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.