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I love Public Art because it's Art for Everyone. It's art that you often didn't plan to see or experience. It just happens. You're walking along the street and all of a sudden you see something that makes you smile, perhaps take a photo of it, or even a selfie with a post to Instagram. My latest Public Art Project, The Greenway PaintBox At Atlantic Avenue & State Street was completed in September 2020 and is located along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, just steps away from Boston's New England Aquarium at the corner of Atlantic Avenue & State Street. Here are some photos of the final design...    I painted this box during an interesting and unusual time in history, during the Covid-19 Pandemic. At the time I started painting at the end of August, restaurants had re-opened with mostly outdoor seating. The electrical box was situated in front of the restaurant Provisions, so there were a lot of people enjoying the summer weather eating outside, while they watched me paint. Many people stopped to ask what I was painting, or to tell me "good job!" Some people asked to take photos with me and the in-progress box! Boston Ducktours even posted about it on their twitter and other social media accounts.
Commissioned by the City of Boston and the Boston Art Commission, the public artwork features images of the spectacular and unique architecture of the New England Aquarium, the MBTA Aquarium Train Station Entrance, and one of the famous Boston Duckboats. The artwork highlights my signature style of bright colors, bold lines, and the illusion of mosaic tile, with the goal of making people happy when they see it as they walk through Boston. The painted electrical box took over 65 Hours to paint from start to finish from August 30th through September 12th, 2020. To see more photos of this project and read more about it, CLICK HERE. A video highlighting the making of the PaintBox is available and posted below in this Blog post as well as on Eddie Bruckner's YouTube Channel. You should subscribe to the Eddie Bruckner Fine Art YouTube Channel and follow Eddie on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date! In 2017, I was commissioned by the City of Boston’s Public Art Commission to paint an electrical box near Fenway Park. I’ve also completed a second electrical box with a Boston Marathon Theme along the Marathon route in Natick, MA. "Music, Love & Rock 'N' Roll" for the GuitARTS! Public Art Project was commissioned by Music Drives Us and The Boch Family Foundation. #JumpNatick was commissioned by the Town of Natick, Natick Center Associates the the Natick Center Cultural District with support from the American Planning Association (APA), Americans for the Arts (AFTA), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). You can check out all my Public Art Projects by CLICKING HERE.
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 The flags will fly around The Rockefeller Center’s famous ice rink and restaurant plaza, supplanting the flags of the members of the United Nations that usually fly there. The exhibit was scheduled to be on display from August 1-16, 2020, but due to popular demand, the public art installation has been extended through August 23, 2020.
Bruckner is a professional visual artist who creates Pop Art original acrylic paintings for the contemporary home and office as well as involved in a variety of public art projects throughout the greater Boston area and beyond. Bruckner painted piano for the Celebrity Series of Boston and the global art installation, “Play Me, I’m Yours” that was featured at Boston City Hall Plaza with Mayor Marty Walsh in 2016. The following year, Bruckner was commissioned by the City of Boston’s Public Art Commission to paint an electrical box near Fenway Park, also completed a second electrical box with a Boston Marathon Theme along the Marathon route in Natick, MA. “I’m excited about the actual process of creating Public Art. My artwork is about having fun, bringing a smile to people’s faces, and at the same time, providing a unique way of experiencing some of our most familiar objects, places, or people. I view my artwork as a visual representation of happiness, love, and the beautification of physical space and I love how Public Art achieves this goal and reaches so many people.”
The exhibition is free and open to the public through August 16, 2020; no tickets are required. Visitors to this temporary public art installation are encouraged to post photos and videos to social media using the hashtags: #TheFlagProjectRC and #RockefellerCenter. Additional resources can be found at: https://www.rockefellercenter.com/flag-project/ https://www.eddiebruckner.com/rockefeller-center-flag-project.html https://www.instagram.com/eddiebrucknerfineart 
To learn more about the electrical box, please visit the following link on my website (www.EddieBruckner.com) or read about it on my blog HERE (Natick Pride & The Boston Marathon).
Here's a photo of me at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in front of Chris Burden's sculpture, "Urban Light" installed in 2008. Burden restored over 200 cast-iron streetlamps to create this work of art. Burden was fascinated with urban life and how streetlamps are one of the fundamental building blocks of an urban metropolis. I found it interesting that the streetlamps were recently converted to LEDs, reducing the installations's annual energy consumption by 90%. The conversion to LEDs was funded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation this year. Chris Burden was commissioned by Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum to create a similarly themed sculpture. You can see it by CLICKING HERE in an older blog article about the Rose Art Museum.  Chis Burden's "Metropolis II" depicts an urban landscape. Burden created "Metropolis I" seven years before "Metropolis II". The earlier work featured eighty Hot Wheels cars zooming around a model city. This work is much larger and includes 1,100 custom designed cars, 18 highways, and a vast array of buildings and structures. The artwork runs on select days and times, so plan ahead!   Jeff Koon's, "Balloon Monkey (Orange)", Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel with Transparent Color Coating, 2006-13. This is one of five unique versions. Richard Serra's "Band" is a massive sculpture that fills a huge exhibition hall from top to bottom, from front to back. The sculpture took two and a half years to develop. Made from over 200 tons of steel, it measures 12 feet high and over 70 feet in length.
Below are two views of the same sculpture, titled "Phoenix" by Alexander Liberman, created in 1974-75. I love how a different view of this sculpture creates an entirely new image, a new feeling, a new perspective.
"Levitated Mass" (Shown below) was conceived by artist, Michael Heizer, in 1969, but only realized in 2012. "Levitated Mass" is a 456-foot-long concrete pathway, over which sits a 340-ton granite boulder. As you walk down the pathway, it descends to fifteen feet in depth, directly underneath the massive boulder before ascending back up.   Below are two views of the same Alexander Calder sculpture created in 1964 titled, "Three Quintains (Hello Girls)." It is made from sheet metal and paint with motor. To me, it appeared to be moved by the wind, but apparently it has a motor that moves the mobile sculpture.            I love it when Art is just there; you didn't plan to "see art" or visit a gallery or a museum. You just stumble upon it randomly. This is exactly what happened on my most recent visit to Los Angeles. I checked into my hotel, located on the famous Sunset Blvd. In the lobby, and in the driveway are two pieces of public art on display. They are large fiberglass guitars designed and painted by artists that are peppered all along Sunset Blvd. The public art exhibit is called "Guitar Town" and features more than 25 ten foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitars. The artworks are placed all along the legendary Sunset Strip and are auctioned off for the benefit of charitable organizations. Here are just a few of the ones I saw on Sunset.  "The English Rocker" by artist Willard Snow.  "China Cat" by Willard Snow Inspired by Jerry Garcia. 
Not too far from the Sunset Strip, just over the Hollywood Hills is Universal City Walk, located adjacent to Universal Studios Hollywood. It was here that I took a photo of this even larger guitar that flanks The Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studios. I took a similar photo from just about the same angle here, only at the time the guitar was colored differently. The giant guitar in front of the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal City Walk was updated to become a replica of Eddie Van Halen's "Frankenstrat" Guitar. Here is my painting based on this photo/perspective as I saw it prior to the update.
Two years ago, my wife and I stumbled upon an amazing event happening in Boston near Fenway Park. It was Illuminus Boston, and we were completely blown away at how much fun it was to experience incredible and unique works of art. All of them used light in spectacular ways for an immersive experience in this public art event. This year, I made every effort to attend Illuminus Boston, which was held this weekend in the Downtown Crossing and surrounding areas part of Boston. It was a great night, and the artworks were equally terrific. I've posted photos from a number of the exhibits but here are some highlights. Perhaps my favorite exhibit was one called "Depth Compression" by Callie Chapman. I believe another performance art piece was done in conjunction with this exhibit called "Public Displays of Motion." Depth Compression basically took imagery of the sidewalk and projected it in a compressed format, duplicated, and at a 90 degree angle. The effect was very cool. There were three dancers with bright colored wigs that made various dance and body movements along the sidewalk that were then projected behind their performance. Perhaps you "had to be there" to get it, but it was very cool. Trust me. Another exhibit was a projected movie showing dance, with a live DJ, which turned into a live Dance Party in the middle of Washington St. in Downtown Crossing. One of my favorites was a collection of abstract video imagery created by several artists projected on the facade of a large downtown building. I've seen a similar type of thing before in Sydney, Australia, several years ago. The event was Friday November 3, and Saturday November 4, 2017 from 6-11 pm, so if you missed it already, be sure to catch it next year! Below are some of my photos, but I encourage you to check out illuminusboston.org and also look it up using the Hashtag: #illuminusboston
What I loved about painting the Marathon-Themed Box in Natick was that painting it on-site allowed me to interact with people walking by, take photos together, and share my artistic process with them. As I began to think about the project, I created several sketches that included a lot of ideas related to the town of Natick, the Boston Marathon, as well as how best to integrate my artistic style to create something visually appealing. I wanted to make it uniquely “Natick” by incorporating things like the Gazebo, the church, Natick’s zip code, etc. I like to include the American flag because Natick, I feel, is really an all-American type of town. Diverse, patriotic, down-to-earth, democratic, and inclusive. And as I began to think about the Marathon component, I wanted to include visuals like the beautiful Boston Marathon Medal, the Marathon Runner Number, the Trophy, and the amazing runners racing toward the finish line. I also wanted to demonstrate the inclusive nature of the Natick community and the marathon itself by including a competitor in a wheelchair. I also gave a lot of thought to how the colors of the Boston Marathon (Blue and Yellow) would integrate into my overall design. And while most people won't be able to see the top of the box, I’ve painted “Boston Strong” on the top of the box. Many of my paintings all use a similar color palette of primary colors, white, black, and neutral greys. All my work focuses on lines, shapes, vibrant colors, and the integration of an illusion of mosaic tile. This illusion of mosaic tile provides cohesion to my body of work and serves to provide balance, repetition, movement, and other elements of strong artistic design and composition. I often think about the mosaic element as confetti, to further my goal of conveying fun, exhilaration, and happiness; the mosaic patterns add life and positive energy into my work. I’m excited about the actual process of creating public art and/or installing the artwork on location with observers and participants. There were a few funny stories of things that happened while I was on-site painting. It was the first day on-site at the electrical box. One of the first things I needed to do was make sure the box was clean of dirt, bugs, cobwebs, etc. before I could start painting. So imagine people walking by seeing a guy on a stepstool washing by hand an electrical utility box! As people walked by, I could tell people were a bit confused or thought I was out of my mind. As you saw in the video, I began by painting a solid black color on the entire box, and then place lines of tape, to be uncovered later. When I started with the spray paint, painting it all black, again, some people were trying to figure out what was going on, if I was vandalizing the box, or why it was all black. Maybe they preferred it grey? But as I continued with my painting, people began to stop, ask what I was doing, ask me what it was going to look like, etc. It was a great opportunity to share with people the great things the Natick Center Cultural District has done around town to enhance life for everyone in Natick. I painted the box over 2 weeks, almost every day, so I got to see a few people on a number of occasions on their daily walk, and it was great to stop and chat with them and hear their reactions as they saw the progress over time. In Boston, the box I painted is on Boylston Street, a very busy city street so most of my interactions were with pedestrians on their lunch break or people heading to a Red Sox game. But in Natick, I can’t tell you how many people honked their horns and smiled at me while I painted. People even rolled down their windows and shouted things like “Great Job!, I love that! & That’s so cool!” I’m so pleased that in all my interactions on site, people were really happy to see my artwork. One woman said to me, “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in Natick. And that;s very cool.” And it was great to see all the wonderful comments on all the Facebook and Instagram posts! I love watching the first time a passerby sees my artwork on their evening jog, their walk home from work, or pushing a baby stroller on their way to Dunkin Donuts. These are all inspiring reminders of the transformative impact a piece of public art can have on the overall look of physical space and the pleasure it gives people.  
The Dedication on Sunday, October 22nd was a wonderful event. It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day. I'd like to thank everyone who came out to the Ribbon Cutting, especially my wife, kids, my in-laws, and cousins! It really meant to much to celebrate this special community event with family and friends. I've posted a video to YouTube, which you can watch here below of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. I'd like to also take this opportunity to thank the Natick Center Cultural District and the Public Arts Committee for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful public art project. I hope everyone in the area will join me to watch the Boston Marathon at the site of the electrical box on Patriots’ Day 2018. Here are some photos from the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony:         Last month I visited Napa Valley and had the pleasure of visiting Yountville, St. Helena, and Napa. The region of Napa Valley is known for incredible wine, so it was no surprise that it had incredible art as well. During my visit, I visited a few wineries and did a few wine-tastings all in two days. I learned that many of the vineyards in the area have art galleries associated with them. I'll write about the artistic things that I came across, however, my blog is by no means a comprehensive listing of all the artistic offerings of this incredible region in California. I had an amazing time at Kelham Vineyards, where I was lucky to have an incredibly delicious, gourmet dinner. Kelham Vineyards also sells a number of prints by the French artist Gerard Purvis. The artsist is best known for creating original sculptures & prints made from wine bottle foils. To my knowledge, Gerard Purvis' work can only be found in the United States at Kelham Vineyards. For more information, please visit: KelhamVineyards.com and kelhamvineyards.com/Puvis.html. The next day, the first stop was in St. Helena at the Alpha Omega Winery, which was one of my favorites: aowinery.com. At our next stop, I enjoyed a private luncheon in Yountville at Cliff Lede, which is where I came across some very cool art. For more information about Cliff Lede, please visit: cliffledevineyards.com. Outside of the private tasting room on a beautiful terrace were these two incredible sculptures. I only wish my photos were better to really capture these sculptures. I posted the photos here:
The private tasting room, called the White Room, named after the Beatles White album, also had some very cool art in it. The lunch for our private party was served directly in the Tank Room where we saw the innovative technology used in producing their delicious wine. Looking up toward the White Room, were some beautiful paintings, which I posted here below.   That evening, I dined in Napa and had the pleasure of strolling around the town and exploring a number of public art sculptures in town. Many of the sculptures were part of the Napa Art Walk. The Napa Art Walk is a bi-annual, rotating exhibition of juried sculpture created by artists from the Western United States. For more information, please visit: www.napaartwalk.org.  Guermo en Inverno, by James Burnes, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Corten Steel, Locust.
Based in Napa is the Art Association of Napa Valley, which is a private, nonprofit arts organization that enhances life for the Napa Valley by supporting arts and culture in the area. Their website includes an artist listing, newsletters and class and event listings. Located in Downtown Napa at 1307 First Street is an art gallery that features the work of members of the Art Association Napa Valley. For more information, please visit www.artnv.org.
 The Hispanic Heritage Mural created to honor and celebrate past and contemporary advocate artists who promote social, cultural, and economic advances in Napa.
The Yountville Art Walk was one of the highlights of my trip to Napa Valley. Known for the finest food and wine in the country, Yountville is also known for art. The Napa Valley Museum is located in Yountville. For more information, visit www.napavalleymuseum.org. Beautiful sculptures lined the streets of Yountville. I learned that in 2010, Gordon Huether partnered with Yountville Arts to establish the Yountville Art Walk. More information about Gordon Huether can be found on his website, www.gordonhuether.com. The sculptures are for sale, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Yountville Arts Fund to support their arts-related activities, programs, and events. Based on my observation, the sculptures ranged in price from $6,000 to $60,000! Yountville was a terrific place to explore and experience some great public art. Below are some photos of just a few of the sculptures I had the pleasure of seeing during my time in Yountville. For more information about Yountville Arts, please visit www.yountvillearts.com.
See this beautiful, bright yellow painted piano reminded me of the piano I painted as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston's Play Me I'm Yours StreetPianos Boston 2016 Public Art Installation. To learn more about the piano I painted, please click the link to visit: StreetPianos Boston City Hall Plaza 2016.
  There is so much to see and do in the Napa Valley Region. I barely scratched the surface of the art offerings the region has to experience, but I hope that this blog article inspires you to visit the area and explore on your own! I know that I'm already excited about the possibility of returning to the Napa Valley and exploring more the art world has to offer! PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Park City, Utah Barcelona, Spain Caribbean Art
Many of these murals were created over the past few years as part of Pow! Wow!, which is a cool mural festival and celebration of art and culture. The festival also takes place in cities and countries such as Hawaii, Taiwan, Long Beach, Israel, Singapore, Jamaica, Washington D.C., Guam, New Zealand, Germany, and more. The POW WOW! Worcester mural festival, which was just in August 2017, has added dozens of murals in Worcester in less than 10 days while also hosting a number of arts and community-centered events and programs. Although I missed taking part of the festivities, I'm glad that I got to see a few of the incredible artworks that came out of this incredible festival. Visit www.powwowworcester.com for more information. I came across this awesome video on Pow! Wow! Israel and you can check it out here: http://powwowhawaii.com/blog/pow-wow-israel-2017-official-video/ Another of my favorites was located at this parking garage, which had two tower-like paintings on each side by artist Victor Quinonez. Check out Instagram @Marka_27. This was very cool.
The Main Street area is pretty cool and full of history. If you look closely, you'll see that some of the older buildings have plaques on them that describe the history of the area as well as interesting facts about the architecture. For example, The Frankel Building was constructed in the mid-1800s and burned down in the Great Fire of 1898. It wasn't until 1966, that the building was renovated to establish the Silver Palace Saloon and later housed a variety of other shops. The Frankel Building is a typical example of mining town vernacular architecture and features large display windows and a recessed entryway. The brick walls demonstrate the preoccupation with using more fire resistant materials. (Sorry, no photo of the building, so you'll just have to visit yourself!)
 The International Olympic Flame burned here in this cauldron in February 2012. Main Street Art Galleries: All along Main Street are some fabulous art galleries. There is a Park City Gallery Association which hosts a Last Friday Gallery Stroll. On the last Friday of each month, from 6-9 pm, the Park City Gallery Association features artists, special exhibits, and art events. The Stroll is a free community event that gives local residents and Park City visitors the opportunity to explore Park City's art scene. The remaining dates for 2017 are August 25th, September 29th, October 27th, November 24th, and December 29th. Check out their website: www.parkcitygalleryassociation.com for more information.
For more than 40 years, the Kimball Art Center has inspired and connected the Park City community through art. The Kimball Art Center is a world-class community art center and Park city's cultural hub. The nonprofit center provides art education, free exhibitions, quarterly Art Talks, gallery tours, and a variety of events to the public, including the annual Park city Kimball Arts Festival that attracts more than 50,000 people to Par City's historic Main Street. They provide over 300 visual arts classes for all ages and free educational programs for K-12 schools in Utah. The Kimball Art Center is located at 1401 Kearns Boulevard. More information can be found on their website: www.kimballartcenter.org Sundance: A short ride from Park City took me to the Sundance Mountain Resort in Sundance, Utah. The resort is owned by Robert Redford; Redford hosted the first Sundance Film Festival in 1985 to promote independent films. Perhaps the two films I'm producing, "Dan and Carla" and "Avery's Sin" will end up at Sundance in the near future!!! While at Sundance Resort, I took a scenic chairlift up Sundance Mountain to Ray's Summit at 7,150 ft. and hiked down to Stewart Falls, returning back to the main area. The hike was pretty intense (at least for me), but I was rewarded at the end with a cold drink and a view of a really cool sculpture set on a beautiful pond. Close to the main area, I came across this wonderful sculpture: Allan Houser's bronze sculpture, "Prayer Song" located in front of the Rehearsal Hall and pond at Sundance. The Sundance Art Gallery is located in the Art Studio and features a number of exhibiting guest artists. The Art Studio has daily workshops in jewelry making, wheel-thrown pottery, journal making, soap making, watercolor, acrylic painting, oil painting, printmaking, and drawing and are open to both resort guests and day visitors. More information about Sundance Mountain Resort can be found at: www.sundanceresort.com More information about the Sundance Art Studio can be found at: www.sundanceresort.com/art-studio I have no doubt that there is so much more to the art in Park City and the surrounding areas in Utah, beyond what I've written here, but it's my hope that you'll read my blog and perhaps explore on your own art adventures! Wishing you Creative and Happy Travels!  PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Napa Valley, California Barcelona, Spain Caribbean Art I recently had the pleasure of visiting Puerto Rico and traveling to various islands in the Caribbean on a family vacation this summer. It was a wonderful trip, filled with all the expected highlights one would expect such as sun, sand, beach, sightseeing, and adventure. But I didn't expect to see some incredible artwork during my time in Puerto Rico and on my cruise vacation. I should note that by no means is this blog article a complete and accurate picture of the art of Puerto Rico or Curaçao. The following are just a few of the things I came across that struck my eye. In Puerto Rico, I did not have the chance to visit the Puerto Rico Museum of Art http://www.mapr.org/es or the San Juan Museum http://sanjuanciudadpatria.com/en/services/arts-culture-and-innovation/san-juan-museum/sanjuanciudadpatria.com/en/services/arts-culture-and-innovation/san-juan-museum/ What I discovered weren't major art installations in world-renowned art museums, or famous public art, but rather art that really captured the flavor of the local area.   Jorge Zeno is the Puerto Rican artist who created this sculpture and the sculptures below. They are located in a cute plaza in Old San Juan. I love the detail work!
  This mosaic adorned the facade of a building in Old San Juan. Beautiful!  Very cool mural!
  This oil on linen painting is by the artist, Van Meegeren. He was a Dutch painter and art forger.
 "Dam di Salimja" Oil on Wood, 1974 by Curaçao artist Hipolito Ocalia. He is perhaps the most famous artist from the island of Curaçao.  "Mirror of the Past", Mixed Media, 2000, by Manfred (Boy) Namias de Castro" this painting was inspired by a poem written by the well-known writer from Curaçao, Pierre Lauffer.  The incredible detail of the above painting showing the use of thick paint and rich textures.  "Seated Woman" Oil on Wood by Jose Marie Capricorne. His artwork shows vibrant color variations with symbolic elements from Curaçao life and culture.  Glass Art by Bernadetta Octavia Van Eps-Schretlen
After my visit to the Curaçao Museum, I took a walk near the water to get into the main shopping area. Along the water in Curaçao, is the famous floating pontoon bridge. This public artwork by Frank Van Der Loo was placed along the water near the pontoon bridge's entrance. Although the coloring of the artwork was faded (especially apparent from the real-life view across the water of the characteristically vibrantly-colored buildings), I really liked this mural. It reminded me of the mosaic shapes I use in my personal artwork. Especially the mosaic-like shapes shown in the sky and in the lower portion of the mural.  This large three dimensional clay mural was created by artist Frank Van Der Loo.  Photo showing detail and the 3-D nature of this clay mural.  I came across this artwork from Curacao artist Andre Nagtegaal. This was part of a public art display for the Curacao Ports Authority, near the entrance and exit of the Ferry.  "Punda Love Heart" by Carlos Blaaker at the entryway to the Pontoon Bridge In Curaçao, I came across a storefront that is operated by the Art Foundation Curaçao. They teach classes and provide art programs for at-risk youth. Art Foundation Curaçao is a non-profit organization founded based on the idea that people of Curaçao are creative and talented and that Curaçao has all the ingredients to become an art destination. On sale in the gallery were "Curaçao Cubes" created by local children in foster homes in a workshop titled "Big Power of Small Blocks." The proceeds from the sale of the approximately 4"x4" painted wood blocks go back to the foster homes for more free art classes. One of its projects is the Plein Air Curaçao. Plein Air painting is a painting created in the open air; a form of rapid painting with the start and ending of a painting usually in one session of about 2-3 hours. Natural light changes over time, so the quick nature of painting with broad strokes creates impressions of reality as seen through the eyes of the artist. Plein Air Curaçao is a bi-annual international art festival. For more information, please visit www.pleinaircuracao.com. Not far from there was the Jewish Cultural Historical Museum, adjacent to the Mikve Israel-Emanuel (the oldest Synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere, The museum housed numerous Jewish ritual objects as well as information about Dutch Jewry and the Jewish community of Curaçao. For more information, please visit: http://www.snoa.com/museum
I should mention the Cruise ship's art galleries and the on-board art auctions that are common on all the major cruise-lines. The art auctions were operated by Park West and all I care to say about this is that I found this online article that I found to be an accurate representation of my experience on the ship. Although I did not purchase any artwork from Park West on the ship, I did find it to be a fascinating experience interacting with their staff, viewing their artwork, and participating in their on-board auction champagne reception event. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-12-14/ever-bought-artwork-on-a-cruise-prepare-to-be-seasick That said, the cruise was wonderful and all the artwork I saw on this trip was amazing. I highly recommend visiting Curaçao and I welcome your comments! PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Napa Valley, California Park City, Utah Barcelona, Spain
Part 1: Barcelona Architecture One cannot talk about Barcelona's architecture without mentioning Antoni Gaudi. Part of the Modernista movement of the late 19th Century, Antoni Gaudi is Barcelona's most famous architect. Almost anywhere you look in Barcelona, Gaudi had some part in its creation, from the houses, apartment buildings, churches, sidewalks, parks, and even the city benches lining the streets. In Modernism, nature was a huge element present in decorative motifs as well as present in the actual architectural structure of Gaudi's buildings. Below are some of Gaudi's masterpieces, but there are dozens of others throughout Barcelona to visit and experience. Casa Batllo I really enjoyed seeing Casa Batllo, which is situated on a main street in the heart of Barcelona. Mosaic is everywhere. The Chimneys of the building are works of art. The roof is representational of a dragon's back. The exterior facade demonstrates Gaudi's expert use of texture and color. Below are some photos of the exterior of the building as well as the interior. The sidewalk tiles as shown in the photos below line the streets and feature an underwater, marine-life motif. Sagrada Familia Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is innovative and highly symbolic. The architect's objective was to explain the teachings of the Church through sculpture and architecture. Following Gaudi's death, work on the Sagrada Familia continues to be carried out by collaborating architects and artists. The project is expected to be complete by 2026, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death. The stained glass windows were perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of the Sagrada Familia. The colors were so vivid and bright.  Gaudi designed this streetlamp along with a few similar ones that are located throughout Barcelona. Park Guell Park Guell is another one of Gaudi's masterpieces. It was build between 1900 and 1914. It was opened as a public park where Gaudi let his imagination run wild with his incredible use of mosaics throughout the park. Below are some photos of Park Guell. The mosaic work is unbelievable and reminds me very much of the mosaic illusion that I paint in many of my own paintings. La Pedrera La Pedrera is also known as Casa Mila. It was completed in 1912 as an apartment building. There are curved walls that seemingly defy the laws of gravity. The rooftop is amazing at night and includes all of Gaudi's architectural trademarks. Bricks in the attic create arched ceilings and are uniquely used using the log side of the brick, which also features the brick-maker's fingerprints. There are terrific wrought iron balconies and exquisite ceramic mosaics. I highly recommend visiting La Pedrera by booking a night tour, which includes a full tour of the building and a surreal visual light display on the rooftop under the stars, followed by a champagne toast and cookies! Although my time in Barcelona didn't permit me to visit the Palau Guell, I should mention that it is an excellent example of one of Antonio Gaudi's early architectural masterpieces. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a magnificent example of domestic architecture in the context of Art Nouveau and one of the first important commissions Gaudi received at the start of his career. It is located just steps away from La Rambla, not far from La Boqueria. Part 2: Barcelona's Art Museums and Fine Art A Guide to Visiting Barcelona's Museums: If you plan to visit Barcelona, I highly recommend purchasing the Barcelona Museum Pass, also known as an art passport from ArtTicket BCN, which will give you access to six Barcelona museums, including the ability to skip the lines. The Passport give you access to the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso), the Joan Miro Museum (Fundacio Joan Miro), the National Museum of Art of Catalunya (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), the Antoni Tapies Museum (Fundacio Antoni Tapies), the CCCB, and the MACBA. I purchased the passport online (for 30 Euros), and simply showed the ticket to the first museum I visited to receive the passport. The passport is stamped upon entry at each museum. To learn more about the ArtTicket BCN, check out their website: http://articketbcn.org/en/barcelona-museum-pass. I should also mention that it is very important to check the hours of each of the museums as they vary significantly. Most museums, with a few exceptions, are closed on Mondays. Also, all city museums are free at last one afternoon per month, so be sure to check the websites in advance for hours and special exhibition dates. If you're interested in contemporary art, check out this website that provides a network devoted to contemporary art in Barcelona: http://www.artbarcelona.es/circuit/en/. Picasso Museum in Barcelona The Museu Picasso of Barcelona is a wonderful center documenting Pablo Picasso's early years of apprenticeship. With over 4,000 works of art in its permanent collection, you'll see why this museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Barcelona. The Picasso Museum highlights the artist’s relationship with the city of Barcelona. I learned that Pablo Picasso's father was a teacher at the San Telmo Fine Art and Crafts School. and had an important influence on Picasso's future career as an artist, who demonstrated a strong interest in art from a very young age. There are some drawings and small panels in oil that give an idea of his efforts to give his own creativity free rein and explore new techniques by taking in his immediate environment. In Barcelona, Pablo Picasso continued his art education at the La Llotja Fine Art School. The photos here show his artwork featuring Barceloneta Beach and two ports. After taking these photos, I learned that photos were not allowed, so unfortunately, I do not have photos showing the rest of the museum. This Picasso museum focused on his earlier works, and very few on display were "well-known Picasso masterpieces." The museum highlighted Picasso's creative process of some of his work of his Blue Period. Some of the highlights of the museum included Las Meninas Series. This was a series of paintings based on the Velazquez painting Las Meninas. For more information, please visit www.museupicasso.bcn.cat.   Fundacio Joan Miro The Joan Miro Museum (Fundacio Joan Miro) is located in the Montjuic area of Barcelona and houses the work of Joan Miro as well as temporary exhibitions of 20th and 21st Century art. The collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings displayed at the museum is one of the most comprehensive collections representing every stage of Miro's career as an artist. There are paintings related to Surrealism and works based on the Spanish Civil War. Miro's work on large canvases in the late 1970s onward demonstrate his use of large color fields and painting with free gesture. For more information, please visit www.fmirobcn.org.    Alexander Calder donated the Font de Mercuri (The Mercury Fountain) to the museum to symbolize his friendship with Miro.
 Glass Blowing Artisans at Poble Espanyol Museums Further Afield from Barcelona: In the town of Girona, I visited the Museum of Jewish History. The goal of the Museum is to preserve the history of the Jewish communities of Catalunya. Art at this museum included various Jewish ritual objects. Be sure to visit if you are in Girona, which is not far from Figueres, where the Dali Museum is located.
 On of my favorite pieces was this one below entitled, "Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at a distance of 20 meters is transformed into the portrait of Abraham Lincoln (Homage to Rothko).” Gala was his wife and muse for many years. 
The exterior of the museum is a work of art as well. Statues with loaves of bread on their heads. Inside the museum in the open air courtyard is a spectacular and wild work of art called, "Rainy Taxi". If you put a Euro in the slot located at the base of the artwork, it will rain inside the taxi, and an umbrella will open up on top of the artwork!
The museum includes paintings by Old Masters with works from the 13th Century to the 18th Century. The largest section of the museum is devoted to works from the 19th and 20th Centuries and includes a wonderful selection of Catalan painting and sculpture of the Modern period. I was very impressed with their collection of paintings by the great masters of French and international impressionism (Degas, Sisley, Monet, Pisarro, Sargent, etc.). Picasso and Dali, avant-garde artists are also well represented!   Santiago Rusinol
 Salvadore Dali, Composition With Three Figures, Neocubist Academy, 1926  Sean Scully Part 3: Barcelona's Public Art The streets of Barcelona are filled with art by world renowned artists. Below are just a few of these that I came across on my artistic journey.  The sculpture "Barcino." Barcino is the Roman name of Barcelona. The sculpture is by Joan Brossa, located in the Plaza Nova de Barcelona, opposite the Palau Episcopal.  A mural by Picasso located in the Plaza Nova de Barcelona.  Beautiful sculpture located right on the beach in Barceloneta  Roy Lichtenstein's Head of Barcelona, (El Cap de Barcelona), 1991–1992
PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Napa Valley, California Park City, Utah Caribbean Art
For more information about this tour, please visit: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/walking-tours/manhattan-street-art-tour/ The area of SoHo in Lower Manhattan was started as a result of imminent domain. Artists squatted in the old, run-down buildings in SoHo. It was the artists who made SoHo great. After the artists came, DJs arrived, parties took place, and the changing culture in the 1980s and the burgeoning fashion scene helped shape SoHo into what it is today. Graffiti is about messages. A lot of street art I saw used cognitive dissonance to make a statement. Cognitive dissonance is when the artist challenges you to think about something. The artist makes you wonder what their message is all about. The artist, Kai, uses this technique in “Save Urself”. Whereas, on the other end of the spectrum, the art used in advertising and marketing ads, the message needs to be crystal clear. I learned about the term “Artivism,” meaning Art-Activism. Using a social, environmental, or political message in street art. Kai uses Artivism. One of his works is near 52 Spring St. called “Save Urself.” I learned that this is a mold that is made and is just slapped on with adhesive on a brick wall. Check out his website: http://kaiart.com/. Here are some other images of Kai's other artwork that I came across on the tour and later throughout the day! If you look at each piece closely, and give it some thought, you will discover his very clear message about society in general.
Some of the art was political in nature, like this one. But there is street art that is done with the building-owner’s permission. Another unique part of street art is the language used. People would describe how their fellow street artist friends create their art fast, incognito, and without being discovered. They’d say “You Bomb it.”, “You'd hit it.”, or “You'd strike it.” A lot of the street art was created somewhere else and then put up in a matter of seconds with adhesive, or wheat paste. Artists would also have “Style Wars”; Who can do this the biggest, the best, etc. Some artists get permission to post their art, while others do not. I learned that the artist who created "Man on Floor" was arrested for creating this. Many artists are looking to have freedom of expression.
Shepard Fairey’s large OBEY mural below. Fairey is also known to have done the famous Obama Hope election poster of President Barack Obama. To learn more about Shepard Fairey, check out his website: https://obeygiant.com/.   What’s known as the “Keith Haring Wall”, was later turned into the Houston Bowery Foundation in the 1990s, with developer Tony Goldman involved in developing SoHo. Keith Haring made the wall infamous by painting an original mural as a gift to the community in the late 1970's. With ownership of the wall, the Goldman family felt a sense of responsibility to bring art and beauty to the public on a grand scale. On a rolling basis, the wall continues to feature the work of established and emerging street artists. The mural located in that spot during my visit was from the artist, Logan Hicks. It was a huge mural created using stencils, with 6 layers of cutouts. I learned it took 2 weeks to do the painting onsite with about 600 hours of preparation. Check out his website: http://workhorsevisuals.com/new  “Audrey on Mulberry” (Audrew Hepburn) by Tristan Eaton was commissioned by an organization called the LISA Project [see below for more info on the Lisa Project]. Check out Triston Eaton's website: http://tristaneaton.com/  The Vandal was painted by the artist, Nick Walker. http://www.theartofnickwalker.com/ This mural is part of his number series. The British artist, Nick Walker, was one of the first of the British graffiti artists. He’s a stencil artist who uses the free-ness of graffiti coupled with beautiful and intricate stenciling. Here is a photo of the mural as well as a photo showing the detail.
Many artists look to create art at a location what they legally have permission to paint. Little Italy has a nonprofit Street Art Association called The LISA Project. The LISA project is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that brings together a diverse group of street artists to Little Italy creating Manhattan's first and only mural district. For more information as well as links to many of NYC Street Artists, please visit: http://www.lisaprojectnyc.org/. Centre-fuge transforms construction-sites, transitional spaces, and structures in under-appreciated neighborhoods into outdoor gallery spaces in New York City and also in Miami. First Street Green Art Park: Since 2008, First Street Green has converted a derelict building lot at 33 E. 1st Street in Manhattan into an open art space.
To learn more, I highly encourage you to take the Free Manhattan Street Art Walking Tour By Foot. It was a fantastic way to spend 2 hours in New York City. As I walked the streets later that day, at nearly every corner and also in-between, I found new artwork, and began to see more street art of some of my favorite street artists.
As an artist myself, it's fascinating to experience this type of art and understand its context in the New York Art Scene and on the World Art Scene. Many of these artists have made a name for themselves, been invited to participate in Museum shows, secured gallery representation, and/or have become successful in the art world. The Piano I created this past summer gave me a sense of putting art out in the public realm for all to see and experience. Walking through this area reinvigorated me and I hope to find public art projects to be involved with in the future. In addition to the tour, you can learn more about NYC Street Art at the website: Streetsmartguide.org or http://www.3rdculturecreative.com/. The 3rd Culture Creative also has a great list of bios on many of the street artists: http://www.3rdculturecreative.com/art-street-artists-bios.html.
I wanted to create a piano for Street Pianos Boston because I love Boston and I love public art. I believe there are incredible opportunities to use art to represent Boston as one of the world’s best cities; a city that has a vibrant and thriving arts community that adds to the inherent value of everyone living here or visiting Boston. The Play Me I'm Yours Street Pianos exhibit is something I've admired since I first saw it a few years ago in 2013. When I first heard that "Play Me, I'm Yours" was coming back to Boston, I was very excited about the opportunity to paint a piano for this project. My artistic style is about fun, bright colors, using the illusion of mosaic tiles, and bold lines, and I believed that my art would complement the exhibit really well, drawing people to the pianos and interacting with them on the streets of Boston. It was a real honor to have been selected to be a participating artist. I was excited about Street Pianos Boston because it would be my first public art project. My art is loved by people who have my art in their homes, but I also believe that my art has a place in the public realm; my style lends itself for large murals, even sculpture, in public places as well as in corporate office settings. I'd love to do more in the public realm so that art can be accessible to everyone. Being part of the Celebrity Series of Boston Street Pianos exhibit was particularly meaningful to me because I realized how much I enjoy the process of creating public art and am excited about the possibilities for other terrific public-domain art projects in the future.
More videos of the Piano being played can be found on the Eddie Bruckner Fine Art YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCamBWngXFOwL9AZhBjoy24A And more photos and videos can be found on the Street Pianos website: www.StreetPianos.com Look for Downtown Boston: City Hall Plaza. The hashtag for the project is #streetpianosboston if you'd like to follow it on social media. I am very proud that my painting/piano added value to this city-wide, public art and performing arts exhibit. It was really special to see Bostonians, visitors, and tourists enjoy playing all the pianos that were created for this wonderful project. The piano will be at Boston City Hall Plaza through October 10, 2016.   I recently returned from a quick 2-day trip to New York City. The first day was primarily focused on a new movie I am working on (currently looking for investors for the film) called “Dan & Carla.” We had a spectacular table reading of the script with the actors along with a number of friends and interested parties of the film. After the reading, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Jack Pierson, a longtime family friend of the film’s director. Jack Pierson is an incredible artist who works with a variety of different mediums, including sculpture, photography, video, and is best known for his word signage installations. His artwork is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, just to name a few. (See below for more about his two incredible pieces that were on view at the Whitney Museum.) Here’s some information about the film for those interested: It is a modern-day romantic comedy about two young NYC lovebirds who try to salvage their troubled relationship: Dan & Carla, two lovers from opposite sides of the subway tracks, are forced to confront the issues of romance, commitment, betrayal and sexual (dis)orientation.” For more information: www.Facebook.com/danandcarlathemovie http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4324704/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
There is SO MUCH ART in New York City! There were three pieces of public art that I had the pleasure of seeing on this trip. Here is a photo of Robert Indiana’s HOPE Sculpture located on the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street. A couple months ago, I wrote in my blog about Robert Indian’s LOVE Sculpture in Scottsdale, Arizona. This HOPE Sculpture is also only a few short blocks away from the LOVE Sculpture in New York City 55th and Avenue of the Americas/6th Ave. I’ve learned that each year on the artist’s birthday, September 13, Robert Indiana HOPE sculptures will be installed and displayed in locations throughout the world. The HOPE sculptures celebrate the message of hope and fulfill the artist’s vision of a more promising future for us all. Another public sculpture, located just outside of Penn Station and Madison Square Garden (7th Avenue and 33rd St.) is Roy Lichtenstein’s “Brushstroke Group.” And the last public art sculpture that I got to see was Elmgreen & Dragset’s “Van Gogh’s Ear” located in Rockefeller Center. It’s basically a huge swimming pool stood upright. I really liked how misplaced it looked, especially in such a dense area, with a huge amount of foot-traffic, in contrast to a large swimming pool, typically seen in a less congested area. This is a temporary installation, so be sure to see it before June 3rd! I started the second day of my trip at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The new Whitney’s architecture is spectacular inside and out. And the artwork within the walls of the Whitney is very special. On the Sixth and Seventh Floors of the museum, I experienced the exhibit, "Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney's Collection." It made me rethink my own internal definition of the word "Portrait." The exhibit demonstrated the way portraiture has changed from the early 1900s to present day. When you think about it, the whole concept of portraiture has changed over time. The painting of portraits was once reserved for the elite, and those who could afford such a luxury, yet with the rise of photography, everything has changed. With the iPhone and other smartphones and with the influence of social media, the "selfie" is almost a new form of portraiture. Whatever the form, portraits get to the very essence of who we are as people and our place in the world.
Chuck Close, is very well known for his huge, floor to ceiling, portraits best viewed first from afar, and then up close (excuse the pun). This is his work titled "Lyle" and I've included a few views for you to see the genius behind his artwork.
And Jack Pierson, who I had the pleasure of meeting the night before, had two of his many works that are part of the Whitney's permanent collection, on display. One a self-portrait, "Self Portrait #4", 2003, and the other called, "Jerry in the Dressing Room", 1993.
I also saw some impressive works of art from some artists that I haven't been exposed to before. The painting shown here is one from the artist, Howard Kanovitz, called "New Yorkers 1". It's a very large painting and I found it to be very striking. I especially liked seeing the use of pencil within the painting as shown in this close-up photo.
There is a beautiful outdoor space with stairs leading to other levels and views of the surrounding cityscape and the new, NYC treasure, the High Line. If you plan to visit the Whitney Museum, you could also walk on the High Line either before or after what is sure to be an incredible art experience at the Whitney! After the Whitney, I visited the Chelsea Market where I stumbled across a wonderful ID Pop Shop that featured apparel, accessories, Jewelry, and art. www.Idpopshop.com I then proceeded on my quest to visit some of the Chelsea galleries that feature modern and contemporary art. Some galleries were focused on established artists and artists who are well-known to the general populace and others showcased emerging artists. I walked my feet off and ended up visiting about two dozen difference art galleries in Chelsea. I'll share some of my favorites here: One of the galleries that I really enjoyed visiting in Chelsea was Jim Kempner Fine Art. http://jimkempnerfineart.com/ It was at this gallery that I was introduced to an artist named Greg Parker. His artwork features a unique process that results in an unbelievably cool work of art. He starts with a wood panel that is covered with up to 20 layers of polished gesso, thin layers of powdered pigment and graphite that is applied in progressive steps within mathematical systems. Kind of looks like metal or wood but the end result is a subdued reflective surface that is solid at nature. At the Bryce Wolkowitz gallery, http://brycewolkowitz.com located at 505 W. 24th St., I saw a truly unique exhibit of multimedia sculptures and video installations from the artist, Yorgo Alexopoulos, I have learned that he films the 4K video, makes use of a translucent LCD video screens, robots, 3-D printers, motorized dollies, and multiple cameras simultaneously shooting time lapse photography. The piece that I found most compelling was one titled "First Time On The Moon,” which is comprised of the digital animation on a high definition translucent LCD display, aluminum and patina steel, glass, and custom electronics. The subject matter is the moon with the earth hovering in the distance in space. The Berry Campbell Gallery www.berrycampbell.com presented the work of the artist Stanley Boxer, a Massachusetts born artist known for his thickly painted abstract works of art. I visited the new Lisson Gallery at 504 W. 24th St. lissongallery.com It was a brand-new exhibit that opened just this past week, featuring the artwork of Carmen Herrera. I learned that she has been painting for almost 80 years in her Manhattan studio. She's perhaps the oldest living artist I've seen on my venture; she will celebrate her 101st birthday later this month and will be honored with a survey exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in September 2016. The exhibit at the Lisson Gallery represents a new body of work produced in the last two years. The paintings exhibited were primarily acrylic on large-scale canvases. They almost had an Ellsworth Kelly kind of feel to them, in terms of the colors used in a very minimalist way. At 138 10th Ave., I visited Lori Bookstein Fine Art. www.loribooksteinfineart.com There were a few artists represented in this gallery exhibit, but one stuck out to me, an artist named Diana Horowitz. The exhibition featured a series of small paintings depicting the landscape of and around Lake Como, Italy. She painted on en plain air and each of the small 5" x 7" or smaller canvases had subdued tones and colors capturing the light across the landscapes. One of the most unusual, yet fascinating exhibits that I saw was at the Lions Wier Gallery at 542 W. 24th St. www.lyonswiergallery.com The gallery featured the pop artist, Jae Yong Kim in the exhibit titled "Pop Goes The Donut". The walls of the gallery were lined with ceramic, glazed donuts, many featuring Swarovski crystals, gold, and other mixed media. At the Cheim & Read Gallery, a brand new exhibit features the work of Spanish artist, Juan Uslé. Jack Pierson has shown his work at this gallery in the past. Many of the works were in excess of 9 feet in height. I learned that the short, broad brushstrokes comprising the bands in his paintings are based on the artist's pulse, similar to a cardiogram. www.cheimread.com The Agora Gallery at 530 W. 25th St. focuses on emerging artists, and I recommend checking this gallery out for emerging talent! www.Agora-Gallery.com The Rush Arts Gallery (Rush Philanthropic Foundation www.rushphilanthropic.org) at 520 W. 26th St. featured an exhibit called “Medium: Black.” The Rush Philanthropic Foundation is a non-profit founded in 1995 by media mogul Russell Simmons and his brothers and is committed to bettering the lives of under-served city youth through exposure to the arts and to provide professional support for emerging artists and curators. The group show featured artists that all use the color black. One of the pieces of artwork that I found most fascinating in this gallery was the work of Charlotte Becket who used a motor within the artwork, giving the artwork almost an organic or living feeling to it. The Tagliatella Galleries featured some originals and prints from some of the more well-known contemporary artists like Alex Katz, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Mr. Brainwash, Bansky, Kaws, Damian Hirst, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, etc. http://www.taglialatellagalleries.com/ Another well-known and established gallery, The Pace Gallery, featured David Hockney prints entitled, “The Yosemite Suite”. http://www.pacegallery.com/ The Robert Miller Gallery on 26th St featured the work of Lee Krasner. http://www.robertmillergallery.com/ And the Mitchell-Innes and Nash Gallery featured the incredible work of Tom Wesselmann. http://www.miandn.com/
Before heading back to Boston, my final stop was the Fashion Institute of Technology where I was able to see a wonderful exhibit on the history of denim. When you think about fashion, denim is one of the many materials out there that really stands out and has lasted for hundreds of years. Denim may even be the most popular fabric in the world today. The exhibit entitled: “Denim: Fashion’s Frontier” showed the evolution of denim. The exhibit takes you from the very earliest use of denim all the way to present day, highlighting the milestones denim has had impacting the fashion world. In its last days, this exhibit will be followed by an exhibit on May 20th, entitled “Uniformity,” which will explore the history behind a variety of uniforms (military, work, school, and sports), considering both their social role and their influence on high fashion. The Museum at FIT is located at 7th Avenue at 27th St. http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/ I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and my reflections on the art I've seen. Please check out the websites of these galleries for more information and for current exhibition dates! PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Napa Valley, California Park City, Utah Barcelona, Spain Caribbean Art  I recently returned from a trip to Phoenix, Arizona. While there, I experienced some really terrific art in the Phoenix area, Scottsdale, and in Sedona. The beautiful photo above was taken on my iPhone in Sedona--Beautiful Place!!! In this blog article, I want to share some of my experiences and photos. I was very pleasantly surprised to see so many pieces of public art sculpture around Scottsdale. I'm including a number of the photos. Scottsdale Public Art has earned a glowing reputation for offering cutting-edge artworks from both local and internationally-acclaimed artists that are interactive, conceptual, and awe-inspiring. For information about Scottsdale Arizona’s public art, visit the following website: http://www.scottsdalepublicart.org/ The website has a wealth of information about Scottsdale’s permanent and temporary public art. Scottsdale also has some great chips and salsa! But that’s for another blog…
The Scottsdale fine art galleries house works spanning from classic to contemporary, geographically or philosophically aligned with the Scottsdale Arts District. I visited the arts District in Scottsdale last Thursday for the Art Walk, which is held every Thursday night from 7-9 pm. I learned that the Art Walk has been one of Scottsdale's greatest cultural traditions where the galleries stay open late every Thursday night for gallery receptions, live music, and artist demonstrations. For more information, visit www.Scottsdalegalleries.com. There were a few galleries that I found to be particularly interesting. One of my favorite exhibits during my time in Scottsdale was a show of new works from the artists Dave Newman, called “American Pop Revisited” at the Xanadu Gallery on Main St. in Old Town Scottsdale. Dave Newman’s pop art features iconic images of the US Dollar, Route 66, and the image of John F. Kennedy. I would definitely recommend visiting the Xanadu Gallery while in Scottsdale! www.xanadugallery.com http://davenewmanart.com/
Later in the week, I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens for a special evening exhibit called Bruce Munro Sonoran Light at the Desert Botanical Garden, which showcased eight large scale light-based installations. It used an inventive array of materials and hundreds of miles of glowing fiber optics. Bruce Monroe's site-specific exhibition reflected his personal interpretation of the Sonoran Desert using mixed materials and light, glass, water bottles, acrylics, and pottery. As the sun goes down, the lights come up. It was wonderful to explore eight large scale light installations that use hundreds of miles of glowing fiber optic lights. Located throughout the garden, British artist Bruce Munro’s site-specific exhibition reflects his personal interpretation of the Sonoran Desert. He even lights up the mountain behind it! If you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it. Although the Desert Botanical Garden is open year-round, the installation from Bruce Munro goes until May 8, 2016 in the evening hours. Here are some photos of the Sonoran Light exhibit.
I also had the opportunity to visit Taliesin West, the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio in Arizona. Set on 600 acres in the foothills of North East Scottsdale, we had a terrific guided tour of the buildings, its terraces, walkways, and unique structures, seeing amazing cantilevered roofs, canvas ceilings, and tiny personal rooms in contrast with large sweeping communal spaces. Frank Lloyd Wright challenged his apprentices to live in desert shelters of their own creation as a lesson in sight appropriate construction. In fact, it’s still a requirement of the program! I was completely blown away by how beautiful the architecture was of Taliesin West, and how the site still operates as a school of architecture. The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture is still in existence today with about 20 students living and working there in the winter. Here are some photographs of the architecture. For more information, visit: zerve.com/TaliesinWest
I also visited the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and saw a special exhibition that brought the violin to life as never before. The exhibit was called, “Stradivarius: Origins and Legacy of the Greatest Violin Maker”. As part of the exhibit, there was one video that highlighted the artistry in the making of a violin. It showed how the violin makers inlay the wood, create patterns, sculpted the wood, and used staining and coloring techniques to decorate the violin turning it into a unique work of art. In Sedona, Arizona, the red rocks are so incredibly amazing, one can easily understand why it has inspired so many artists to paint spectacular pieces of art of the desert, the red rocks, and the Sedona mountain range. Sedona’s natural beauty serves as a magnet for artists, art lovers, and art collectors and has grown into a world-class arts destination. I was amazed with the diversity of art in all of the galleries I visited; some with art from famous artists like Alexander Calder, Joan Miro, Warhol, etc. and some amazing local artists as well. On the first Friday of each month from 5-8 pm, Sedona’s art galleries host openings and art demonstrations. The Sedona Arts Center offers art instruction year-round as well as hosts art events such as the annual Sedona Plein Air Festival and the Sedona PhotoFest. Visit www.SedonaArtsCenter.org for more information. The Sedona Arts Festival is held every October: www.SedonaArtsFestival.org On my visit, I took an adventurous jeep ride through the mountains giving me the opportunity to take many breathtaking photos, which perhaps may inspire me as I create new paintings in the coming months. Stay tuned! I have a few ideas that I’m excited about, and will continue to update this art blog as well as my Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram accounts with my creative artwork. Be sure to follow me on all these social media platforms and tell your friends! Overall, my visit to Arizona was made even more spectacular by all the amazing art! I look forward to your comments on my blog and ideas for other places to visit with a vibrant art scene! PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine Los Angeles, California New York City New York City Street Art Napa Valley, California Park City, Utah Barcelona, Spain Caribbean Art
Saturday night, thousands of people crowded the streets to have a great night out and enjoy the Miami Art Scene. All the galleries are open to the public, showing both well-known and emerging artists. I saw some amazing artwork and some not-so-amazing artwork. The whole evening was a totally unique experience. It was an art festival, a music event, a food event, a dance party, a social scene, and a whole lot of fun! It's like nothing else I’ve seen in my travels. Check out http://www.wynwoodmiami.com It was fascinating to enter one art gallery that was featuring emerging artists and then walk into the next door and see well established artists and their highly valued art, such as Botero’s sculptures and paintings, and Victor Vasarely’s captivating optical art paintings. I visited the artist, Peter Tunney’s gallery space, called the Peter Tunney Experience. Peter Tunney does some amazing artwork; He and his pop art became well known for his use of positive text as the central, graphic element in his work. Another artist took close-up photos of my eyes and printed it out for me; the experience of getting the photograph taken and being part of the art was exciting and new. What was special was that in the photo of my eyes, you can make out the image of the artist in the center of my pupils, taking the photo, capturing that exact moment in time. And I think that it was this personal connection to the artist that made this experience unique and the visual photograph a unique piece of art.  In addition to the many galleries, street merchants, and restaurants, the area also includes “Wynwood Walls.” The entire area is developed around murals. The street art is unlike anything I've ever seen. I learned that the Wynwood Walls were conceived by the renowned community revitalizer Tony Goldman. He transformed the warehouse district of Wynwood, and used the walls as giant canvases for amazing street art. I’ve learned that the Wynwood Walls program has seen over 50 artists representing 16 countries and have covered over 80,000 square feet of walls. My friend and I had a great time taking some great pictures with the painted walls all over the place, one after the next. I’ve included some photos from Saturday night and a video highlighting the high-energy and social nature of the event.
On a more serious note, I felt that the eclectic nature of the galleries, the diversity of the crowds and the mix of artists and artwork, the mix of young and old, Miami residents and tourists, etc., all blended together in a really perfect way. There is a wonderful diversity of the artwork, the gallery space, and the people that this area attracts. The Wynwood Art Disctrict has an incredible energy! If you’re ever in Miami, I highly recommend visiting the Wynwood area, and try to make it on one of the Second Saturday Art Walk Events. It’s a gritty, urban, and 100% unique area in Miami with excellent restaurants, galleries, shops and terrific people-watching. Oh, and by the way, I highly recommend Coyo Taco, which was delicious! |
