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The Hammer Museum

4/1/2018

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The Hammer Museum is a small but wonderful treasure of a museum located in Los Angeles near UCLA.  The museum has free admission and hosts lunchtime art talks and other programs on a regular basis.  The Hammer Museum is operated and partially funded by UCLA.  The collection includes historical artworks that reflect the personal interests of Armand Hammer, the founder of the museum. He collected art for most of his life and his collection is one of the best collections of representative artwork from 19th Century French Art, impressionism, pointillism, etc.  
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"Boulevard Montmartre, Mardi Gras," Oil on Canvas, 1897 by Camille Pissarro
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"Grape Pickers at Lunch," 1888, Oil on Canvas, by Pierre-Auguste Renior.
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"Bonjour Monsieur Gaughin" 1889, Oil on Canvas and Panel, by Paul Gaughin.
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"Study for In the Salon on the Rue des Moulins" 1894, Oil on Canvas, by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
I love this painting below by Vincent Van Gogh, not because I love the imagery, but because it really doesn't look like a typical painting by Vincent Van Gogh!  This painting, "Garden of the Rectory at Nuenen" was painted in 1885 in the Netherlands.  The browns and grays are vastly different from the vivid, bright colors we are used to seeing in his later paintings when he lived in the south of France.
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Below is one of Van Gogh's more typical painting style with all the beautiful colors and brushwork.  The painting, "Hospital at Saint-Remy" is oil on canvas and was painted in 1889.  It depicts the scenery at the institution in the south of France where Van Gogh was being treated for severe mental illness.  
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"The Sower" Oil on Canvas, 1888, by Vincent Van Gogh.
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"Boy Resting" Oil on Canvas, 1887, by Paul Cezanne.
The Hammer Museum also has other galleries dedicated to contemporary artists.  There was a really cool exhibit by the artist, Molly Lowe and another exhibit by the artist, Lawrence Abu Hamdan.  Abu Hamdan uses a series of overhead projectors that cast images that have been created with a visualization tool that architects use to map the leakages of sound throughout a structure.  The visuals are accompanied by audio that helps transform the research on a Syrian torture prison.  I enjoyed looking at the exhibit from a visual perspective, but after reading about the artwork's meaning, it really makes me question my thoughts on conceptual art. Below is a photo of the small room that housed the projectors.  
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Perhaps the most bizarre (in a  good way) exhibit was called "Stories of Almost Everyone" featured in the large exhibit hall .  It's a group exhibition of 40 artists that is about society's willingness to believe the stories that are conveyed by works of contemporary art.  It really hones in on conceptual art and how we look at material objects.  Below is a photo of the exhibit hall showing some of the artworks.   I'm including a YouTube video that was created by the Hammer Museum with Will Ferrell and Joel McHale, which is very funny and addresses the issues related to conceptual art head-on.  Art can be confusing and the fact that the Hammer Museum pokes fun at this, I think, is really bold.  "Stories of Almost Everyone" runs through May 6, 2018.  For more information about The Hammer Museum, check out their website:  https://hammer.ucla.edu/.
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Public Art Rocks The Sunset Strip

3/19/2018

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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.
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"The English Rocker" by artist Willard Snow.
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"China Cat" by Willard Snow Inspired by Jerry Garcia.
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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.
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Boston Voyager Magazine: Flashes & Strokes

3/17/2018

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This past week I learned that I was being featured in Boston Voyager Magazine in their article titled, "Flashes & Strokes: A Tale of Two Mediums."  The article celebrates artists working in both traditional and digital mediums.  You can view the article HERE!
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2018 Chinese New Year-The Year Of The Dog

2/23/2018

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Just a few days ago was the Chinese New Year and 2018 is the year of the dog according to the Chinese Zodiac.  Celebrations began on February 16th this year and last for 2 weeks.  I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, healthy, & prosperous Chinese New Year!

Personally, I was born in the year of the Tiger.  So maybe I'll paint a tiger one of these days... 

But in honor of the Year of the Dog, I'll post some of my recent dog paintings.  Dogs are honest and loyal friends to so many people.  And I think they are just cute, and fun, and represent love and happiness.  That's why I love painting dogs, and puppies! Here are the first two paintings I did of dogs back in 2016:
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"Look At You! Aren't You The Cutest Little Puppy In The Whole-Wide World; Original Painting & Limited Edition Prints Available For Purchase!
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"Woof Woof! Gotta Get My Bone" was sold just a few months ago!
I wrote a blog article after "Woof Woof! Gotta Get My Bone" was sold.  You can read it by clicking HERE. 

​I recently completed 2 really fun dog paintings, both original acrylic on canvas paintings, 18" x 18" each.  Here's a photo of each of them...
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Click on the Painting to view it in my online store!  Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous Chinese New Year 2018, The Year Of The Dog!

Which Puppy is your favorite?  Let me know in your comments below! And feel free to share this post on social media!
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-Eddie
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Boston Movie Premiere of Blood Circus

1/28/2018

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A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being invited to the movie premiere of the film, "Blood Circus."  It was a wonderful evening which featured a red carpet reception, celebrities, interviews, and a screening of the new film.  I really enjoyed the movie! It's a gritty fight action film featuring Tom Sizemore, Jamie Nocher, Kevin Nash, and Vincent Pastore.

For the Boston Premiere of Blood Circus, which will be held on February 8, 2018, the red carpet event will also feature a silent auction with signed movie posters and more!  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a wonderful charity called Donated Dental Services (DDS).  DDS provides free, comprehensive dental services to vulnerable populations, including the disabled, the elderly, and those who cannot get public aid.  This program operates through a volunteer network of over 15,000 dentists and since its inception in 1985, DDS has surpassed $330 Million in donated dental therapies and has impacted the lives of 117,000 people nationwide.

For the Boston Premiere, I created a new original acrylic painting for the silent auction.  The painting is 24" x 36" and was created specifically for this event.  The painting features the name and tagline of the movie in the same styling as on the official movie poster.  A photo of the movie poster is included here to the right.

The public is invited to attend the Boston Premiere of "Blood Circus" but seating is very limited and tickets need to be purchased in advance online.  CLICK HERE for more details about the event as well as to purchase tickets.  I hope to see you there and bid on my painting for a good cause!
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Metropolitan Museum of Art New York

1/10/2018

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Wishing all my friends and subscribers a Happy 2018! 

​At the end of 2017, I visited the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  I've been fortunate to have been to the Museum several times in the past, but I admit, it's been too many years since my last visit.  As a professional artist, it's important for me to draw inspiration from the many artists whom I admire, both from the past and from present day.  So, when I visit New York, I always make an effort to visit art museums, art galleries, and stumble upon public art installations.
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In recent years as you've read in my previous blog posts, I visited museums like the Whitney, the Guggenheim, MOMA, the Brooklyn Museum, the New Museum, the Jewish Museum, just to name a few.  I encourage you to look through the Categories Listing on the right side of this page and click on what interests you, whether it be museums, cities, or famous artists.
The Met has been in the news this past week because it was announced that its admission policy is changing, requiring visitors to pay for admission (the Museum has been pay-as-you-wish for over 50 years).  The new admission policy will go into effect on March 1, 2018.  Residents of New York State, and students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will remain pay-as-you-wish.  Children under 12 will remain free.  Be sure to check out their website for more information:  www.metmuseum.org

​I'd recommend purchasing your ticket(s) online and arriving to the Museum when it first opens.  You will wish you had more time for your visit if you don't! The line for admission seemed to span the entire length of the huge museum, but having purchased an advance ticket, I was able to walk in a separate door, check in, and head straight into the galleries.  Admission will get you into the Met Fifth Avenue, the Met Cloisters, as well as the new Met Breuer.
I didn't have the chance to visit the Met Cloisters and the Met Breuer.  My visit to the Metropolitan Museum of New York on Fifth Avenue was amazing.  First of all, it is massive.  I forgot just how large the museum is that is located on the Upper East Side on Fifth Avenue between East 80th and East 84th Streets. ​ This blog post covers my experience of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue, mainly what was on exhibit in their Modern & Contemporary Art galleries, 19th and Early 20th Century European Paintings and Sculpture, and some of their Asian Art collection.  There were also two special exhibitions going on that I'll include: One on the hugely talented artist David Hockney.  And the other on an artist that you may have heard of before, Michelangelo!  At the end of this blog, I'll include a few other artistic surprises outside of the Met I encountered on my trip to NYC.
I started in the Modern and Contemporary art section of the Museum, which spans from around 1900 through the 1950s. The photo here is a striking painting from artist, Georgia O'Keeffe.  In an earlier blog article, I posted a photo of O'Keeffe's painting of the Brooklyn Bridge. CLICK HERE TO VIEW.  Upon her relocation to New Mexico, her artistic interests changed from the buildings and bridges of New York City to the natural elements of New Mexico.  In this work of art, she isolates a single skull, highlighting its jagged edges, worn surfaces, and sun-bleached bone color.  The skulls and bones that she paints (this is one of may similar paintings she did while living in New Mexico) represent the desert's beauty.  In the painting here, she makes reference to the strength of the American spirit, with the red, white, and blue imagery.  
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"Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue" Oil on Canvas, 1931
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This Pablo Picasso painting shown here is called "The Dreamer" and was painted in 1932.  It features one of his lovers and muse and portrays a very sensual image.  I love how he uses simple forms to depict the woman's body using primary shapes.  I've included some close-up shots of the detail, including his iconic signature!
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Pablo Picasso, "Woman Asleep as a Table" Oil and Charcoal on Canvas, 1936
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Pablo Picasso, "Reading at a Table" Oil on Canvas, 1934.
This next photo, a painting by the Spanish artist, Joan Miro, is rather fascinating...  It is called "Photo: This is the Color of My Dreams" and was painted in 1925.  I write a lot about Joan Miro in my Blog that features the art of Barcelona.  I visited he Miro Museum last winter.  You can read more about the art of Barcelona as well as about my visit to the Miro Museum HERE.  This painting is one of a number of paintings in his series called "Painting-Poetry," which combines words and symbols to portray his interest in dreaming and the subconscious mind.  
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If you're ever in Barcelona, be sure to check out the Fundacio Joan Miro.  www.fmirobcn.org/en/

The painting also reminds me of Rene Magritte's painting, "The Treachery of Images" also known at "This is Not a Pipe" and features the French writing, "Ceci n'est pas une pipe".  I believe it is on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, so hopefully I can see it again on my next visit!

​This painting to the left by Joan Miro called "Circus house" is Tempera paint on canvas and belongs to a series of paintings related to dreams.  
This oil on canvas painting on the right is by a female artist named, Kay Sage, titled "Tomorrow is Never" and was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum  of Art because of her contribution to Surrealism in American art.  She painted landscape forms with dull and sad color-tones as a metaphor for the human mind and psychological states of existence.  I love the architectural feel of the painting, and it reminded me of a scene that one might see in a futuristic science-fiction movie!
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Max Beckman, "Beginning" Oil on Canvas, 1949.
In Marc Chagall's painting shown below, "Le Pont de Passy et la Tour Eiffel," painted in 1911, we experience a fascinating view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.  The important thing about this painting is its composition.  Chagall uses several converging diagonal lines: the bright red road, the orange cement wall, and the lines denoting the blue sky.  If you think about the time period of the painting, it's interesting to note how it depicts some of the modern changes to the city of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, the construction of the Pont de Passy Bridge and technologically modern train, electrical power-lines, and how it is juxtaposed alongside the element of the horses and wagon alluding to and earlier time in history.
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I love Stuart Davis' artwork.  He was influenced by the Cubist language of flat, overlapping planes and wedges and uses unique geometric shapes to create an abstract still life.  The painting shown here is called "Percolator" and depicts an old coffeepot that is both abstract and identifiable.
The Rockport, Massachusetts-themed painting below by Stuart Davis is called "Report from Rockport" and is oil on canvas.  I love all the colors, lines, and shapes that are depicted in this painting.  I've included  a detailed close-up shot as well.  This painting is representative of Davis' Color Space Theory, in which juxtapositions of colors are used to create the illusion of depth in artwork.
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Stuart Davis painted this in 1939 as a mural for Studio B WNYC at the Municipal Broadcasting Company. Oil on Canvas.
With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, painters like Fernand Leger incorporated streamlined forms and contours of assembly-line production into their artwork.   In the painting shown here, "Three Women by a Garden" painted by Fernand Leger in 1922, three generations of women are depicted. "Woman with a Cat" was painted in 1921.
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I love this painting shown here to the right by Rene Magritte called "The Eternally Obvious" created in 1948.  I learned that he first painted this nude portrait of his wife, which he later cut into sections and framed them separately, or reassembled them onto glass.
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I thought this was a very cool piece of artwork by artist, Jean Arp, shown above.  It's Oil on Wood Relief and is titled "Torso, Naval, Mustache-Flower." I think it's kind of bizarre in a cool way.
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Piet Mondrian is one of my favorite artists.  Here is one of his iconic paintings called, "Composition" completed in 1921.  It's an early example of the geometric style of painting that Mondrian called Neo-Plasticism, that emphasized planar relationships in painting, architecture, and design.  Many people who look at my own personal artwork sometimes comment that they see hints of a Mondrian influence in my artwork.  Here is Mondrian's painting at the Met, next to one of my paintings!
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Piet Mondrian, "Composition" Oil on Canvas, 1921.
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Eddie Bruckner, "Mosaic Color Grid Periphery" Acrylic on Canvas, 24" x 30", 2006. Click Image For More Information.
Mondrian used black lines to divide the canvas into rectangles that are sometimes painted in shades of blue and red, creating lighter hues by mixing primary colors with white.  Later on in his artistic process, Mondrian stopped creating these hues and used pure, primary colors.  In comparing his painting with mine, we each use an entirely different process to create our black lines and blocks of color.  If you notice, the black line at the bottom right of his painting doesn't quite reach the bottom.  To me, it detracts from the overall design.  Here are two other artists, whose works are hung alongside Mondrian's at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  
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Fritz Glarner, "Relational Painting Number 64" Oil on Canvas, 1953.
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Burgoyne Diller, "Second Theme" Oil on Canvas, 1938-40
I love Jackson Pollock's artwork!  The painting below is called "Number 28" and was painted in 1950.  His drip and pour paintings are widely recognized as his greatest achievement in art.  He used simple sticks or paint stirrers and enamel house paint, sometimes poured right from the can, spilling lines directly onto raw canvas spread on the floor.  What I love about his paintings are that the paint on the canvas we see is a record of the artist's creative process and his movement as he walked around all the sides of the canvas.
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Detail of "Number 28"
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Jackson Pollock, "Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)", Enamel on Canvas, 1950.
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Detail of "Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)".
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Franz Marc, "Fighting Cows" Oil on Canvas, 1911.
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Vasily Kandinsky, "Improvisation 27 (Garden of Love III)", Oil on Canvas, 1912.
One of the Special Exhibitions on display during my visit was "Michelangelo:  Divine Draftsman and Designer."  Michelangelo Buonarroti lived from 1475 to 1564 and is celebrated for his excellence of the power of drawing and invention that provided the foundation for all the arts.  His drawing skills, design, sculpture, painting, and architecture all combined to give him the reputation of "The Divine One" by his contemporaries.  The exhibition showed a range of over 200 works by the artist that was pulled together from 50 public and private collections across the United States and Europe.  The exhibit opened in November and is on view through February 12, 2018.  Below are just two of his incredible artworks I saw at the Met.  #MetMichelangelo
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During my visit there was a magnificent exhibit of the British artist David Hockney that showcases 60 years of his art career.  I highly recommend visiting this exhibit that is at the Met Fifth Avenue through February 25, 2018.  David Hockney's painting address translating movement, space, and time into a two dimensional painting.  Hockney is probably best known for depicting California swimming pools and backyards in the mid-1960s.  Many of his paintings are quite large, perhaps over 6 or 7 feet square.  I love how he uses Acrylic paint on canvas.
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David Hockney, "A Bigger Splash" Acrylic on Canvas, 1967.
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David Hockney, "Savings and Loan Building" Acrylic on Canvas, 1967.
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David Hockney, "Pool and Steps, Le Nid du Duc" Acrylic on Canvas, 1971.
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David Hockney, "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two figures)" Acrylic on Canvas, 1972.
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Hockney began to experiment with the iPad shortly after it came out and used an app for drawing to produce his first works of art in this new medium. Hockney used his iPad and put together this three-screen animation of his views through his bedroom window, 2010-2013. I've included a short video clip for you to experience it for yourself!
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This Limited Edition Lithograph of "Pushing Up" 1993 was for sale, unframed, for $14,500 in the gift shop at the end of the exhibit.
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Robert Motherwell, "Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 70" Oil on Canvas, 1961.
Alexander Calder created a series of moving sculptures called mobiles that he created in a diverse range of abstract configurations.  Shown here, is a free-moving wind mobile that is carefully balanced on a movable pivot point. I learned that he was inspired by the work of Joan Miro, and the similar shapes and forms can be observed in Calder's mobiles.  In the video below, you can see the kinetic nature of his mobile, "Mobile" created in 1941 from painted aluminum, steel, steel rod, and wire.
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Willem de Kooning, "Attic" Oil, Enamel, and Newspaper Transferred on Canvas, 1949.
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Mark Rothko, "No. 16" Oil on Canvas, 1960.
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Willem de Kooning, "Easter Monday" Oil and Newspaper Transfer on Canvas, 1955-56.
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Detail of: Willem de Kooning, "Easter Monday" Oil and Newspaper Transfer on Canvas, 1955-56.
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Morris Louis, "Untitled" Magna on Canvas, 1960.
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Detail of: Morris Louis, "Untitled" Magna on Canvas, 1960.
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Cy Twombly, "Untitled (Rome)" Oil Paint, Wax Crayon, and Graphite on Canvas, 1962.
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Detail of: Cy Twombly, "Untitled (Rome)" Oil Paint, Wax Crayon, and Graphite on Canvas, 1962. I love how he uses mixed media.
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Henri Matisse
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Edgar Degas
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Auguste Renoir
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Paul Cezanne
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I took this photo of this Pablo Picasso painting because it is titled, "At the Lapin Agile" painted in 1905. It was this painting that inspired Steve Martin's terrific play, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile"!
Here are some of Claude Monet's masterpieces...
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​Auguste Rodin's sculptures are simply incredible.

​If you're ever in Paris, the Rodin Museum is not to miss!
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Emanuel Leutze, "Washington Crossing the Delaware, Oil on Canvas, 1851. Depiction of George Washington and his men crossing the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to attack the Hessians.
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William Merritt Chase, "At The Seaside", Oil on Canvas, 1892.
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While it wassn't the focus of my visit to the Met, I did come across some very cool Asian art, such as this huge statue that towered from above. Also on view was Japanese Bamboo Art.  Bamboo has long been an integral part of the Japanese lifestyle and culture.  Bamboo is the fastest growing grass plant and was used in traditional architecture and to create objects such as flower baskets, fans, etc.  The exhibition featured more than 90 baskets and sculptures from the Abbey Collection, a private collection of bamboo artwork.
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And now for the Surprise...  Not at the met, I came across one of Ai Weiwei's latest temporary public art installations at the foot of Central Park.

Ai Weiwei’s citywide public art project "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors" was officially unveiled on October 12, 2017, and will remain for four months throughout New York Ciity. It includes major sculptural installations in Central Park, Washington Square Park, and smaller installations at some bus shelters and lamp-post banners.  The public art he created addressed the growing hostility towards immigrants, the refugee crisis, and the rise of nationalism world-wide. 
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Located at one of the main entrances to Central Park, Weiwei's "Gilded Cage" takes the concept of a fence and turns it into a large scale interactive object.
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And lastly, I came across these wonderful sculptures created by artist, Jaume Plensa, that are permanently installed at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near Grand Central Terminal.  I learned that these two huge sculptures are reminiscent of the Moai sculptures on Easter Island.
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Overall, my visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art was simply amazing.  I could have spent the entire day looking at all the art and taking photos of every piece of artwork, but I could only include these 6 dozen or so photos!  I wish I had the time to visit Met Cloisters and Met Breuer as well.  Well, reason for another visit!  I hope you enjoyed this blog and I welcome your comments!  Have a friend who would enjoy reading this blog?  Then please share it with them via email or social media!  You can click on the Facebook and Twitter buttons below!
PS: If you liked this article, you might like these other articles on my artistic travels:
Kennebunkport, Maine
Los Angeles, California
New York City Street Art
Napa Valley, California
Park City, Utah
Barcelona, Spain
Caribbean Art
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Artsy Shark Featured Artist-Eddie Bruckner

12/21/2017

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I'm pleased to announce that I was selected by Artsy Shark as their Featured Artist.  Below is the article and you can view it online using this link:

​https://www.artsyshark.com/2017/12/21/featured-artist-eddie-bruckner/

Being a Featured Artist is an incredible opportunity to have your artwork seen and shared widely.  ​The article is read by thousands of people who visit the Artsy Shark web-site.
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2017 Needham Winter Arts Festival

12/9/2017

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This weekend, I participated in a wonderful juried art festival in Needham, Massachusetts.  The 2017 Needham Winter Arts Festival was held at Town Hall and featured over 30 local artists exhibiting their work.   It was wonderful to be a part of this event which attracted hundreds of people (despite the first snowfall of the season) and featured musicians and singers performing holiday tunes onstage.  The event was made possible through support from the Town of Needham and the Massachusetts Cultural Council Festival Grant Program.

I decided to post this blog article because two paintings of mine found a new home!  The paintings, shown here, "Honey, I'm Home" and "Love Shines #2" were both sold and is now part of a private collection, bringing smiles to people residing in Wellesley, Massachusetts.  The "Honey, I'm Home!" painting is acrylic paint on canvas and is 18" x 24".  I was inspired to paint the house upon being invited to exhibit in a group show with the theme, "House."  Before being sold, the "Honey, I'm Home!" painting was exhibited at the Morse Public Library, in Natick, MA in October 2016. It was also exhibited at the Attleboro Arts Museum December 9, 2016-February 2, 2017.  I love this painting because of all the mosaic illusion elements, the representation of bushes, and how I used a broken line to indicate the front doorway.

​The second painting sold, "Love Shines #2" is a 10" x 10" acrylic on board painting with resin and ground glass. "Love Shines #2" was one of my most recent paintings completed within the past month!  This was one of my first few paintings that features my use of acrylic paint and ground glass with multiple layers of resin.  I love using hearts in my artwork to convey the emotion of love, passion, romance, and fun!  I really do feel that love does shine, and in the case of my artwork, it does too through the use of ground glass that reflects the sparkling light!

The accompanying painting, "Love Shines #1" is still available, and I'm glad that it received a lot of positive praise at the Arts Festival.  I'm currently working on another series of 10 paintings, all 10" x 10" with acrylic paint, ground glass, and resin. So stay tuned for more information on those paintings once I'm done with them in my studio.  They are going to be awesome and a LOT of FUN!  OMG!

I also sold out all my puzzles and blankets featuring my artwork as well as sold a lot of greeting cards, coasters, candles, limited edition prints, and notepads too!  The 2017 Needham Winter Arts Festival was a great and successful event!  I'm looking forward to participating in it again next year!

I'm thrilled that these paintings sold to folks who absolutely loved them and I hope that they will enjoy their original paintings for many years to come!

To see the painting sold last weekend and read the blog article: CLICK HERE!
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Woof Woof! Gotta Get My Bone

12/4/2017

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This past weekend, I was a visiting artist exhibiting my artwork at Gorse Mill Open Studios.  Gorse Mill Studios is located in a historic old mill building in Needham, MA, a suburb of Boston.  The building houses dozens of artists who create all types of artwork; from paintings to pottery, stained glass to mosaics, ceramics, jewelry, photography, illustration, encaustic, glass, performing arts, graphic design, and more! Gorse Mill Studios hosts openings, gallery shows, and art education programs throughout the year.  It was wonderful to be a part of their event.

I decided to post this blog article because one of my favorite paintings found a new home!  The painting, shown here, "Woof Woof! Gotta Get My Bone" was sold and is now bringing smiles to a new family!  The painting is acrylic paint on canvas and is 10" x 20".  I love this painting because of it's unusual size, the movement portrayed by the vertical lines of varying width, and how I incorporated mini-dog bones within the mosaic illusion part of the painting.  It always makes me laugh!  

Before being sold, this painting was exhibited at the Wellesley Community Center for the Wellesley Society of Artists Fall Show from September 2016-April 2017.  This is the painting that I used for the cover of my new 2018 Calendar that features the birthdays of dozens of famous artists. I also created a coffee mug of this painting too!  I'm thrilled that this painting sold to someone who shared with me how much he loved it and I know he and his family will enjoy it for many years to come!
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Illuminus Boston

11/4/2017

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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
Walkling back to the parking garage, I passed the "Obey Giant" by Shepard Fairey, which I had to take a photo of for all my street art loving fans!  Enjoy!
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Loving Vincent

10/25/2017

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I’ve been anxiously waiting to see the movie, "Loving Vincent" ever since I first started to hear about its production a few years ago.  It is the world's first fully-painted feature film.  I had the pleasure of seeing this incredible film today.
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Over 65,000 frames of the movie were painted by over a hundred artists on over 1,000 canvases. The movie was shot on film with professional actors, and was produced by later painting over each frame by frame. I learned that it took over 4 years to develop this technique.  Each frame of the movie is painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh and tell the story of Vincent van Gogh‘s life as an artist and his unfortunate death.
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Vincent van Gogh is perhaps one the most famous painters in the world with masterpieces such as Starry Night, his many self-portraits, Sunflowers, Café Terrace at Night, Wheatfield with Crows, and portraits of his friend, the Postman, Joseph Roulin.  Starry Night is one of my favorite paintings to see when in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art.

​From a visual perspective the film is absolutely stunning, spectacular, awe-inspiring, beautiful, and incredible. Almost every adjective that is positive and good could be attributed to this masterpiece of film animation.


We all have heard how Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear, delivered it to a brothel, and later shot himself dying two days later.  This movie explores Vincent van Gogh's life and career as an artist with an incredibly unique approach in this animated historic documentary.
​The famous Postman, Joseph Roulin, played by Chris O’Dowd was Vincent van Gogh's loyal friend. The film's story takes place a year after Vincent van Gogh‘s death and centers around Joseph Roulin's son seeking to deliver an unopened letter from Vincent van Gogh originally sent to his brother Theo that was returned as un-deliverable.  Joseph Roulin's son, Armand Roulin, portrayed by actor Douglas Booth, is sent to deliver the letter by hand to Vincent's brother, Theo, and find out what really happened to Vincent.  

​Through a series of flashbacks, we learn about Vincent‘s life and the mystery surrounding his death. The flashbacks were painted in black and white, and had a different look and feel to them, separate and distinct from the colorful Van Gogh-like paintings which moved as if they have a life of their own.
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The artists and director of the film really captured van Gogh's style, bringing it to life on film. The swirls in the sky and starry night opens the film it’s opening credits. Every detail was taken care of regarding the casting of light and shadow as people moved in front of the light and moved away from the light or moved closer to the light. In some scenes where there were lamps, you really could tell by the painters brushstrokes the glow of the fire that emanated from the lamp. And it was that glow that was also masterfully captured in the characters faces, clothing, etc.

The plot-line of the movie is certainly more of a historical documentary, featuring a variety of different flashbacks and characters re-counting their impressions of van Gogh and their interactions with Vincent van Gogh. From from all of these characters' subjective accounts of Vincent van Gogh‘s life and death, we learn, in aggregate, all about Vincent van Gogh.

At the end of the film, we see the closing credits, which featured photographs of the actors in costume in character beside actual photographs or paintings by Vincent van Gogh of those characters and the images that inspired the scenery, etc. For example, the Vincent van Gogh's paintings of Joseph Roulin, the Postman, of which there are several of them, those images were shown beside the actor's portrayal of that character.

It really is hard to believe that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. And it’s really hard to even fathom that he painted over 800 paintings in his eight year career as an artist.  I always wonder what wonderful artwork he would have produced for the world to experience and enjoy had he lived a longer life.

Even describing this film does not do it justice. You really do just have to see it for yourself. The film has already won several nominations and awards at various internationally acclaimed film festivals.  Anyone who appreciates Vincent van Gogh's artwork, or even Modern Art in general, needs to see this movie.  

I can’t recommend this movie more highly. The official trailer is posted below.  For more information about the movie, please visit the official website www.lovingvincent.com

Go see it!  And I welcome your comments below.
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Natick Pride & The Boston Marathon

10/23/2017

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It was such an incredible opportunity to paint one of Natick’s electrical boxes and add to the beauty and charm of the town of Natick.  My goal was to capture the spirit of the Town of Natick and the incredible pride people have in Natick’s stretch of the Boston Marathon Route.
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Video showing the making of Artist Eddie Bruckner's Public Art Installation of "Natick Pride & The Boston Marathon." Commissioned by the Natick Center Cultural District and the Public Art Committee and supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Completed in September 2017, the painted electrical box is located in Natick, MA, along the Boston Marathon Route.

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.
Video featuring the
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for
Artist Eddie Bruckner's
Public Art Installation of
"Natick Pride &
The Boston Marathon"

on Sunday, October 22, 2017.
Features remarks by
Athena Pandolf,
Executive Director

of the
​Natick Center Cultural District

​& Eddie Bruckner.
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:
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Art in Napa Valley

9/12/2017

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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:
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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.
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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.  
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Guermo en Inverno, by James Burnes, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Corten Steel, Locust.
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Treasures From The Sea, by LT Mustardseed, Los Angeles, CA; Found Bicycle Parts.
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Bogenbinder, by Mikey Kelly, Napa, California; Powder Coated Steel.
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Bone Totem, by Eileen Fitz-Faulkner; Concrete, Steel, Fiberglass, Ceramic, Concrete Stain.
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Color Molecules, by Helle Scharling-Todd; Powder Coated Steel and Glass.
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Detail of Bone Totem. The Mosaic reminded me of the mosaic illusion I create in my artwork.
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Detail of Color Molecules
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.  
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Retro Woman, by Gordon Huether; Mixed Media.
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The Immigrants, by Elizabeth S. Kadar, 1975; Tribute to the thousands of families who settled in Napa.
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The Hispanic Heritage Mural created to honor and celebrate past and contemporary advocate artists who promote social, cultural, and economic advances in Napa.
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Great Eye, by Peter Boiger, 1975.
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Cat Washing, by Norma Anderson, 1975.
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.
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Sound Barrier, by Matt Gil; Cement and Stucco
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Harmony, by P.J. Rogers
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48" Orange Sphere, by Ivan McLean; Powder Coated Stainless Steel.
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Trellis Way To the Sky, by Freeland Tanner; Carbon Steel.
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CT 17, by Richard Starks; CorTen Steel.
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Up We Go!, by Gordon Huether
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Fabric of Life, by Robert Pappas; Fused Glass and Aluminum.
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Marigold, by Troy Pillow; Steel.
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Bountiful, by Peter Hazel; Ceramic.
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Two Fish, by Peter Hazel; Ceramic Mosaic.
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.
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One of my other great discoveries was also in Yountville at the Yountville Community & Events Center.  There was a special exhibit in the Gallery at the Yountville Community Center of the artist, June Altamura, who is based in Napa.  I really liked the geometric feel of her abstract collage artwork as well as the vibrant and excellent color selections. I've included some photos here, but more information on June Altamura and her artwork can be found at:  www.JuneAltamura.com.
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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
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Worcester Street Art

9/11/2017

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I traveled to Worcester, MA as to deliver a painting of mine to the Davis Art Gallery.  I have an upcoming show at the Davis Art Gallery that I'm a part of called, "Nonobjective NOW: New England Artists Explore Abstraction.  I'm very excited to be included in this juried exhibit that features interpretations of nonobjective subject matter in a variety of 2D and 3D media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, photography, fiber arts, and design.  The Opening Reception will be on the 22nd of September from 5-7 pm and the exhibit runs through January 5, 2018.  The painting that I will exhibit is "Mosaic Color Grid: The Dance, Structure & Movement and is pictured here:
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It was such a beautiful day that I thought I'd take a stroll around the area, known as the Grid District.  The Davis Gallery is located within the Printers Building in the Grid District on Portland St.  Just outside the doorway were a few incredible pieces of street art.  The orange and blue one below is by an artist from Nepal who brings Sanskrit and graffiti art together.  Check out Instagram @imagine876. Across the street were two massive murals, show in the photo to the right and also separately below.  And down the street was this fun mural of a happy-face balloon!
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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.
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By Greg Mike
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Walking around, I even came across local artists displaying their artwork in the store windows in the area.  

If you have the chance to visit Worcester, I encourage you to take a walk around and see all the incredible works of art available for everyone to see!
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Art in Park City Utah and Sundance

8/17/2017

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I had the pleasure of visiting Utah this summer for just a few days.  On this trip, I didn't seek out art museums or plan to look for art.  But as usual, art finds me!  During my visit in Park City, I came across some wonderful art that I thought I would share with you in my blog.

Most of what I'll write about will be focused on the Main Street area of Park City.  This is the central area that is lined with terrific restaurants, cute shops, and dozens of wonderful art galleries.  I also came across some great public art and street art, which I always love seeing.
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Walking along Main Street, I stumbled upon some street art by Bansky.  This Bansky street art appeared during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.  I've included a close up photo showing the cracked glass, which gave it a very cool look.  
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!)
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This sculpture is dedicated to the accomplishments of those who mined the silver and lead ores found in the surrounding mountains. The sculpture is the work of Peter Fillerup of Midway, Utah.
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This photo shows a historic mechanical engineering landmark located along Main Street in Miner's Plaza--An Elmco Rocker Shovel Loader, which replaced human labor removing rubble from blasting in underground mines.
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This sculpture of Emmett "Bud" Wright acknowledges his contribution to the city repairing phone lines on his 10-foot long handmade skis. This sculpture is the work of Peter Fillerup.
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Cool Music-Themed Sculpture located in Miner's Plaza on Main Street.
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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.
There were a few galleries that I particularly liked, so if you're in Park City, be sure to check these out:
 
J-GO Gallery
401 Main St.
www.JGOgallery.com

Thomas Anthony Gallery
340 Main St.
www.thomasanthonygallery.com

Meyer Gallery
305 Main St.
www.meyergallery.com

Gallery MAR
438 Main St.
www.gallerymar.com

Trove Gallery
804 Main St.
www.troveparkcity.com
I really liked the Trove Gallery, which is located at the lower end of Main St.  In the planters located in front of the building that houses the Trove Gallery were these incredible kinetic sculptures from the artist, Lyman Whitaker.  More information on Lyman Whitaker can be found on the Trove Park City website: ​http://troveparkcity.com/artists/lyman-whitaker/

I've posted a short video of these sculptures, which have a wonderful look to them visually as they dance with the wind.  The Trove Gallery also had some incredible work from other spectacular artists they represent.  When in Park City, definitely check out Trove Gallery.
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!
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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
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Discovering Art In All Sorts of Unexpected Places in the Caribbean

7/25/2017

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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.
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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!
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This mosaic adorned the facade of a building in Old San Juan. Beautiful!
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Very cool mural!
In Curaçao, I visited The Curaçao Museum, pictured here to the right.  It was a small museum, but I really enjoyed my visit.  The outside is peppered with sculptural works, while the inside features artwork and unique objects representing the history and culture of Curaçao.
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This oil on linen painting is by the artist, Van Meegeren. He was a Dutch painter and art forger.
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This sculpture is by the artist Norva Sling. Sculpted in 1988 from white clay, "Seated figure" depicts a semi-abstract human figure in soft yet with dynamic forms. She is a Curaçao based, self-taught ceramic artist.
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"Straatbeeld" Oil on Linen by Curaçao artist Saida Hernandez
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"Dam di Salimja" Oil on Wood, 1974 by Curaçao artist Hipolito Ocalia. He is perhaps the most famous artist from the island of Curaçao.
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"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.
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The incredible detail of the above painting showing the use of thick paint and rich textures.
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"Seated Woman" Oil on Wood by Jose Marie Capricorne. His artwork shows vibrant color variations with symbolic elements from Curaçao life and culture.
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Glass Art by Bernadetta Octavia Van Eps-Schretlen
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"Figure" by Nel Simon, clay, 1988.
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.
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This large three dimensional clay mural was created by artist Frank Van Der Loo.
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Photo showing detail and the 3-D nature of this clay mural.
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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.
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"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
And even on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, "Adventure of the Seas" I found spectacular art lining the elevators, on the Royal Promenade, and the ships art gallery.  Here's a photo of me alongside "Walking Figure II" by Ernest Trova, made from polished stainless steel.  Trova's figure represents society's welcoming of technology and moving forward.  
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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
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The 2017 Venice Biennale

5/10/2017

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In just a few days, the Venice Biennale will begin!

La Biennale di Venezia is the oldest and most prestigious international exhibition of contemporary visual art in the world. Often referred to as the Olympics of the art world, the event dates back to 1895, when the first International Art Exhibition was organized. Since then, millions of visitors have been introduced to exciting new art every two years.  The 57th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (May 13-November 26, 2017) is directed by Christine Macel, Chief Curator at the Musée National d’Art Moderne – Centre Pompidou in Paris.

As a graduate of Brandeis University and a huge fan of the Rose Art Museum, I'm thrilled that the Rose Art Museum will present the work of Mark Bradford as the representative of the United States at this year's exhibition.

Bradford's installation, titled "Tomorrow is Another Day," (after the closing line from Gone With the Wind), comes from his longtime commitment to the inherently social nature of the material world we all inhabit, and includes a collaboration with the Venice-based nonprofit social cooperative, Rio Tera dei Pensieri.  In Venice, Bradford helped current and former prison inmates open a storefront where they sell cosmetics, tote bags that they create, and vegetables that they grow.  Proceeds go to the organization Rio Tera dei Pensieri, which helps former inmates find employment, housing, and healthcare.

Best known for his large-scale abstract paintings that examine the class-, race-, and gender-based economies that structure urban society in the United States, Bradford’s unique work represents a connection to the social world through physical materials. In his artwork, Mark Bradford uses fragments of found posters, billboards, newsprint, and custom-printed paper to engage with and advance the future of abstract painting.  Bradford has earned international renown for large paintings made by layering these fragments of posters, papers, and other materials on canvas—collages that he cuts, sands, and tears into fantastic abstract compositions.

So if you're in Venice, be sure to check out "Mark Bradford: Tomorrow is Another Day" at the United States Pavilion of the Venice Biennale.  And if you can't make it to Venice, don't worry!  Following its debut in Venice, "Mark Bradford: Tomorrow Is Another Day" will be on view here in the United States at The Baltimore Museum of Art from September 2018 through January 2019.

For More Information, please visit:  
https://www.markbradfordvenice2017.org/

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Matisse in the Studio and the MFA Boston

5/1/2017

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I had the pleasure of visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, which is always an incredible experience.  There are always new exhibits to see as well as a chance to see some of one's favorite works of art since visiting last.  

Henri Matisse, perhaps one of the most famous artists in the world, was the subject of a fascinating exhibit.  The "Matisse in the Studio" exhibit pushed the limits of how one experiences Matisse's work.  Having seen his artwork countless of times at museums all over the world, including visiting the Matisse Museum in the south of France, I've never quite have seen artwork presented in this unique format.

Henri Matisse was an artist who revolutionized 20th Century art.  This international exhibition examines the critical importance of the objects in Matisse's studio and how they influenced his creative process and finished artwork.

The exhibit has a number of thematic sections that each focus on different stages of his career as an artist. Matisse didn't limit his work to one medium like painting or sculpture, but also did many drawings, cut-outs, collages, prints, and more.  What makes this exhibit particularly fascinating is that the artwork is presented next to the objects that helped inspire Matisse's creativity and served as subject matter for much of his work.  Matisse found inspiration everywhere:  In sculpture, in a chocolate pot, textiles, furniture.
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In the painting here to the left, "Goldfish and Sculpture," Matisse presents  the bronze sculpture below of a quintessential feminine pose from the history of European sculpture.
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Below, the pewter jug served as inspiration for the painting below.  You can see how the curved lines of the jug, the waviness, are imitated in the lines of the background tapestry, the woman's robe, and the actual jug he painted as a vase of flowers.  As you can see in the close-up photos below, the wavy lines are not painted on, but Matisse rather scratched the paint off the surface of the canvas.  This reminds me of how I used this technique in some of my artwork.  You can see some of those paintings here and here.
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Show above is a table that appears in the painting to the left.  And below is a female torso Roman sculpture that Matisse used to create the "Formes, Plate IX" for the illustrated book "Jazz".  Matisse used cut paper as its own medium.  He also uses Guache paint on paper that he cut and pasted on canvas to create "Mimosa" and "Panel with Mask".  The movie, "A Model for Matisse" discussed the relationship between Matisse and his longtime friend and nun, Sister Jacques-Marie.  Their relationship began when she started working for him as his nurse, but later she often served as a model for Matisse's most famous artworks.  The nun also helped paint the paper that Matisse used for his cutouts.  The sister was instrumental in helping Matisse design the Vence Chapel (the Chapelle du Rosaire), one of his greatest accomplishments in his career as an artist.  The two large cutouts were designs for the robes that the priests were to wear while celebrating Catholic Mass.  
The "Matisse in the Studio" exhibit runs from April 9, 2017 to July 9, 2017.  For more information, please visit www.mfa.org.
Make Way for Ducklings
Another special, but smaller (one room) exhibit that runs through June 18, 2017 features the art of Robert McCloskey.  Anyone who has visited the Boston Public Garden or has read the beloved children's book set in Boston, "Make Way for Ducklings," knows Robert McCloskey's artwork quite well.  This unique and very "Boston" exhibit is a retrospective of his beautiful illustration work for "Make Way For Ducklings" as well as other famous children's books such as,  "Blueberries for Sal," "Time of Wonder," and many more. 

"Make Way For Ducklings" is a story about a family of ducks who stopped Boston traffic by making their way to the Public Garden.  Originally, McCloskey wanted to illustrate the book in color, as shown in the colored pencil draing below, however due to the high costs of color printing at the time, the editor chose to print the book with brown ink.

There is a beautiful bronze sculpture model on exhibit (Shown in the photo to the right).  Commissioned in 1985, artist Nancy Schon created the full-sized Make Way For Ducklings sculpture that has been delighting visitors of all ages at the entrance of the Boston Public Garden at the intersection of Charles St. and Beacon St.

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Art of the Americas. Level 3
Below is just a few snapshots I took during this visit to the MFA, some of my old favorites as well as some new favorites.  Below from are some wonderful photos of Piet Mondrian's work, "Composition with Blue, Yellow, and Red," Georgia O'Keefe's "White Rose with Larkspur No. 2," Joseph Stella's "Old Brooklyn Bridge" large, oil on canvas painting, Pablo Picasso's sculpture, and his "The Bull" series completed in 1945 and 1946.  

Also below are two of Jackson Pollock's incredible paintings, along with a close up shot of his drip-work, splattering, etc.  and lastly, I've included a piece by Charles Sheeler titled "On a Shaker Theme" and an incredible work of art by Stuart Davis, "Apples and Jug" where he takes the traditional still-life and transforms it into his modernist universe, with elements of cubism and even of advertising imagery.
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Charles Sheeler, "On a Shaker Theme" Oil on Canvas 1956
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Stuart Davis, "Apples and Jug" Oil on Composition Board, 1923
Contemporary Art
In the Contemporary Art galleries, two pieces struck me on this visit.  One is Carmen Herrera's, "Blanco y Verde (#1)", Acrylic on Canvas.  Originally from Havana, Cuba, Herrera studied painting in New York.  The simplicity of the forms here was really striking.  I love the exactness of her straight lines, and her minimal use of color.  We don't know if there is a background or a foreground, and we almost lose our-self within the painting completely.  Carmen Herrera recently had a retrospective exhibit of her work a the Whitney Museum of American Art a few months ago.
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Andy Warhol's beautiful and dark statement with his silkscreen on two canvas panels called, "Red Disaster."  I've included a close up, so the image that is reproduced multiple times on the right canvas panel is clear.  You will see that it is a photograph of an electric chair at New York's Sing Sing Prison, that was originally published in newspapers around the time of the Cold War and accusations of treason against people at that time.  His repetition is often accredited to his feeling that people spend their lives seeing things, but not really observing them.  ​
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Memory Unearthed:  The Lodz Ghetto Photographs of Henryk Ross
This powerful exhibit recently opened in March and will be on view through July 30, 2017.

“Memory Unearthed” is a very moving exhibit that provides a rare glimpse of life during the Holocaust.  Holocaust Survivor, Henryk Ross took this incredible display of photographs of life inside the Lodz Ghetto from 1940 to 1944.

Henryk Ross was confined to the Lodz ghetto in 1940 and enlisted by the Nazi regime as a bureaucratic photographer taking photos for Jewish identification cards, for propaganda materials, etc. Secretly, Henryk Ross documented the horrible living conditions and persecution of the Jews under the Nazis.   Ross his the photos and negatives before the last of the Jews were sent from the ghetto to the Auschwitz and Chelmno death camps. The photos seen in this exhibit survived because Ross buried the photos and negatives hoping to provide a historical record of the persecution of the Jews.
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All the photos were very powerful to see.  However, there was one piece of artwork that I found completely incredible and breathtaking from an artistic perspective.  I've included the photo below.  It is actually a modern print from an original 35mm negative, depicting Ghetto police escorting residents for deportation.  The image itself and the unfortunate and horrifying circumstances in the photo are very compelling.  But beyond the face value of what is happening in the photo, you can see that the negative is partially destroyed, burned, or deteriorating.  From one perspective, the visual piece of artwork is quite beautiful and striking.  And from another perspective, it is quite ugly, off-putting, sad, and even symbolic.  ​ This exhibit helps us Never Forget the horrors of the Holocaust and its victims of persecution and death.
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Overall, this was an incredible visit to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.  With every visit, there are new things to see, experience, learn, and explore.
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Barcelona Art

4/18/2017

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The art of Barcelona is in one word, spectacular.  I can't recall ever being on a 10 day vacation with every single day including fascinating art museums, unique architecture, and breathtaking public art.  With so much art to talk about in this blog article, I've structured it into 3 parts.
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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.  
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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.

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he 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.
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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.
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Alexander Calder donated the Font de Mercuri (The Mercury Fountain) to the museum to symbolize his friendship with Miro.
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) holds one of the most important medieval art collections in the world.  The museum is housed in the spectacular Palau Nacional building that provides an incredible view of the city and the Magic Fountain.  Be sure to see the Font Magica (The Magic Fountain) in action in the evenings with a spectacular music and light show!
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Contemporary Art Museum
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I enjoyed my visit to the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA).   There was an exhibit from the Catalan artist Antoni Miralda, called "Miralda Madeinusa," which reconstructs some of the important installations from the 1970s, during his stay in the United States. His work, "Breadline" from 1977 was recreated to show a wall of colored bread that was originally displayed at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston in 1977.  The exhibit brought attention to the food lines during the Great Depression. I've included some photos of the installation below.  

For more information, please visit www.macba.cat.
Fundacion Fran Daurel
Located within Poblo Espanyol is the Fundacion Fran Daurel, a small but wonderful museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art.  The museum was created in 2001 by the art collector, Francisco Daurella.  The museum was created to share his private art collection with the public.  Photography was not allowed within the museum, but wonderful works from Dali, Picasso, Miro, and more were on exhibit!  Although I didn't have time to explore, there is also a sculpture garden adjacent to the museum.  Although the museum is free to enter, there is an entrance fee to Poble Espanyol.  Poble Espanyol is a Spanish village attraction that recreates the streets of various geographic regions of Spain.  Its storefronts house local artisans, craftspeople, and a very fun-to-watch glass blowing workshop. 
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Jose-Luis Pascual
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Totem, by Jose-Luis Pascual
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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.
 Teatre-Museu Dali:  Salvadore Dali Museum
Figueres is situated in the north of Catalunya and its history is closely linked to Salvadore Dali.  Salvador Dali was born in Figueres in 1904.  The Teatre-Museu Dali (Theater Museum) is simply amazing!  The Museum itself  is the largest surrealistic object in the world.

The Teatre-Museu Dali is home to a considerable amount of the artist's work including impressionism, futurism, cubism, and surrealism.  His artwork and the building itself are almost combined together.  In an annex of the Teatre-Museu Dali is the Dali Joies exhibition, displaying a collection of jewelry made from gold and precious gems designed by Salvadore Dali between 1941 and 1970.  Each piece is unique and characterizes the artist;s entire work:  hearts, eyes, lips, animal and plant forms, religious symbols, etc.  Below is a photo of one of his jewels of an eye.

Driving about a half hour away from Figueres to the beach village of Cadaques, you can visit Dali's summer home, Casa-Museu Salvador Dali.

For more information, please visit www.salvador-dali.org.
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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.
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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!
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Montserrat Museum
If you travel to the town of Montserrat, be sure to visit the Montserrat Museum (Museu de Montserrat).  The museum is located in the square in front of the monastery.  The museum has a permanent collection of over 1,300 works of art.  I was really impressed with the diversity of their collection, including modern paintings and sculptures (Picasso, Dali, Monet, Rusinol, Mir, etc.), antique oil paintings (Caravaggio, El Greco, etc.), archeological antiquities from Egypt and the Middle East, and so much more!
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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!  
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Santiago Rusinol
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Joaquim Mir
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Miquel Villa
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Salvadore Dali, Composition With Three Figures, Neocubist Academy, 1926
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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.
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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.
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A mural by Picasso located in the Plaza Nova de Barcelona.
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Beautiful sculpture located right on the beach in Barceloneta
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Roy Lichtenstein's Head of Barcelona, (El Cap de Barcelona), 1991–1992
This mosaic, "Mosaic del Pla de l'Os" (1976) is an incredible piece of public art located on La Rambla at the Mercat de la Boqueria.  The artist intended it to welcome travelers arriving by sea.  Another piece of his public art is located at the Barcelona airport, intended to welcome people arriving to the city by air. I love Miro's use of abstract shapes and primary colors.
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In Parc de Joan Miro, you can find the incredible, monumental sculpture "Dona i Ocell" (Woman and Bird) that is over 70 feet high in concrete and mosaic.  This was the artist's last public work created between 1981-1983. This was intended to welcome people to Barcelona traveling by land.  The photo shown here was taken at night.  At the time of my visit, the entire park was under construction and the sculpture was obscured by construction vehicles and fencing.
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
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Acrylic Paint

3/18/2017

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There's a great article that was recently shared with me on the pros and cons of some of the major brands of acrylic paint used by both professional and amateur artists around the world.  As a professional artist, the paint I use for my artwork is of paramount importance to both me and those who purchase and collect my artwork.  The article is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about acrylic paint, and finding the paint that works best for you, meeting your artistic and creative objectives.  

The link to the article written by Lindsey Bourret on Wonderstreet.com can be found here:  http://wonderstreet.com/blog/choosing-the-acrylic-paint-thats-best-for-you

For me, my go-to acrylic paint is Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint.  I like the drying time, the vibrancy of the color, the consistency of the paint, and I never experience any color shift.  And I sometimes use Liquitex Professional Gloss Medium & Varnish to varnish some of my paintings to create a shiny or glossy look, or in some of my mixed media work where I use it to affix special papers on my canvases.  I also like the Liquitex Acrylic Paint Markers, which come in both a small and large point or tip size.

I've also experimented with another acrylic paint, not mentioned in the article, called Flashe paint. Flashe comes in jars and once applied to the canvas, it dries completely opaque with a matte finish.  It is made in France by Lefranc & Bourgeois.  And for teaching, I often recommend that my students begin to learn how to paint with Grumbacher Academy student grade paint because it is fairly inexpensive and in my opinion has a similar feel to the Liquitex Professional Heavy Body.  Grumbacher Academy Paint is discussed in the article using the link:  http://wonderstreet.com/blog/choosing-the-acrylic-paint-thats-best-for-you

I encourage you to check out the article and see for yourself what works best for you and the artwork you want to create.

Happy Painting!
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