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Happy New Year!

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Happy 2019! It is going to be a great year for art! Are you making any resolutions? I have a list of life goals (it’s a Bucket List, but don’t you hate that term?!) that I am just going to continue to work on. And of course, I’m excited to discover more beautiful, fun, and interesting art, so I hope artists everywhere are resolving to keep creating!

We simply cannot talk New Year’s and art without mentioning J.C. Leyendecker, the father of many babies- New Year’s babies, that is. He was clearly inspired by that chubby, clothing-optional, little baby that represents the birth of each new year because he illustrated him (her?) over and over! Here are just a few of his drawings that showed up on The Saturday Evening Post covers:

The baby is so cute and fun and full of hope that it’s hard not to love him. By the end of the year, the curly-haired cutie has aged into Father Time, who is always portrayed so sadly!
Beautiful, but sad, I think.
Don’t even get me started on Father Time Overcome by Love, Hope, and Beauty by Simon Vouet. I’m all for love, hope, and beauty, but not when they’re ganging up on a dear, old gentleman. 
There’s girl power, and there’s bullying.

What I’d like to see is Father Time portrayed in celebration of all he’s seen and experienced, not as sad and weak and mopey! (This is unrelated, but did I mention I turn 40 this year?) Here’s to the adventures the New Year’s baby promises, and the full life Father Time had! Cheers!

Christmas Adoration

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Christmas is coming, you guys! Jim and I had no less than three (amazing!) Christmas parties this weekend- all with fantastic themes and guests fully dedicated to the themes. I laughed non-stop the entire weekend and stayed hydrated, escaping with only a minor headache on Sunday evening.

Our house is still in disarray and under construction, so our decorations are waaaaaay more limited than usual. We have lights up outside, but inside, only the nativity scene is up on the mantel. But it’s hands-down my favorite decoration and completely sufficient if you ask me. Here is a zoomed in portion of it:
There is an ongoing debate in our family about whether Mary and Joseph need to switch spots. Thoughts?
It’s beautiful, but here’s a scene with a little more history:

I know. It’s hard to see. But it’s from 1481, so…..

 Leonardo da Vinci made “The Adoration of the Magi” early in his career and I love that he included all kinds of people in it. Some are bowing and worshipping, some look contemplative, some just want a peek so they can see what all the fuss is about, and some are disinterested. Actually, it’s widely believed the seemingly disinterested young man on the far right (not looking at baby Jesus) is Leonardo himself. The background represents the secular world, full of chaos and ruin. I read a few theories about the palm tree, but the one I thought most interesting was that it might be symbolic of a verse from Song of Solomon (7:7) that some think is about the mother of Christ: “You are stately as a palm tree…”

This is a beautiful drawing, but just one of a bajillion with the same theme. What is your favorite piece of Christmas art?

Edvard Munch: Birthday Boy!

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Today is Edvard Munch’s birthday! I was hard-pressed to name another of Edvard Munch’s paintings besides The Scream, but even if that was the only painting he accomplished in his entire career (it’s not- he has many incredible pieces) I would consider him a wild success. Not just because “The Scream” has an awesome presence in pop culture, but because it is one of my favorite pieces of art.

First, a bit about Edvard. He is quite an admirable man. Despite a less than happy youth (riddled with illness, death of family members, depression, and an offensive dad), Edvard rallied. He battled mental illness (still referred to as “madness” in the early 1900s), but got help, gave up drinking, changed his diet and social circle, and buried himself in his work, which reflects his newfound happiness in life. The Scream, while genius, thought-provoking and (for me) relatable, was painted in a more morbid time of Munch’s life. Contrast that painting with his brighter, cheerier, post-rehab work like The Sun and The Yellow Log.

Who can’t relate to this every now and then?

His work is more optimistic after rehab. Is there anything cheerier than the sun?

I love the color in this. The scene reminds me of northern Michigan. <3 

You can see the difference, right? He didn’t give up an ounce of talent or skill, but rechanneled his energy and I am so happy for him!

Leave it to that jerk, Hitler, to ban his work and call it “degenerate” and then claim upon Munch’s death that he was a Nazi sympathizer. Don’t believe it! Munch had many Jewish friends and patrons, and I’m certain lost little love on the Nazis especially after they confiscated over seventy of his paintings.

Even though it’s hard for me to say Edvard, rather than Edward, I love this artist. So much I could scream. Ha. Munch said, “I do not believe in the art which is not the compulsive result of Man’s urge to open his heart.” I, for one, am so happy he followed his compulsions. Happy Birthday, Edvard!

A Fount of Fonts

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There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to art with words. One school (this is where my brother lives) hates it. “I don’t want to have to read art!” The other school (me!) loves it. “Words are pretty!” These are probably the people who also read the little blurbs in the back of books that describe the font used and its history, which leads me to my point: words can be art and not just in the literary sense. Just ask these famous typographers:

Stanley Morison: He wasn’t from Italy, but nonetheless, he is the creator of every college professor’s favorite font: Times New Roman. (I don’t know about you, but if one of my professor’s didn’t specify to write in Times New Roman I immediately switched to the slightly larger “Arial” font. College was a rebellious time for me.) Morison was an advisor for the British newspaper, The Times, and in 1931 recommended they update their print. Technically, the artist was Victor Lardent, but Morison gets the credit because he fully instructed Lardent’s work. I think it was similar to how famous artists are credited for pieces that their students work on too. I’m sure neither Morison, nor Lardent expected magical typing machines to be using their typeface every day nearly 100 years later.

Matthew Carter: Carter has to be on our list because he is the mind behind Verdana, which I like to use for this blog! If you’ve used Tahoma, Georgia, or a bunch of other fonts, you also have this guy to thank! Carter has created lettering for major newspapers like, Newsweek, The Washington Post, and the Boston Globe. He teaches at Yale, has won awards from the Art Institute of Boston, is a MacArthur “genius grant” recipient, and has his work in MoMA. I guess he’s a pretty accomplished guy, if you’re into elite awards and whatnot.

Carol Twombly: Women can be successful typographers too! You might not think so, if you Google lists of noteworthy typographers, but Twombly proves otherwise! She designed for Adobe, and I find her work particularly interesting because she created “Trajan” after translating ancient Roman inscriptions. Twombly is currently dabbling in some other art forms like textile painting, beading, and basket weaving.

What is your go-to font? Or should I say, of which are you most font?

The Isms

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If I’m going to learn about art, it’s time I figure a few things out. I can’t keep all the eras straight (yet! I’m getting there!), but I am getting a better handle on the isms. You know, impressionism, surrealism, etc. Most of them are pretty self-explanatory, but I made a little guide anyway, just for fun. I know, I know, I left some out- cut me some slack, I jotted these down on a scrap piece of paper while I was waiting in the carpool lane at school.

Impressionism: These pieces of art capture the general picture, but no intricate details. Mary Cassat, for example, was a beautiful impressionist. These paintings have a soft feel and incorporate lots of light and blending.

Surrealism: Painters that dabble in surrealism put together surprising, odd combinations. They may be based off dreams the artist had, or at least they seem to be. Think Salvador Dali or Joel Rea.

Pointillism: Just as you’d expect, pointillism works are made up of tiny dots. Sadly, I missed National Dot day on September 15thbut good news! Only ten more months until the next National Dot Day! I’ll for sure (maybe) feature a piece of pointillism on that day. Until then, enjoy Georges Seurat’s amazing pointillism work.

Naturalism and Realism: This one is tricky because as a newbie, it seems like the same thing as Naturalism, but Google assures me that is not the case. Both depict a scene as… seen! Accurately, or as the artist views it. They are both sort of the opposite of surrealism. In Naturalism pictures might also emphasize the environment of the people featured. Realism deals with the here and now in time. It often focus on the middle-class, whereas Naturalism often features poorer subjects and in a more violent way. Edouard Manet is a famous Realist and Gustave Courbet is a notable Naturalist. Is that helpful? Because I think I’m more confused. Let’s move on.

Classicism: This is clearer! You will recognize Classicism because these works often portray ancient Greek and Roman arts.

Cubism: Another easy one- if you are seeing lots of cubes in a painting, you are looking at Cubism! These pieces of art are very popular for hanging in cubicles. Just kidding. Pablo Picasso is the quintessential Cubist.

Romanticism: I hope we have established that I am not going in chronological order? Or alphabetic? Romanticism was all the rage for a while and then pushed out by the Naturalism/Realism movement. But in its heyday Romanticism ruled. It was all about the artists’ emotions and imagination. Francisco Goya and Thomas Cole practiced Romanticism.

That’s all the “isms” I could think of off-hand! I have my favorites, but I’m actually so thankful for each of them. Varietyism is the spice of life!

An Artist That… Well, Rocks!

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As promised! Our guy… Norman Rockwell! Don’t you just imagine him as a guy who always has a mischievous smile and a joke on hand? He seems like the kind of man who knows everybody in town and always has a dog treat in his pocket for strays. Just… likeable. If you’ve heard otherwise, don’t tell me! Lalalala! I’m covering my ears!

Actually, I Googled Rockwell a bit and read nothing contrary about him. Such a relief. Although I was sad to find he struggled with some bouts of depression. You could never tell by looking at any of his 323 Saturday Evening Posts covers. They aren’t all humorous, but many of them are, and the ones that aren’t are filled with hope and happiness, I think.

I love an artist who can seamlessly move between light-heartedness and important, deeply emotional themes and Rockwell nails that balance time after time.

Try not to smile at this one:

But Rockwell isn’t all fun and games. I love the brave and determined Ruby Bridges headed to school in The Problem We All Live With (not pictured) or his Four Freedoms series:

I know you have one- what is your favorite Rockwell illustration?

Ard At Work

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I feel like we are finally getting into the swing of things now that school has been in session for a few months. My days have a sort of rhythm now, and I’ve had all my appointments that I put off over the summer, because who wants to waste their precious summery-warm minutes getting bloodwork or a haircut?! I went to the dentist too, which is on my list of “Things I Hate Worse Than Milk Moustaches.” It’s a short list. Also on the list is the letter from school that someone has lice, and fasting for bloodwork.

The positive about going to the dentist this past visit was that it reminded me of this piece of art by one of the most fun artists I can think of:

Ah, yes, Norman Rockwell and his Saturday Evening Posts… classics. Except. When I pulled this famous picture up to write a blog post on Norman Rockwell, I found this isn’t a Norman Rockwell cover!! The artist who did this picture was Kurt Ard, bless him. I think everyone knows this as a Rockwell, amiright? But Ard (from Denmark) was a fantastic illustrator in his own right. Once I started looking around, I loved his work almost (I won’t commit to an equivalent love!) as much as Rockwell’s. Look at this charming picture, for example:

Rounding up little dogies is exhausting!
Precious. If you’re disappointed that I tricked you into thinking we were going to discuss Rockwell today, stay tuned! I think you’ll love the next post…

Happy November 5th!

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Have you heard? It’s National Redhead Day! I hope you are all celebrating your favorite redheads. May I recommend gingerbread cookies? Or red velvet cake? Carrottop cake? I’m certain you wouldn’t pick a fight today, but just in case- do you know how to punch a redhead? Gingerly.

Here is one of my favorite paintings of a redhead (there are so many! Don’t worry. This will definitely not be my last post about redheads.)

Venus: not your average scandalous redhead.

This was maybe commissioned by the Medici family, maybe not, but it is still housed in the Uffizi Gallery. Botticelli made waves by creating such a large painting of a Greek mythological scene (the painting is 6’x9’). Apparently, that was quite rare during the Italian Renaissance, as was having a nude female as the central figure. There is no record of whether Sandro Botticelli painted this in celebration of National Redhead Day.

Venus’ backstory is an interesting one. Cronus conquered his dad (Uranus), castrated him and threw his genitals into the ocean, fertilizing it and creating our girl, Venus. That is Zephyrus (god of the east wind) on the far left breathing life into her and blowing her to land. He is embracing a nymph because, like all Greek gods, he was a womanizer. The other redhead (on the right) is an Hour The Hours controlled the seasons- I trust she was there to give Venus a hat and mittens.

Do you have a favorite redhead painting? There are a bunch to choose from, and some of the redheads are even wearing clothes!

Okay With Decay

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Happy Halloween! I’ve been holding on to this spooky painting for months for your Haloweenie pleasure!

Zoom in and check out that creepy hand!!!

Last time we were at the Art Institute of Chicago, I was intrigued by Ivan Albright’s painting, That Which I Should Have Done I Did Not Do (aka The Door) But I couldn’t bring myself to take a picture of it, because frankly, it creeped me out. My girls unanimously gave it a thumbs down for being depressing and eerie, and I have to agree.  On the other hand, it’s a masterpiece. Look at the detail! Also, after reading a little about Ivan Albright, I really like him, which makes me like his painting too. Here are some cool things about The Door painter:

1.   I don’t know when people started calling this The Door, but I feel like Albright would be ticked off about it. He made a point to give his paintings unique titles. He said, “When I was a boy I met all of these artists and they would have titles like Boy Sitting by a Stream, The Sunshine on the Girl’s Hat, Girl Holding a Daisy, Boy Eating an Apple. I got pretty tired of them. I heard them from 1903 until 1920. I probably was the first one who decided not to have those titles.; I was going to have something that the painting said.”

2.   He served in a French hospital during WWI. He helped doctors by drawing the injuries. It was noble and sad work. He continued to draw on that experience, as we can see from his future paintings.

3.   He’s a Midwesterner and a twin! (His brother was also an artist.)

4.  Albright’s painting Into the World Came a Soul Called Ida was so named to protect Ida, in a way. He suspected people would think her ugly and of loose morals, and said, “… so I called her a soul. Not everybody can call a soul a prostitute.”

5.   He is fromthat Albright family. His daughter-in-law was Madeline Albright.

Is there any creepy art that you love? Do share! It’s Halloween after all!

Happy Belated Cat Day!

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I missed National Cat Day yesterday! Shame on me. We did celebrate though, as you do. By spending the evening training our kitten, Tank, to take her dead mice into the field next to our house, dig a hole 6 feet deep, and bury them respectfully without our ever knowing they existed. We are still in Phase 1 of the training process. I’ll let you know how it goes.

There are many lovely and legitimate cat paintings, worthy of serious accolades in the art world. Here are a few: Le Chat Noir (Theophile Steinlen), Cat Devouring A Bird [and probably not burying it] (Pablo Picasso), and Child With Cat (Renoir). The latter is especially sweet. But the cat art I like best is none of the above. The cat art I prefer is paradoxical and kitschy. Kitschy cats, if you will. For instance:

Kitty With A Purrrrl Earring

Arnolfeliney Portrait

And God made cats, and He was pleased. Until they left dead mice on his porch.

I hope you and yours had a great Cat Day yesterday. Maybe you even touched your cat! (I didn’t. Allergies.) Now that we are done celebrating cats, does anybody know when National Guinea Pig Day is?