Tag Archives: painting

Elizabeth Murray, Children Meeting, 1978, Oil on canvas, 101 3/16 × 127 in., Whitney Museum of Art, NY, Photo by rocor via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 2.0 Generic License. Elizabeth Murray, Children Meeting, 1978, Oil on canvas, 101 3/16 × 127 in., Whitney Museum of Art, NY, Photo by rocor via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 2.0 Generic License.

Elizabeth Murray is the Mother of the Day

Today is National Lazy Mom’s Day, so in honor of moms I’d like to share with you a painting that presents the unique perception of a mother. This painting by American artist Elizabeth Murray (1940-2007) presents the joyous play of … Continue reading

Diego Velázquez, Juan de Pareja, 1650, oil on canvas, 2′ 8″ x 2′ 4″, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. © 2016 . All rights reserved.

Take Five: The Artist Project

The website for the Metropolitan Museum of Art has many interesting and inspiring pages to explore. A current favorite of mine is The Artist Project which has a series of videos of artists talking about various works of art in the museum. It … Continue reading

Etel Adnan, artist, Photo by P. K. via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. Etel Adnan, artist, Photo by P. K. via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Etel Adnan, Renaissance Woman

Etel Adnan did not make a splash in the art world until she was 87 years old, and that’s just fine with her. She has been busy. The Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and visual artist is recognized in academic circles to … Continue reading

James McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black, 1871, oil on canvas, 56.8” x 63.9”, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, Artwork in the Public Domain, Photo from Wikipedia James McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black, 1871, oil on canvas, 56.8” x 63.9”, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, Artwork in the Public Domain, Photo from Wikipedia.

Whistler’s Mother

This old gal still holds a fascination for viewers 145 years after James McNeill Whistler painted her. The American expatriate artist gave the painting the title, Arrangement in Grey and Black because his primary interest was to create a balanced … Continue reading

Charles-François Daubigny, Spring, 1862, oil on panel, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, artwork in the Public Domain. Charles-François Daubigny, Spring, 1862, oil on panel, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, artwork in the Public Domain.

What is the Barbizon School?

The Barbizon School is a group of French painters who lived in the village of Barbizon near the Forest of Fontainebleau and worked roughly from 1830-70. A precursor to Realism, these artists’ subjects were taken from the French countryside, often … Continue reading

Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, c. 1482, tempera on panel, 80" x 124", Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Public Domain via Wikipedia. Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, c. 1482, tempera on panel, 80

Take a Minute: Botticelli’s Primavera

The Italian painter Sandro Botticelli was a master of the Early Renaissance, which means that people saw a new naturalism in his art as well as the influence of Classical Antiquity in subject matter and style. Botticelli landed a great job working in Florence … Continue reading

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Portrait of Marie-Antoinette with the Rose, 1783, oil on canvas, 44.5” x 34.3”, Palace of Versailles, Versailles, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Portrait of Marie-Antoinette with the Rose, 1783, oil on canvas, 44.5” x 34.3”, Palace of Versailles, Versailles, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Make the Time: Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun at The Met

An exhibition of works of art by the brilliant French portraitist Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun currently is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because her primary patrons were members of the French aristocracy, Le Brun had to flee France … Continue reading

Alma Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 73¾” × 158½” × 2½”, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., Photo by Cliff via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. Alma Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 73¾” × 158½” × 2½”, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., Photo by Cliff via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Make the Time: Alma Thomas at the Tang Museum

“Do the trees near your house play music? Do the flowers in your neighborhood sing and dance?” asked African-American artist Alma Thomas (1891-1978). She perceived a vibrancy and vitality in her garden and she captured the inspiring performances on her … Continue reading

Abraham Bloemaert, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612, 113" x 90.2", The Louvre Museum, Paris, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Abraham Bloemaert, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612, 113

Happy Birthday Abraham Bloemaert

Abraham Bloemaert (Dec. 25, 1564 – Jan. 27, 1651), the Dutch painter and printmaker living in Utrecht, was born on Christmas Day. A devout Catholic living in the Netherlands, Bloemaert had a thriving business creating religious works of art for the few Catholic churches … Continue reading

Kehinde Wiley, Shantavia Beale, c. 2012, oil on canvas, Photo by Garrett Ziegler via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License. Kehinde Wiley, Ms. Waldorf Astor, c. 2012, oil on linen, Photo by Garrett Ziegler via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.

Make the Time: Kehinde Wiley in Fort Worth

From September 20, 2015 – January 10, 2016, a selection of artworks from Kehinde Wiley‘s 14-year career will be on view at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Wiley is best known for his contemporary twist on Old Master portraiture, … Continue reading

Levina Teerlinc Levina Teerlinc, Portrait of Katherine Grey, Countess of Hertford, c. 1555-60, 1.3” diameter, watercolor on vellum, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, Artwork in the Public Domain.

Levina Teerlinc’s Mastery of Miniatures

Levina Teerlinc is credited with the rise of miniature painting of royals in the 16th century. She was born in Bruges and probably received her artistic training from her father, the well-known illuminator Simon Bening. In 1545, she and her husband … Continue reading