The Birth of Picasso

The Birth of Picasso

I see this painting as the birth of the artist in Picasso - or the creative genius we remember today. He was such a controversial, confidant guy. He could be rude, charming, selfish and generous. He treated women like dirt yet had many, many lovers. The entire life of Picasso was riddled with contradictions and yet he is one of the most creative artists that ever lived.
Would we even have the legacy that Picasso left us if it hadn't been for the commission you seen above? The young Picasso had already seized the public's attention at a very young age. Although he went to one of the finest art schools in Europe, they didn't have what he needed to progress so he dropped out.
He met the powerful writer, Gertrude Stein who commissioned the young Picasso to paint her portrait. Portraits are not easy. Most artists steer clear of these commissions for obvious reasons such as people complain at unflattering images of themselves and the features in the human face can be so subtle that a small twitch of the nose can cause the painting to look like someone other than the sitter posing for the piece. It takes a real knack to capture someone's likeness in a painting and many gifted artists do not have this ability even though they might be very talented.
Picasso was struggling with the painting for Gertrude Stein and my guess is that she was probable tired of sitting for this painting. Out of sheer frustration, Picasso whites out her face and then leaves for a vacation. During that time, he visits his first African art exhibit and it makes a lasting impression on his work. When he returns to his studio, Gertrude is no longer available to sit for him. Now what is he going to do? He needs the money. He wants to get paid for all the labor he's put into the piece so he remembers that African art exhibit. "Why does she have to be present?" he asks himself. "I remember what she looks like." He decides to finish the painting strictly from his own memory of her and then delivers the painting. Several people comment that she doesn't look much like the painting and he responds confidently, "she will." This might seem like a minor challenge for the young Picasso but it was a huge breakthrough in his career and his creativity. He realizes that he no longer has to paint what he sees before him. Like the abstracted masks he saw in the African art exhibit, he can paint what is in his mind. He can also interpret what he sees in an expressive style that does not have to mimic Realism. At this time, modern art is born in the mind of Picasso and this new enlightenment brought many styles and movements to the world of art.

Munch

Edvard Munch and "The Scream"

Edvard Munch

"The Scream" is as iconic as the "Mona Lisa" and it speaks to us on many levels. Most have read the quote by Munch about this painting, "I could feel nature screaming" and contribute it to all the anguish the artist had to overcome in his own life. At a young age, he watched his mother and his sister both die of tuberculosis. Munch used painting as a form of therapy for dealing with the trauma in his life. Long before there were terms like art therapy, Munch was using art to express feelings he could not put into words. 

Edvard was ahead of his time in many ways. Historians call this an iconic image because it speaks to every one of us on many levels. One small part of this painting I like to focus on when I talk about this painting in art history lectures and that is the blurred factory in the back that seems to be spewing smoke into the sky. Edvard talked about the sky being blood red on the particular night that he was inspired to paint "The Scream."

 This particular version of "The Scream" was painted in 1893 which falls right in the middle of the industrial revolution. This is a time when modern inventions brought all kinds of luxuries into the western home but it also brought slums, child labor and pollution. People were becoming aware that the air quality around them had deteriorated. They were questioning the technology and where it had brought them as a society. Was Munch feeling this when he said he could "feel nature screaming" as he painted this symbolic character in the foreground?

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" was first published in 1818 and it addressed the fear society was having with all the new technologies. They questioned whether these inventions were controlling the human. What consequences did these new luxuries bring us? Could science and inventions get so out of control that machines might be able to take over? Were we becoming too dependent on our new machines?

Have you ever realized that the "Terminator" movies are based on the same theme as Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"? We are now in the beginning of the Digital Revolution. Many of the problems facing our society today were addressed in the industrial revolution. The 'Great Depression' followed the industrial revolution. Should we reflect more on that famous quote "Those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it?"

The Swamp

In The Swamp

I live in the south so slow moving swampy water is very natural to me. I find these places intriguing. I've always been fascinated with alligators. As a matter of fact, alligator was one of the first complex words I learned to say when I was a child.
I had a dream vision of an alligator recently and since that time, I've noticed how many paintings, sculptures and other forms of art are honoring this ancient creature.
One African proverb states, "If you have a problem, got to the river and discuss it with your ancestor, the crocodile." In this saying, the Africans are honoring a creature that has lived for millions of years and must have generated great wisdom to be on this earth for so long.
Reptiles are truly gorgeous and we need to give them their space to grow and thrive in such mystical swamps such as this image shown above my writing. I wanted to show a sacred spot for this mysterious creature in this drawing.

You can find this image on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261569093469?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Skeletons in the Closet

yes, this image is available on ebay

Skeletons in the Closet

...is one of my favorite expressions! I don't think this saying can ever be overdone or overused simply because it's part of a confession. I was raised catholic and I never understood the full meaning of the confession until much later in life when I converted to a new thought religion. It was a new thought minister, (who actually studied under the Carmelites earlier in his life) that explained to me the purpose of a confession is to humble ourselves so we are less judgmental of others. When we 'see' that everyone is guilty of making mistakes (by confessing our own mistakes in a formal confession), we will be more forgiving towards others. We are forgiven for our mistakes and therefore should forgive others. Now why didn't someone explain that to me when I was a young catholic growing up in the church???
I love the fact that Angelina Jolie turned down the opportunity to go into politics by saying, "No thanks, I've got too many skeletons in my closet." I think that was a humble thing to say at a very opportune time. Everyone has skeletons in their closet so I wish she had done it anyway. (Not that she isn't doing enough now.)
I've started a Halloween series in my ebay listings since many art patrons are already thinking of holiday gifts. I wanted to include this famous expression in a literal fashion...just for fun! One of my favorite songs relating to this expression comes from an old video game that produced a popular soundtrack containing the song "Skeletons in My Closet."
It's amazing how much art, music and overall creativity Halloween inspires.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251620269286?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Ancient Portal

This print is available on ebay.

Ancient Portal

I've always been fascinated by ancient astronauts, time portals, worm holes and life on other planets. This is an 8" x 10" print from an oil painting I did several years ago. I've only printed a few and this one is printed on high quality, semi gloss paper so the contrast is nice and the colors 'pop.'
I've had several dreams about aliens over the years and the subject has always fascinated me. Since I teach art history, many of the images from ancient art do hint of visitations. Art does not lie and sometimes the evidence can be hidden in an old fresco or sculpture we dig out of the ground. There are too many similarities to ignore yet some of the shows we see become so fanatical on the subject they tend to bend the evidence in their favor. This is a shame because most people believe there is life out there in the universe somewhere. Many people believe it is highly probable that someone might have discovered our planet the same way we've discovered 'new' land in the past. There is no need to bend all evidence and ancient art towards this belief.
One of my favorite quotes came from a puzzle I worked when I was only 17 so I have no idea who said this but it always stuck with me:
"A fanatic is someone who is highly enthusiastic about a subject you could care less about."

I believe in aliens but I avoid the fanatics!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251619442651?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Keith Haring

Keith Haring

...was one of the first graffitti artists I knew by name. He started as a 'tagger' in New York City when graffiti still had a bad name and many people scowled when you mentioned it as an art form. I remember writing a paper on graffiti back in the late 80s and posting it on an art historian site where these scholars argued for days if one could call it art at all. I'd like to see their faces now after such famous artists like Basquiat and Bansky have made graffiti a regular avenue for top notch galleries.
Haring was one of the first mainstream graffiti artists and his subject matter has been dubbed political along with other buzz words. Aren't all graffiti artists political? The mere act of painting on a public building for all to see whether legal or illegally done is, in itself, a political statement. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Haring went on to tackle other issues in politics and the human mind before he was diagnosed with aids. Most people loved his fun, simplistic, expressive style with that flat 1 inch (for murals it was two) brush stroke that made him so distinct.  His consistancy was amazing and his style so expressive, we could recognize a work of Keith's even in a huge cluster of graffiti images. He had a natural sense of color schemes and no matter how shocking or  controversial his subject was, he always showed a playful approach to the issue...even when it came to the one thing that took him away from the world...AIDS.
I hope to learn some day, like Keith, not to take my own work so seriously.

Audrey Flack

Audrey Flack, Study for Marilyn (Vanitas) II, 1977

Audrey Flack

This artist is another one of my living heroes. I think it's quite an accomplishment when a visual artist makes history while they are still alive. Audrey made a name for herself at a very young age and still teaches art today in New York.
I pulled this image from a site that placed her work under photography. This is not a photograph but shows how photo-realistic her work could actually be. If you were to view one of Flack's paintings in person, it would be obvious that it is not a photograph because of its size and accuracy. Most cameras cannot reproduce quality images the size of a wall without loosing clarity. Her painting technique at this time was airbrush over oil.
One of my favorite quotes from the well-known textbook author and historian, Henry Sayre states, "Sometimes the greatest challenge in art, is art itself." He was referencing Audrey's work when he made this statement and I believe it is a beautiful argument for all photo realists. Their work is so skillfully done that it is hard to tell if it's a photo or a painting. Many of the airbrush artists brought photo realism to its peak in the 80s and 90s.
I remember one of my professors scoffing at the photo realists movement and said, "It's like they are so seduced by their skill that their paintings have no soul." As much as I loved this teacher, I was appalled by his commentary. Very few people could look at this image and say it has no soul. Ironically enough, Audrey wrote a book called "Art and Soul" which I cherish and have read many times when I'm discouraged by my own art struggles.
Audrey Flack is using iconography to describe the content behind this piece. She did more than one painting on the subject of Marylin Monroe and the still life was her primary means of communication at this time in her art career. Study the objects closely and think of the symbolic meaning each one has. Her work is fascinating and each object's story, when combined with other objects tells about the complex life of this tortured soul we called, Marylin Monroe.
Although I've never read that Audrey Flack was a feminist, she does tackle many of the issues women face today. She began sculpting goddesses later in her art career and was equally skillful at the realism in her 3-D works. She has left quite a long legacy to the art world and is still contributing to its ever-evolving nature to this day.

Sand Dollars

Sand Dollars

One of the funniest memories from my childhood at the beach had to do with sand dollars. I had a friend called Bruce and his family would meet me and my family at the beach.
One day when we were playing at the beach, a lot of sand dollars had washed up on the shore. We began collecting them and talking about what interesting creatures they were. One man with a really big sense of humor observed us talking and walked up to say, "Do you know why they call them sand dollars?" We stared back at him and shook our heads. He said, "Sand Dollars are actually worth a dollar. You can cash them in at the bank for one dollar each." Our eyes lit up. Money!!! We had no idea they were so valuable. We spent the rest of the day combing the beach looking for sand dollars! We were no longer interested in the waves, they sun, swimming or any other wonderful beach activities. Instead, we became obsessed with hunting for sand dollars.
At the end of the day I was sitting on the beach shoreline counting my sand dollars. Bruce walked up and claimed that half of them were his since we had started out looking for them together. He then took over half of my sand dollars and added them to his already hefty pile. I was appalled! I counter attacked by saying that over half of his sand dollars were mine and then took more than half of his and added it to my pile.
We began fighting. Our two families broke up the fight and then decided to pack up for the day and go home. They forced us to divide the pile evenly between the two of us.
On the way home, I asked my mother if she would mind stopping by the bank. I had some sand dollars to "cash in"

...and that's when I learned the truth about sand dollars.

The Beach

This image is available on ebay

The Beach

As I wait (all day) for the plumber to change out my water heater, I'm longing for the beach. (actually, I'm longing for any kind of water...a shower...etc!) It's been years since I've found the time to go to the beach even though I live less than an hour away from its shoreline. I've gotten too preoccupied with work,  chores and busy friends with schedules that don't match. I haven't been to Galveston since Hurricane Ike. I hear its been built up quite differently from what I remember. The historic flagship hotel is gone. The entire base of the hotel has been turned into an overpriced "pleasure pier" or amusement park. (That's kind of nice even though friends have told me it's expensive for what you get.) My best childhood memories were at Surfside and Galveston. Since my father died in the air force when I was two, my mother raised four girls by herself so we took a lot of cheap vacations at Galveston and Surfside. So even though I haven't been to the beach in years, the old Galveston seawall is still etched in my head and that will have to do until I can make it back to the magically replenishing shoreline.
I'm grateful for all these memories and I suppose the feeling I get on a hot summer day when the water calls out for you to be a kid again.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/261552208939?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia o"Keeffe

One of my favorite heroes is Georgia for many reasons. Not only was she a great artist with a very unique eye for the unusual, but she was also one of the most adventurous spirits of her time period.

My favorite quote comes from one of her classmates when when she was studying at the Chicago Art Institute. Upon graduation, he told her she would be nothing more than a public school art teacher since she was a woman. She did, in fact, become an art teacher in Texas but thanks to Alfred Stieglitz, co-artist pal and lover, she did not remain an art teacher. She went on to become "The most famous American Female Artist of her Time." 

Her career started at the beginning of the modern art movement in the United States. This movement started much later in the USA than it did in Europe and Americans were not very accepting of the new styles that described modern art. They did love Georgia's work and I think she created a great bridge between the ignorance of the uneducated American towards art and all the modern artist that were experimenting with the new creative styles and attitudes.

Later when she moved to New Mexico, there were many great artists at the Taos Art Colony but Georgia had a unique eye and a way of abstracting the image by cropping a small detail, then enlarging its scale to gigantic proportions so it is unrecognizable as the original object. Her study of subtle color variations was fantastic. We learn about entire worlds buried in the organic plants she would paint. Even the traditional landscapes and cityscapes that other artists were doing at the time take on a whole new look when Georgia painted them. Her eye was truly unique and her insight was one of a kind. One of my favorite quotes of hers has to do with this insightful eye she had:

"There are too many ugly things in the world, why create ugly art?"

Although I can relate to the ugly art movement, I am drawn to the beautiful images of Georgia's much more. I don't think this woman was capable of creating anything ugly.

I remember the day she died. It was announced in the news. I was a young artist working as a graphic designer at an in-house retail art department. I kept telling everyone around me that Georgia was gone but they didn't seem to care or understand the impact. I didn't get a lot of respect at this time (nor did any other women artists) so I looked to the few women artists in history who paved the way for the rest of us. Georgia will always be one of my great heroes because of her style, her class and the fact that she always remained true to herself even when others were saying she couldn't be anybody great.