Saturday, January 29, 2011

Nicholson Tablescapes

So my critics keep asking me why I paint 'tablescapes' so much. Meaning things on a table, like a dinner table for example. I don't know the answer but I think its an inherent thing and to defend this I have noticed that three artists I like that are related all paint tablescapes! William Nicholson (father) Ben Nicholson (son) and Winifred Nicholson (wife/daughter-in-law). They do paint other nice paintings as well but still a lot of it is objects on a table or flowers or views out the window just like I love.


William Nicholson

Ben Nicholson

Winifred Nicholson

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A Little Klimt (landscape)

Wow I love these so much right now! There's so much art history in them and following them. A visual delight.



Pear Tree, 1903

Beech Grove I, 1902 (hello Peter Doig)


Rose Bushes Under the Trees, 1918
Park 1909-10

Monday, January 24, 2011

Spring Please


Tonight I'm wishing on my twinkly lights that tomorrow our back patio has flowers blooming and birds chirping. It's too cold! (18 degrees with snow on the way) Wish with me.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Some Favorite Snow Paintings

Claude Monet, The Magpie, 1868, Oil

Winifred Nicholson, Rooks, Hyacinths and Snow, 1935






Fairfield Porter, View towards the studio, 1967..........................Biala, Le Jardin Hiver, 1978
Lois Dodd, The Bakery in Late Winter Snow, 2005

Alfred Sisley, Snow at Louveciennes, 1878........................Rik Wouters, Late Snow, 1912

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Etsy Artist Love

Elizabeth Mayville, Cactus, 8 x 8

I came across this painting while browsing through Etsy paintings, (more browsing than stopping) but its worth it when you stumble upon something as nice as this. Check out more of her work here...

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Gifts I Need To Share

I had such a wonderful holiday, I think for the past two weeks I was in denial that they have been over. But now that school is officially back in session (for my last semester EVER...eek) I have to come to terms with it. But I have such amazing family and friends whose gifts are going to last for years to come.

Alex surprised me to the point that I pretty much puked....we're going to Spain for my spring break! I really just keeled over with shock. There are no words. We are going to Seville, Granada and Ronda so I will definitely be updating you on that in the future. Needless to say I bought a new sketchbook and am giddy just thinking about what I will see and need to put into it. Good bye drawings of coffee cups and our couch! (at least for 9 fabulous days)
Among the other wonderful things were two beautiful art books. Jane Wilson, Horizons and Maira Kalman, Various Illuminations of a Crazy World (image on right)


The Kalman book was made to go along with her recent show at ICA. I don't know that my aunt and uncle knew how much I loved that show when they gave me the book. The show had her drawings, personal objects and writing on the walls all contributing to a diaristic type feel that was so fresh and enjoyable and mimicked her style of working. The book is just the same with kooky drawings and musings on life and installation shots of the show. It also contains essays by the director Claudia Gould, and senior curator, Ingrid Schaffner who I interned for a few years ago which was fun to read.

The Wilson book is just beautiful and also mimicks the artist's life and style. She was part of the Freilicher, Kahn, Porter crew in New York in the 50s/60s that I am so dazzled by. The book has fabulous black and white photos of them in the Hamptons and great Manhattan apartments and has a ton of color reproductions of her work.

I first heard of her this year (surprisingly) when I was in the PAFA vaults and saw this painting in the flesh (so good):

Some of Willa's Things, 1971, Oil on Canvas 60 x 80

I love her still lifes and feel a real connection to a lot of her work although it changed a lot throughout her career. Here is an early one I really like:

Figure with Still Life, 1955, Oil on canvas, 43 x 50

This one's more mid career and very subtle in color which I admire:

Water Mill Fog, 1966, Oil on Canvas, 60 x 74

Here is an example of her work from the last 15 years of so which is very inspired by the changing weather:

Green Sky in Autumn, 2004, Oil on Canvas, 60 x 60

If you can take a look at these books or the work in person (Wilson shows at DC Moore)...they're wonderful and my pictures are just really inaccurate with color.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

I'd Rather Be Painting in England

While I'm on the topic of English painters (see previous post) I will tell you that I think they have way better contemporary painters than we do here in the US, in general. Okay maybe I am just developing a reason to need to go back to London because I can think of US painters I love and admire but still--check out these works from artists of the New English Art Club for starters: (where all these images came from)

Roy Freer, Oil, Subdued Finding, 27 x 31


Roy Freer, Oil, Shelf Grouping, 24 x 30


Duncan Wood, High Rake I, Oil, 19 x 23

Duncan Wood, Oil, Still Life With Shadow, 22 x 29


Michael Whittlesea, Suffolk in Winter II, Oil, 15 x20



Michael Whittlesea, The Cricket Ground in Winter III, Oil, 17 x 17

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Susan Jane Walp and Ffiona Lewis

One of my favorite things to do is find similarities and influences among artists that weren't pointed out to me before. I guess I like it because it helps me place myself and its just a fun challenge or something. I have liked Susan Jane Walp's work for a while and always thought it had something English about it (thinking Uglow). When I came across Ffiona Lewis's work on a London gallery website I immediately thought of Walp.

Ffiona Lewis, Raspberry Sorbet, 2009, Oil on Board, 8 3/4 x 10 3/4

Ffiona Lewis, Early Spring Window, 2009, Oil on Board, 28 x 33

All photos courtesy of Red Fern Gallery
Both artists seem interested in capturing a quiet moment that objects can create when you look at them carefully enough. The sense of dispersed light is similar too, I really enjoy these artists' work!
Susan Jane Walp, Geranium in a Copper Cot with Xerox, 2008, Oil on Paper, 9 3/16 x 8 1/4


Susan Jane Walp, Nuts in White Cup I, 2007 Oil on Paper 7 5/16 x7 7/8
Susan Jane Walp, Late Winter Beet and Spring-Dug Burdock, 2010, Oil on Linen, 8x8

All photos courtesy artist website

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Hockney's Ipad Drawings




I am loving these Ipad drawings by David Hockney. As an artist, I probably shouldn't admit I'm not an apple user. It's always seemed like too big an investment for me but maybe if this is the way art is going I could make one initial investment and be done? Seriously though, this makes me very curious about owning one. It would be so nice to make quick sketchbook drawings without getting out pencils that need sharpened, gouache that dries too quickly in the air, water that spills etc. These drawings really possess his hand and color sense too. I heard he sends a 'fresh bouquet' to about 20 friends each morning. How cool would that be?!