Sunday Pick: Gastone Breddo

One of my recent Sunday Pick artists, David Holt, was kind enough to be in touch and give me a few artists he thought I may enjoy.  Sure enough, they were right up my alley, especially Gastone Breddo (1915-1991).  Breddo was the head of the Florence Academy in the 60s, 70s and 80s (where Holt studied -- always connections between great painters it seems).  He was born in Italy and spent most of his life there in Tuscany and Venice.

I spent a semester abroad in Florence studying art.  I remember wondering how it would be to have a career in a place that has such a long history of art and such a strong identity.  Of course I was only an undergraduate student but I felt almost paralyzed to make my own work in that context.  

I love seeing Breddo's work which filters Italian painting through a personal perspective and also relates to so many other favorite international still life painters.  I learned from my teachers in Florence immensely but what an experience it would have been to hear from a painter like Breddo and look at his paintings in person!  Just a few years too late.  Still I am very grateful to David for introducing me to the work, even if it is only virtually for now.

Sunday Pick: Brian Ballard

This is the work of Brian Ballard, an Irish painter who has been painting for many years.  The confidence in his gestural marks is beautiful.  I love the way he uses a light source to create flat shapes of color.  The harsh contrasts are a welcome change from paintings of the same subject matter that ooze atmosphere and flittery marks.  His work is some I've been looking at a bit recently in an effort to push my own work.

Second Look: Pierre-Eugène Montézin

The Window, 1943

Pierre-Eugène Montézin (1874-1946) deserves a second look for this painting.  Around age 70, just three years before his death, this painting is out of control fantastic.  The abstraction that is going on in the glass cups, patterned plates and drapery put Pollocks of this time to shame.  Gorgeous, gorgeous painting.

Sunday Pick: Cora Cohen

I have known Cora Cohen's work briefly but it wasn't until recently (the show Signs and Systems where I also saw Sunday Pick Sean McDonough of two weeks ago) that I saw it in person.  The same was true of her work as the other standouts in that show, the surfaces were thrilling.  

Her work is quiet and slow, qualities that are not always lauded in the contemporary art world and I don't know why.  Looking at her work is to watch her paint.  You can feel the consideration of each mark and as a result the painting is left so open to the viewer.  The process is embedded in the mark.  

The subtlety in the layering of nuanced color and glimpses of light through washes keep the paintings moving, like each time you look back something will be slightly different. It's kind of like the hypnotic feeling I get watching my dog sleeping, so rhythmic and steady but wonderfully and oddly captivating and alive.

Her work feels like the best of the best to me.  If described to someone without the first hand experience, you might say you've seen that type of painting a million times.  But this you have only seen once when you stand in front of it because every single mark is made with purpose and an honest consciousness.  That is such a remarkable thing to behold.

Sunday Pick: John Bokor

Vase of Flowers, 2012

Striped Tablecloth, 2013

The Green Bowl, 2011

Burgundy Still Life, 2012

White Tablecloth, 2012

White Tablecloth and Pen Jar, 2012

John Bokor's still life is among work that I can continue to look at and find new things to see and learn from as good painting does.  He uses 'everyday objects' (a phrase I actually hate when referring to still life paintings) for their properties of color, pattern and shape, they are not sentimentally loved but visually loved for those properties.  They are composed almost musically, a rhythm to each painting that is different.  That is part of what I really like, the ability he has to create color relationships and a sense of light unique to each painting.  Many more works can be seen at his gallery in Australia, King Street Gallery.

Color and Pattern...Come On In

       

Turkish Ottoman from a favorite local shop called Woven Treasures on 23rd and South                  

 Spray painted this odd piece Alex got in college that was ugly brown but an essential place to put keys and a drink

We have lived in the same 900 square feet for four years and about three months ago I decided it was time for a bit of updating.  I also decided I had about $250 to do so.  After painting the walls a light, cool gray, I have slowly been making minor additions and changes.  Here are a few of them.

Taped off this chevron pattern and added some pattern to a boring stool with leftover paint
Got a new carpet on overstock for $100 

               

 Alex's parents gave us this unbelievably gorgeous vase for our one year wedding anniversary that passed this week

My parents scored us this awesome piece of stained glass on a road trip to Florida for $35 off craigslist

And I have big plans for that coffee table in the first picture, just scored off craigslist for a whooping $30.  

Every once in a while I feel miserably constrained by my budget ('do you know how many amazing and weird things we would have if I had a well paying job Alex?') but then I get some ideas and that creative competitive thing (you know what I mean?) kicks in and I think, 'I bet I can do this for under $20, maybe even for $0'.  I really think being resourceful can make up for the missing 50% of my salary that most other people have, it saves so much money and is so incredibly satisfying when the work is done.