vast collection they built the Munch Museum. His sister, Inger Munch, donated additional items so today the public has access to over half of his life's work. Still in existence; 1,100 paintings, 18,000 prints and 2,240 books. Needless to say, he never had much of a personal life. In fact, he spent the last two decades of his life in almost complete solitude painting. If you aren't an artist you understandably find this fact very sad but to those of us who are there's a part of us that always wants to be painting....a part that envy's the ability Munch had which enabled him to simply be, live and paint.

Unfortunately, not all of Edvard Munch's devotees are honest. In 2004 two masked gunmen entered the Munch Museum and made off in an Audi station wagon with the Madonna and the Scream. I can't tell you how happy I was when I read in a Boston newspaper in 2006 that the paintings had been recovered. I called a friend in Washington but being neither an artist nor art lover he failed to comprehend my excitement. But, I'm sure many of you here read the news and smiled too. Once more these two great masterpieces are safe at home in the Munch Museum. Only this time they are guarded much more closely.

It's hard to believe that someone would try to steal a Master's legacy. These paintings are such a vidal part of art world. They serve as evidence of an important fact. What makes art valuable is not what we see but how what we see makes us feel. Standing in front of these paintings I can still feel the powerful overwhelming nervous anxiety that haunted Munch daily. In the Scream he actually managed to capture that which we have all felt in our darkest hours. The urge to just release all of our pain and frustration into one primeval sound.

"When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves as we strive for greater heights."

Edvard Munch

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What's new with Jasper Johns

2010-01-06T09:39:00.000-08:00

So what's new with the American Abstract Expressionist Artist and Sculptor, Jasper Johns. His art is always busy and on display. Even his first sculpture 'Light Bulb I' from 1958 has been unable to retire from the spotlight. It was recently donated to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Earlier in the year the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired a series of his works from 2001 and celebrated the acquisition with an exhibition entitled, Focus: Jasper Johns. Giving viewers an opportunity to study in depth his eclectic creations. In 2006 his painting, 'False Start' became the most expensive painting ever sold by a living artist. The price tag was a whopping $80 million dollars.

Curators, art professors, historians and buyers all have a lot to say about Jasper Johns. Robert Storr, Dean of Yale University's School of Art, went so far as to call Johns ~

“One of the most important painters of his generation.”

This is quite a compliment when you consider the fact that 'his generation' included the late great, Mark Rothko. Johns also holds the title of one of the greatest print makers of any era. Keep in mind this group includes; Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, Munch, and Picasso. With so many accomplishments, so much success and knowledge you would figure Johns would have a lot to say about art -- his in particular. But yet, he remains vague on the subject. Choosing instead to let his art speak for him and let the people make of it what they will. That's why his art is always on display and he isn't.

So back to my question, what's new with Jasper Jones? Not much. He is still the same straight forward, down to earth, honest man he's always been. And although his busy art has made him the most expensive living artist in the world he has not forgotten his southern roots. While his art is quite busy touring the globe visiting lofted places being viewed by the world's most famous faces...he's at home on his farm sipping tea and reading a good book in shade just relaxing after spending a long day hard at work in the studio. A great artist who has chosen to remain a humble man.

To be an artist you have to give up everything, including the desire to be a good artist.

Jasper Johns

Grotesque Genius ~ Salvador Dali

2010-01-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

I only recently became a fan of Salvador Dali's art. Don't get me wrong I know he was an artistic genius. In fact, I'd cut off my left arm to be able to paint as well as he could. I'd surrender the right one as well but I need it to paint. The man could paint anything; realism, cubism, pointism, impression, surrealism....no problem. It's been said of Picasso that, 'he could take art any where he wanted to go' and I believe this was true of Dali as well. But to be brutally honest some of Picasso's subject matter sort of grosses me out while Dali, at times, completely makes me nauseous. I've always found it offensive that Dali unleashed upon the art world his personal issues with impotence and masturbation. It is my belief that matters like this should remain private.

Lucky for me and my sensitive stomach, in the late 1930's Dali was excommunicated from the Surrealist movement and his subject matter became less grotesque. So much so that it began to take on a religious theme. I've enjoyed studying his religious paintings for over two decades now but only recently have I begun to consider the emotions and thoughts it took to create such masterpieces. And I completely failed to realize that an artistic genius who could take art anywhere he wanted to go could be led by his art as well. Where were his new creations leading him? When we study his paintings between the 1930's and 50's the path becomes clear. He was headed home to the faith he had shared with his parents in childhood. Home to the Catholic Church. And for a time Dali was sincere in this quest. So much so that in 1958 he and his wife, Gala, had a second wedding and this time it was a Catholic ceremony.

A few weeks ago I rented a DVD set entitled, 'The Vatican Museums' and it completely changed my opinion of Salvador Dali. When I saw his work hanging in the Vatican, I realized Dali was just an artist -- just a human being -- like you and me who sometimes struggles with temptation. Struggles with sin. And so I chose to take a second look at Dali only this time I would apply a less judgemental perspective. The result was that this painting, 'Christ of Saint John of the Cross' which I have loved since childhood had a much more powerful impact on me. For the first time I got it...I understood Dali. He was not a 'Grotesque Genius' -- he was just a man. Sometimes good sometimes bad but always capable of receiving God's mercy.

Damien Hirst

2009-09-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

I wonder....is there anyone on the planet who hasn't at least heard his name? To say, "Damien Hirst is famous" might have been enough in the 90's but he has since joined the ranks of those the world deems icon worthy. And like so many who reached this status before him it was controversy that drove him to such heights. But unlike some, Madonna, Damien's got real talent. Unfortunately, not everyone gives the man his due. Many of his fellow artists got turned off by his dead animals in formaldehyde works. I haven't figure it out yet, perhaps someone in cyberspace can explain it to me, but this work drew huge crowds. He simply preserved a 14 foot dead shark and the art world loved him for it. The sale of the dead creature made him the second most expensive living artist in the world!

All dead sharks, sheep and cows aside -- the man is an artistic genius. In 1995 Damien was awarded the Turner Prize for his work, 'Mother and Child Divided' which I won't describe because to be honest it makes me a bit nauseous. But for every piece of Damien's work that nauseates me there is a piece that makes me stand in awe. One of my favorites is, 'Beautiful I've Been Spirited Away Painting'. And I'm sure everyone loves his, 'Kaleidoscope VII'. It's a massive amount of butterfly wings on canvas. And my all time Damian Hirst favorite to date shares the same theme -- butterflies. He has entitled it appropriately, 'Devotion'. The beautiful arrangement shows his expertise with color.

So for those of you who have been turned off by his obsession with death I encourage you to take another look. I believe Damien has finally discovered that which he has been searching for all along...harmony. He just had to work his way past some abandonment issues first. Unfortunately for us, artists, all of our emotional issues show up in our work.

New York vs. Dubai

2009-09-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

I read an article today in ARTnews Magazine about the new emerging art scene in Dubai. It appears that art dealers, creators, collectors and artists are flocking in droves to this newly developed desert paradise. What's the attraction? Four major museums are in the works on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island; a Guggenheim designed by Frank Gehry, the Maritime Museum by Tado Ando, The Louvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel and Zaha Hadid has designed a state of the art performing arts center. The Guggenheim will be largest - a massive space of 450,000 square feet. The price tag for this grand global cultural explosion is estimated, like all things 'Dubai', in the billions. This is a country that settles for nothing short of perfection. How will this affect the art world? I believe that Dubai will surpass New York in the next few decades and become the art market of the world. And for us artists -- Dubai will rise to the top of our destination wish lists joining the ranks of Paris, Italy, India, Spain, Japan and our most recent addition China.

"Dubai is very addictive, its energy is being felt worldwide."

~ Farhad Moshiri

Leonardo da Vinci Comes Full Circle

2009-08-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Wanna hear a historical fact that really bugs me? I shouldn't tell you because it will bug you too now but here it goes....the greatest artist who ever lived didn't want to be an artist. And for much of his life he only painted when he had cash flow problems. This goes against everything we know about artists. For most of us art is our one true passion. It keeps us up all hours of the night trying to birth each new creation. And being a mother I can tell you perfection in art can sometimes be as painful as childbearing. But for Leonardo da Vinci it came so easily that he often lost interest once he knew he had achieved it.

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

This...one of the greatest pieces in art history will forever remain unfinished. Leonardo spent tons of time on 'The Adoration of the Magi' but once he knew he was certain to cross the finish line...he lost interest and moved on to something else. Knowing he could achieve it in his mind was enough for Leonardo he didn't have to prove anything to anyone.

Leonardo started painting when he was sixteen. He was born the baster child of a wealthy merchant at a time when being a baster really meant something. Because of restrictions placed upon him by Italian society he could not follow in his father's footsteps nor inherit his estate. Such a predicament would have been devastating to some but it only fed Leonardo's determination to succeed.

“Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

You see he was one of those characters who refused to let anything especially the ignorance of man get in his way. So he learned to draw. He knew if he could get into an artist guild that he had a shot of escaping the status placed upon him at birth. He was right. His father set up a meeting with Andrea del Verrocchio. Recognizing the teenager's talent Verrocchio excepted the young genius into his workshop. But once Leonardo surpassed the talent of his master he became restless. He left the studio and art behind him determined to become a military engineer.

Leonardo was extremely driven. He poured himself into his new endeavor. He moved to Milan and wrote a bold confident letter boasting of his engineering abilities to Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan. He included several designs of new artillery he hoped to build. The Duke was impressed so he agreed to meet with Leonardo who had only briefly mentioned that he was a painter. Leonardo was disappointed when his designs were pushed aside and he was asked instead to paint a portrait of the duke's mistress. Reluctantly, once again Leonardo painted one of the greatest paintings in history.

Lady with an Ermine is one of those paintings that artists spend their lifetimes studying. What makes it so intriguing is that Leonardo captured the emotion of the moment. You can see the expression in her face and sense how alert the little Ermine is. Leonardo, a master of motion, makes you feel as if the creature might leap from her arms at any moment. The Duke was of course pleased with the painting and as Leonardo had predicted it opened the door to more consideration of his military ideas. He spent years with the Duke but unfortunately just when he was on the verge of seeing his designs become reality France invaded Milan. Leonardo lost his wealthy benefactor. He was forced to return to Florence and painting.

It took him decades of dreaming, drafting and inventing before finally realizing his dream. In 1502 Leonardo was offered a job by Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI, as a military architect and engineer. He traveled throughout Italy with Borgia. Where he was finally able to see his designs in action. He also saw something he had never considered -- death, blood and destruction. Like many great inventors Leonardo's desire to create had blinded him of the realty of the devastation his creations would bring. To him they were simply brilliant inventions. The fact that they would be used to maim, murder and destroy had never come to mind. It was this harsh reality that brought Leonardo full circle and ushered a return to his first love - art. Only this time he would remain faithful until his death.

During the final years of Leonardo's life he carried around a piece of his work in which he hoped to achieve perfection in painting. And unlike so many of his other masterpieces he never lost interest. The only reason he stopped working on the painting was because he died. However I believe he succeeded in his quest. Today his Mona Lisa remains the most famous work of art in history.

Grandma Moses ~ A True Original

2009-06-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Some artists I have to research before I blog but there are a few that I know more about than I do members of my own family. American folk artist Grandma Moses is a member of the latter group. I'm a fan. I think in part because her story is so similar to that of my own grandmother. Both spent their youth raising children and trying to keep the family farm running. And both were humble, selfless, kind and a bit ornery. They loved art but weren't able to paint seriously until after their children were grown. They were well into their sixties before they finally found time to paint. When most people their age were settling into retirement these two decided to embark on a new career.

I look out the window sometimes to seek the color of the shadows and the different greens in the trees, but when I get ready to paint I just close my eyes and imagine a scene.

Grandma Moses

Life was never easy for Grandma Moses but she was never one to complain. She knew much more sorrow than joy but chose to focus on and share with us only the happy times. By the time she began painting she had buried her husband, mother, father and several children. Knowing her history one would expect to find paintings filled with grief and sorrow like that of Edvard Munch. But she stayed busy and went about the business of raising grandchildren. There was work to be done and no time for depression and mood swings. Her cheerful positive spirit can almost be felt when you gaze into one of her paintings. It's as if she is saying look to the happy times for strength.

I have written my life in small sketches, a little today, a little yesterday . . . I look back on my life a good day's work, it was done and I feel satisfied with it. I made the best out of what life offered.

Grandma Moses

Many people credit luck for Grandma Moses success. But she worked just as hard as any other artist to become a professional painter. Even harder when you consider the fact she began her career after her eyes had faded and hands began to shake. She painted like mad and showed her paintings at whatever venue was available; the country fair, church and the corner drugstore. Places most artists, even during the early 1900's, would thumb their nose at. But destiny can find you anywhere even in a small town at the corner drugstore. In 1938 civil engineer and art collector Louis J. Caldor stumbled across her paintings in Hooksick Falls, New York sitting in a drugstore window and he knew immediately that he had struck gold. He purchased several and tracked the artist down on a small farm where she was raising grandchildren and chickens. He supplied her with professional art supplies and encouraged her to paint. He was an honest man full of integrity. He became devoted to her development as an artist. Caldor believed in her work and began marketing it for her. The rest is history. Within a few years she was exhibiting throughout American, Europe and Japan.

If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens.

- Grandma Moses |

Everything that is good about America can be found in a Grandma Moses painting. Home, family, hard work, freedom and honest living. A self taught artist untainted by any other vision than her own. People liked her art but it was her beautiful outspoken honest down to earth spirit that made her a legend. She came to know wealth and fame as an artist but never lost site of who she was and where she came from. Her art remained pure right up 'til the end. Which, in itself is quite an amazing accomplishment.

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.

Grandma Moses

Edward Hopper

2009-06-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

He's one of my favorites and I bet he's on your favs list too. He painted scenes that the majority of America, the middle class, could relate to.

Like many realist artists working in New York still do today, he often reluctantly turned to illustration to pay the bills. A good career but he knew he was born to be a painter. He spent years studying and traveling in hopes of becoming a successful artist. The universe knew he needed struggle to drive him to become a Master so success didn't arrive for many years. He sold his first painting at 31 but unfortunately, the sale brought hope followed only by several years of disappointment.

He didn't 'arrive' as they say until he was 41. It was a slow and painful climb to the top leaving him bitter and angry at times but we can see in his art that it was worth it. He became one of the most famous artists of the 20th century and will forever be an icon. Yet another example of what can happen in the life of a artist when they refuse to give up and quit their night job.

Francis Bacon at the Met

2009-05-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

The Metropolitan Museum of Art advertisement for their exhibit, 'Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective' refers to Bacon as, "one of the most compelling painters of the twentieth century". 130 of the deceast Irish born / English bred artist's works are currently on display. The collection spans his entire career. I enjoy seeing the different stages an artist goes through en route to discovering his own personal style so it should be interesting. But was this artist really, "one of the most compelling painters of the twentieth century" or simply just another eccentric gifted artist?

Like so many painters he began his career in the fabulous world of interior design. His drinking buddies were writers, artists and photographers. An intelligent eccentric drawn to intelligent eccentrics. His was very popular in his day. Even former Prime Minister of England Margaret Thatcher knew his name or maybe not -- she simply referred to him as, "that man who paints those dreadful pictures". The images Bacon chose to paint came from a very dark mind. A mind that once claimed to have had a sexual interest in his father and sought the companionship of wealthy men in order to pay his bills. He even went so far as to advertise his charms offering himself up to the highest bidder as, 'a gentleman's companion'. His unsavory efforts paid off. In 1929 he found both a lover and patron in Eric Hall.

I say all of this not to belittle the man's talent but I think we should stop and consider the state of mind which birthed the horrific images which now sell in the millions. The moral compass of this man was bent, twisted or perhaps even broken. Like so many other artists who have struggled with morality Bacon returned time and time again to events surrounding the Crucifixion of Christ. One would think that the images of our Savior's death would have made him bow down but instead he used even the holiest of holies to promote himself. He claimed the image helped him examine human behavior. But, I believe deep down he was struggling with his lack of morality. Perhaps reducing this image of complete and total self sacrifice to creatures writhing on an orange background made it seem less compelling to him. The Met's advertisement for this event should have been worded more carefully. The event runs from May 20, 2009 – August 16, 2009.

Damien Hirst's Requiem

2009-05-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Last month saw the debut of Damien Hirst's 'Requiem' which opened at the PinchukArtCentre in Kiev. Damien chose the venue because of the Russia's growing interest in contemporary art. The event was organized by Damien and long time supporter Victor Pinchuk. The exhibit showcases over 100 pieces of Damien's work spanning from 1990 to 2008 and will run from April 25th to September 20th.

Critics have called the event a spectacle because of the timing. We are currently experiencing a global economic crisis so any show of money and power understandably is met with resentment. However, in my mind this event is being misinterpreted. Requiem is a rare opportunity for artists and art lovers to come together and study two decades of artistic genius. And although some of us may disagree with how Damien has chosen to express his genius no one can dispute the fact that he is a brilliant artist.

The event also serves as evidence that even during such a devasting financial downturn artists can continue to thrive. And yet, it gives us the opportunity to get back to our roots and paint from the heart. Damien was interviewed recently by Reuters during which he expressed the following sentiment;

"People are not buying art in the way that they were. But maybe that's a good thing. The reason why you make art is not financial... It's not about how much something is worth or how much it costs, it's about whether it's good or not."

To read the article in its entirely please visit Reuters UK.

India Art Summit

2009-04-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that the country that gave us the Taj Mahal would rise to the top of the art world. The country held its first international modern and contemporary art fair in 2008. It was a huge success attracting over 10,000 visitors. This year's event is going to begin on August 19th in New Delhi. Art lovers from all over the world will be there.

Artists have always loved India for its light, culture and color. And we all have our favorite Indian artists. I'm a fan of pop artist Subodh Gupta. He's one of those artists whose talent knows no boundaries. He's a painter, photographer, sculptor and performance artist. Jitish Kallat is also at the top of my list. His art peaks my curiosity. It's so peculiar, strange and interesting that I find it hard to divert my eyes. This gift which Indian artists have mastered is exactly what art is suppose to do....draw the audience in, hold them and keep them coming back for more. We can all learn a lot from the creative spirits of India.

I'm sure this year's event will be even more successful than last. For more information please visit: India Art Summit.

"Habibi Rasak Kharban"

2009-03-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a short break from painting to share with you a project that my friend Susan Youssefis is working on:

"Habibi Rasak Kharban" (My Darling, Something's Wrong With Your Head) is a digital feature film project that is a modern retelling of the famous, ancient Arabo-Islamic tragic romance "Majnun Layla." The narrative feature is the first to be made in Gaza in over 10 years.

The project goes into production this summer.

"Habibi" has been supported by Fulbright Outreach/Research Grants, Jerome Foundation Grant, New York State Council on the Arts, Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, Paul Robeson Fund, BKVB Fonds (Netherlands), Cinereach Grant, A.M. Qattan Foundation Residence Program, Rooftop Films Fund, and Women Make Movies Fiscal Sponsorship Program. It also won the Grand Prize of a Panasonic Digital Filmmaker Grant at Independent Film Week in New York.

Please visit her website and join me in supporting this project.

The Queen's Art ~ The Royal Collection

2009-03-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

I wonder what it would be like to walk about freely in Windsor Castle? Slowly making my way room by room through the State Apartments freely viewing the original works of Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough. The Castle is of course open to the public. But, I'd like to be able to take the time to study, sketch and learn. I promise not to break anything.

I envy the Queen for the access she has to the Masters. It must be so surreal to hold in one's hands Leonardo da Vinci's drawings or simply sit and gaze at Raphael's 'The Holy Family in a landscape' for hours. The Queen's collection or The Royal Collection as it is formally known took over 500 years to assemble. Each piece was chosen by a member of the royal family. The Queen does not personally own this priceless collection. She holds it in trust for her heirs and the State.

Over 1200 works from the collection can be viewed online through the e-gallery. Because it is a private collection which was and is collected by royalty the bulk of its inventory revolves around wealth and privilege; horse racing, palace life and regal portraits. Subjects only a fortunate few can relate to. It's the skill of these great artists that make it worth seeing.

Art and Politics ~ The Kandinsky Prize

2009-02-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

A few months ago the Kandinsky Prize was awarded to artist Alexey Belyaev-Gintovt. In Russia the Kandinsky Prize is a huge deal but many artists abroad might not be familiar with it. The award serves to promote Russia's contemporary art and has been compared to the Turner Prize. Belyaev-Gintovt's victory caused a huge uproar due to his political views. Many disprove of the artist's support for Russia's current administration. It doesn't really help matters that his art is chalked full of images that evoke Stalin's memory. Which makes one wonder can an artist who uses his art to promote his political views be judged fairly by his peers? In this case the answer was, 'no'. During the ceremony last year's winner, Anatoly Osmolovsky, stood up and led the room in chanting, 'disgrace'. Osmolovsky was not outraged by a lack of talent. He was speaking out against Belyaev-Gintovt's political views and the subject matter of his paintings. Due to his political views should Belyaev-Gintovt have been denied the award? Artists often paint what they are most passionate about and even though we might disagree with their views reigning them in cripples their creative nature.

Shock and Awe ~ Joshua Hagler

2009-02-24T14:33:00.000-08:00

I recently saw an advertisement Joshua Hagler's, '72 Virgins to Die For' exhibition. His talent is absolutely undeniable. My response to the ad however was one of shock and awe. I had to look away and quickly turn the page. But, like all good art the powerful images stuck in my head. I felt compelled to turn back...to look Hagler's paintings again and again and again until I reached a level of understanding. Hagler wasn't just quietly expressing himself as so many artists do...he was shouting. And if you are religious person like me, you probably won't like his message. Hidden behind his images of death, mutation and loss of innocence there is a religious rebellion going on. But, unlike some Christians I don't believe that art should be censored. Hagler, having fallen away from beliefs that were perhaps once forced upon him, is simply seeking to find himself. He is wrangling between the world's view of purity and God's. This leads me to believe that one day he'll come full circle. No doubt, this will not be the last we've heard of him. He is an extremely gifted artist. The sort we read about in history books.

“My process is something like a stage rehearsal, a performance that seeks to imitate the subject matter on which the work comments. Painting is a way to stay near my subject matter, to cast myself as part of the mythology, to remember that I’m not separate from it, since, in fact, my religion, even if I no longer have a sense of faith, is a part of who I am.”

~ Joshua Hagler

The Supremely Cool Peter Max

2009-01-23T10:13:00.000-08:00

I love colors so it makes sense that I also love Peter Max. He's one of those artists like Dali and Picasso that are just too creative to remain within the boundaries of the art world. Characters like this almost always cross over into the realm of celebrity.

Max has graced the covers of magazines, met world leaders, been on television and partied with rock stars. He became famous during the sixties with his cosmic bold color combinations. In fact many of the images we have come to associate with the sixties were Max's creations. What some might not know about this great artist is that he originally wanted to be an professional astronomer. Thus explains his cosmic doodles.

Even his personal life is beyond interesting. He was born in Europe and raise in Shanghai, China. When he was 16 his family moved to America were he was destined to become an icon. There are no limits to his talents. He paints in everything for acrylics to oils and even finger paints. He, like Picasso, can take art anywhere he wants it to go from realism to the most bazaar abstract paintings. I encourage you to visit his website. You might be a bit shocked by his creations but you definitely won't be disappointed.

Ravi Paranjape

2008-07-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

The July issue of International Artist profiles a unique artist, Ravi Paranjape. His painting, 'Way side Lunch' featured on p. 138 has inspired me to try something new. I'm sure he will inspire you too! Paranjape has captured the spirit of his homeland. What artist doesn't want to travel to Paranjape's India to study light and color. But, if you're like me and unable to make the trip visit his website. He has a mastery of color that we haven't seen since Matisse.