Bev's Bites Blog about art, food, and life, with a dash of art history

Day 6 of the 30/30 Challenge – Boston Cream Pie

January 6, 2015 by Beverly

Today was a very satisfying day. I am happy, both with the painting itself and that fact I finished in time to leave for the New York Philharmonic tonight. I even fit dinner in beforehand.

Day 6. “Boston Cream Pie”, by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel (smooth finish), 5 x 7 inches.

I believe this painting worked out well for a few reasons. My husband says he likes it Boston Cream Pie because the chocolate glistens and looks like it is actually dripping down the cake. The cake itself has interesting patterns from the flowing chocolate.

Since this subject was more complex than in previous days, last night I spent more time planning, sketching in details, and painting some of the darks to establish the structure (up too late again!). Also, I was using the smooth panel finish that I had in 5 x 7 inches (my 6 x 6 order is on the way) which gave me more control while painting the details.

This morning I had a clear sense of how to approach the painting and accomplish what I needed to do in a limited amount of time. After two hours, I started feeling more confident, like I just might complete this work within the time constraints. I still had a ways to go.

Since there were a lot of warm tones in this Boston Creme Pie, I incorporated cool background tones, and was careful to use different brushes for every color – and wiped them off frequently – so the paint stayed fresh and didn’t get muddy. I admit this was getting harder to do as my work space got messier. Somehow I ended up with two palettes. I need to spend some time cleaning tubes, putting caps back on, and organizing the tubes by color – which will save time in the long run.

As I think about tomorrow, I realize the Boston Cream Pie is a tough act to follow. I am feeling like now is a good time to take a break from desserts and switch to an orchid or Western landscape. However, being a practical person, I recognize that the colors leftover on this palette are perfect for a Dunkin’ Donut painting that I already sketched.

So doughnuts it is for Day 7.

Hope to see you tomorrow. If you are interested in purchasing the Boston Cream Pie, please contact the artist directly at info@beverlyshipko.com.

Day 5 of the 30/30 Challenge – Oreo

January 5, 2015 by Beverly

Last night I felt another Oreo Cookie coming on, so I went with it. Whoever ate this left some really fine teeth marks, didn’t they?

This partially eaten Oreo came from a photo I took during the 2012 Oreo Cookie Contest that I sponsored during the RiverArts Open Studio Tour, an annual event held on the last weekend in April. Everyone who comes to my home studio and takes a bite out of an Oreo is automatically entered. Then I pick a winning Oreo, paint it, and name the painting after the biter – who is unknown in this case since they didn’t write down their name.

Day 5. Beverly Shipko, “Oreo Cookie – Anonymous”, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

I think it’s safe to say that this Oreo belonged to a child, based on the small teeth marks and creative way the cookie has been bitten in a few places – which is what makes this fun and unusual. The triangular piece of cookie on top somehow makes me think about floating icebergs and continental shifting (aka sea-floor spreading from college geology; a bit absurd, isn’t it?), both atypical associations for an Oreo . What do you think of when you look at this image?

Day 5 felt much better than Day 4 because I was able to incorporate some lessons learned and was psychologically prepared for working on a surface that was less than optimal. Today I put more paint on my brushes, which perhaps you can see in the white filling. I also used finer brushes than usual for the details, which was needed to get into the tiny “craters” on the surface.

At first, it was difficult for me to get started on this Oreo. Instead, I wanted to work on yesterday’s carrot cupcake and build up the texture of the nuts with more paint. However, I realized if I started doing that, time would fly by, I would get started late on the Oreo, and then I would miss meditation class, like I missed Downtown Abbey last night preparing for today (applying the pink ground in acrylic and sketching the image). Keeping in mind the spirit of the 30/30 Challenge, I put the carrot cupcake away in the corner where I wouldn’t see it all day and be tempted (to paint it, not eat it!), and focused on the task at hand – which took great self-control.

It was a good decision. I was pleased with the result and the process (no mishaps today with the velcro, which was a good thing.)

See you tomorrow – same time, same place.

Day 4 of the 30/30 Challenge – Carrot Cupcake

January 5, 2015 by Beverly

Take note carrot cake lovers (especially my husband Jay), this is for you!

The colorful orange carrot on top drew me to this cupcake today for a change of pace, not to mention its delicious taste (hint, hint to my baking daughter Bonnie). Since my Day 1 painting of the yin-yang cupcake was so successful, I decided to paint another one from the same high vantage point.

Day 4. “Crumbs Carrot Cupcake” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

A few unexpected “technical” issues (for lack of a better word) emerged today, which I was able to resolve.

First, there was the panel itself: Unlike Day 1 where the panel had a smooth finish, today’s panel had a textured finish. Just when I was thoroughly enjoying the freedom of butter-like paint application on the silky smooth surface, I had to switch since I’m out of the square 6 x 6 size smooth panels. Unfortunately, A.I. Friedman had such a great sale on the new smooth finish that they ran out. So I compromised and bought the textured square panels which were in stock, thinking it wouldn’t make a much of a difference, and used the first one today (the textured subject seemed like a good fit for the surface).

Wrong. While I seemed to have more control over the paint, I also felt like I was tightening up painting on this surface – which is the complete opposite of what I’m going for with this challenge. I am also missing the “look” of the other board. Can you see the difference in the surface between today and Days 1, 2, and 3? The texture is much more prominent that I would like and too uniform (artificial looking), unlike canvas. Fortunately, I just located smooth 6 x 6 panels online at Jerry’s Artarama and ordered 15 more to get through the challenge (hopefully that’s enough). It’s at times like these that I absolutely love the internet.

Second: I was making pretty good progress today in the morning when, all of a sudden when my back was turned, this panel fell off the easel! I couldn’t believe it.

Apparently, the adhesive putty I was using dried out and lost its stickiness (you can see it lying on the easel on the left). Fortunately, I was able to repair the damage to the sketch itself without too much effort since it was early in the day. Then I was able to regroup with the velcro I had on hand (thanks again, Tony, for the suggestion!) to hold the panel on the easel where it belonged, which worked well the rest of the day. Hopefully it will peel right off tomorrow. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

I feel like I am in good shape for Day 5. Tonight I even have time to sketch my next painting and watch the first episode of the Downton Abbey new season.

Life is good.

Day 3 of the 30/30 Challenge – Oreo

January 4, 2015 by Beverly

Today I returned to my roots with this half-eaten Oreo Cookie oil painting on panel.

This was my first Oreo on a smooth surface, and the first time I used a pink underpainting (peeking through in the highlights). Graham ate this cookie, so I named the painting after him since it’s essentially his “portrait”.

Day 3. “Graham’s Oreo Cookie” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

Graham is the grandson of my friend Faye, who brings her grandsons over every year for an Oreo Cookie Party with The Oreo Cookie Lady (my nickname) when they visit from out-of-town.

It’s has become an annual summer tradition that we all look forward to. The boys like to run around outside, play cards and bite some cookies for me – lots of cookies… Faye makes sure to bring them over after dinner for dessert, otherwise they’ll spoil their appetites. Here is some of their handiwork.

Of course, I have a fresh pack of Oreos ready, plenty of napkins, plates and a gallon of milk. The boys have such a good time pulling the Oreos apart, stacking and grouping them so they stand up, dunking them, and, of course, eating them, creating all sorts of innovative designs for me along the way. I have my camera out and put it to good use taking photos of a wide range of original arrangements that only kids could come up with.

While I have sketched some of their masterpieces before in pencil, Graham’s Oreo Cookie is the first oil sketch. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see another original creation by one of the boys in the next 27 days. Should you be interested in buying today’s painting, please email the artist at info@beverlyshipko.com.

Time to get ready for Day 4. See you tomorrow!

Day 2 of the 30/30 Challenge – Devil’s Food Cupcake

January 3, 2015 by Beverly

I decided to stick with the dessert theme and another Crumbs Bake Shop cupcake, but from a completely different perspective.

While yesterday I painted a more graphic top-down view of a Milkshake cupcake in a square format, today I opted for a classic horizontal side view of the Crumbs Devil’s Food cupcake. This time I chose to crop the bottom off this cupcake – another first for me. Often my compositions are more traditional and include the whole cupcake, but if there is ever a time to experiment, this challenge is it. Here is the “finished” painting.

Day 2. “Crumbs Devil’s Food Cupcake” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 5 x 7 inches.

I used the word “finished” in quotes, because a part of me still doesn’t believe this is complete. There are a lot of small details in this sketch, so I’m seeing more things that I want to change than yesterday, even though I know deep down that these changes won’t do much to improve the overall painting. I want to maintain the loose quality to the paint application that is appealing. The incremental benefits of working on this longer are small, and the risks of overworking this sketch are great. So it’s time to stop and start thinking about tomorrow. This is such good practice for me!

Here’s the photograph I was working with, and the panel as it looked around noon. Since I discovered yesterday that I liked using a color underpainting, I decided to apply a more intense pink this time, using acrylic paint that dries in minutes unlike oil that takes weeks (especially since I am using an extremely rich but slow drying titanium white).

After the pink dried, I sketched in the details with a pencil, and then started painting the darks in with brown oil paint to establish the structure and 3-D feeling early on.

I spent most of the afternoon working on the top of the cupcake before moving into the wrapper, again starting with the darks. Looking at this photo, I realize I miss some of the pink you see here in the preliminary wrapper. The pink undertones peeking through liven up this almost monochromatic image, something to keep in mind for the future.

It’s good for me to be writing this blog and reflect back on the progress I made in a short period of time. The realization that the very flat pink cupcake above has somehow magically transformed itself into a real, live cupcake in a few hours brings a smile to my face.

All in all, it was another great day. I gained more confidence since this subject was more complex, containing many more details in the dripping chocolate and accordion-pleated wrapper. Yet I was able to complete the painting earlier than on Day 1.

I’ll have some time to mull over my subject for tomorrow while I clean the dozen brushes that are still sitting in my studio. Sometimes I procrastinate since it’s a messy job, but someone has to do it. It would help if I wake up early tomorrow and start painting right away (even though I am a night person and my body rebels against the thought). The days are so short that I need all the natural light I can get, and paintings generally photograph better in natural light.

I am looking forward to Day 3 and whatever it brings. Should you be interested in buying this painting, please contact me directly at info@beverlyshipko.com.

Day 1 of the 30/30 Challenge – Milkshake Cupcake

January 2, 2015 by Beverly

For those of you know my work, it’s not surprising that I chose a dessert today for my first daily painting.

I wanted to directly compare the process of painting a sketch vs. a highly finished work, and to use this experience as a benchmark for the future. Today I decided to work from a photo that I took of this delectable “yin-yang” cupcake from Crumbs Bake Shop, which I kept in a photo book (my version of a sketchbook.) To my surprise, I just checked and found out that it is over 4 years old, which is a long time to be thinking about a potential subject.

Day 1. “Crumbs Milkshake Cupcake” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

There were a lot of firsts today: This is the first oil painting I have ever done in a day, the first one on a wood panel, my smallest dessert at 6 x 6 inches, and the first time I used a tinted undercoating (a faint hint of pink is showing through the vanilla frosting and blue shadow).

All in all, it was a successful day and I had a good time.

The paint literally glided on the totally smooth surface of the wood panel, which made paint application easy and pleasant. It was still a bit of an adjustment, and in some ways the surface felt less forgiving than canvas or linen (which is flexible) since the paint sits right on the rigid surface. Perhaps I’ll feel differently after I have a few more paintings under my belt. I spent more time contemplating each step along the way since my personal goal was to complete this by the end of the day, and I knew there was no time to let the panel dry and repaint mistakes later.

My impulse was to keep working tonight and add more details (e.g. shadows on each crumb) until the cupcake was “perfect”. While I knew in my gut that this sketch was finished, old habits die hard and I wanted to keep going anyway, even knowing the brushwork would lose its freshness by doing that.

Thanks again, Laura, for gently but firmly reminding me that this cupcake was intended to be a daily painting, and that the true challenge for me is to accept this fact and adjust my style accordingly. Knowing when to stop is mostly an art and not a science (which applies to blogging too…).

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please contact the artist at info@beverlyshipko.com.

See you tomorrow!

The New Year’s Challenge

January 1, 2015 by Beverly

It’s New Years Day, and today is the day I am taking action instead of giving lip service to my resolutions.

Every year I enthusiastically make of list of resolutions with the best of intentions, only to watch my commitment gradually decline over time. This year is going to be different. It’s time to live up to the spirit of my Bev’s Bites of Life blog and take a bite (at least start with a nibble…). So I signed up for the 30/30 Challenge starting today, when I will return to as I finish writing this post.

The 30/30 Challenge stands for 30 Paintings in 30 Days, which is hosted by Leslie Saeta. I intend to do a small painting a day, and started my first one this morning on Day 1.

A creative top-down view taken by my webmaster, and daughter, Laura Sloofman. January 1, 2015.

After finishing each painting, I’ll post my work along with other participating artists (over 800 registered from all over the world) on Leslie’s blog. It will be interesting to see how many other artists post, and what they are doing. The challenge is very exciting and a bit intimidating at the same time, since I tend to work methodically. In fact, at first didn’t even want to tell anyone I was doing this challenge, but now I’m going public.

I realized the 30/30 Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to explore new paths and to pursue the many things I have been thinking about painting for years, both in the food arena and beyond. Over the years, I took photos of everything from orchids to Sedona red rocks to classic cars, which are accumulating way too quickly on my computer (Oh, did I mention desserts?). Clearly I am a digital photo junkie who needs to buy another external backup drive just for photos, which are coming in handy now as I contemplate what to paint. Suggestions are always welcome, and would be especially timely right now.

The other day I was actually thinking that I should try painting healthy vegetables, perish the thought! While I won’t know what I am going to actually paint each day, I do know that I will be pushing myself out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing to do once in a while.

As I prepared for this painting adventure last week, I spoke with my artist friend Cristine Kossow, the pastel artist who introduced me to the challenge (thanks Cris!), and I realized that I needed different materials. The very nature of the challenge requires that you work small and quickly (unless you’re Picasso…). I decided to use small gesso panels, both 6 x 6″ and 5 x 7″ formats, with a smooth surface instead of using my usual stretched canvases, so I wouldn’t have to fight the “tooth” or texture of the canvas each day. I wanted the paint to glide on the surface effortlessly (like icing on a cake) like it does when I use lead-primed linen canvas, without the expense.

Three problems emerged:

1. I needed 30 small gesso panels.

2. Since I paint standing up, it was important to find a way to mount these small boards, so they would stay still on my large easels.

3. The “lip” of my easel covered 1/4″ on the top and bottom of each panel. I needed easy and unencumbered access to the entire painting surface.

Off I went to AI Friedman in Port Chester, NY to use the gift card that I won as August Artist of the Month, and was lucky that Tony, the art supplies manager and talented artist in his own right, was there. He is a creative thinker who always helps come up with solutions to any painting dilemma. When I got to this panel aisle, I was overwhelmed with all the choices. That’s when Tony came to the rescue.

He helped guide me to these cradled panels, which can be hung as they are, and best met my needs.

Together Tony and I devised a system for mounting the panel, using a velcro and/or adhesive putty, to a larger masonite board which the easels could securely hold securely. Here’s what the solution looks like. Now I am good to go.

I plan on posting my work here so you can follow my progress – and root me to the finish line! As I embark on this new challenge, somehow I feel like a pioneer exploring the new frontier. Cristine assures me I will be a better artist for it. I am confident that this is worth the effort and commitment, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.

I believe my painting will evolve in some positive way, and I will learn something about myself along the way. If nothing else, I will feel what it’s like to be more free in my approach, which is a wonderful thing. I am open to whatever comes – which is what taking that first bite out of life is all about. And what better time to start than January 1st.

Wish me luck!

My Detroit Roots Are Showing Again

December 31, 2014 by Beverly

I have been thinking about the 1969 riots in my native Detroit ever since Liz and I finalized the latest bi-monthly theme for the art card group, Abandonment and Reclamation. Back then, I was a junior at Southfield High School in Michigan, and it seemed that Detroit was never the same after the riots. Six months later when I went to a Detroit Pistons basketball game at Cobo Arena, there were so few people downtown at the game that Piston management offered free tickets to everyone who brought their ticket stubs the following week.

Here is my collage card titled “Detroit – A Prototype of Abandonment and Reclamation”, which I mailed to another member in the group. Somehow the theme struck a nerve with me this time, perhaps because of Detroit’s much publicized plight, its financial woes, together with the relatively recent Ferguson case in Missouri that resulted in more destruction.

The art card includes these two photos of the largest plant in the world, the Ford Rouge River Plant, so you can see the before and after. The Ford plant has risen from the dead like a phoenix from the ashes, and now offers popular tours to the public.

In between the two plant photos, you can see houses from the Heidelberg Project, which was started in a devastated area on Detroit’s east side. The homes were given over to communities of artists to restore and decorate using recycled material, resulting in a new tourist destination and with the ultimate goal over time being a viable arts center for the city. Here is the Dotty House, perhaps the most well-known structure since it’s showcased by the Heidelberg Project.

The right side of the card shows a rainbow of shards that are pieces that Mike Kelly recovered from the riverbeds of the Detroit and Rouge Rivers. I took some photos at Kelly’s 2013 MOMA show, as did my daughter Laura (aka my webmaster) which I used in the collage. The shattered pieces are central to the Kelly installation that partially inspired this card called the John Glenn Memorial Detroit River Reclamation Project (Including the Local Culture Pictorial Guide, 1968–1972, Wayne/Westland Eagle. 2001.

This shot shows much of the installation, which filled a large room dominated by the huge figure covered in more shattered shards.

I thought this was a rather haunting portrait of Detroit made from found bottles and jars, which is situated on the river – here a river of crushed porcelain (hence the name detroit which means strait in French). The collection of glassware presents a hauntingly fragile vision of a city in decay (I’m thinking New York City in the Pixar movie Wall-e).

Both the Heidelberg Project and the Ford Rouge River Plant tour (which gets rave reviews) are on my list of sites to see this upcoming year when I visit my mother – and the Detroit Institute of Arts, of course.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that these two glimmers of hope represent a turning point in the history of Detroit, and open a new chapter now for this city that has finally emerged from bankruptcy – with the Detroit Institute of Arts still in tact. May 2015 be a much better year for my hometown.

In that spirit, I wish all of you a happy, healthy – and even more creative – New Year!

A Mom Who Loves Sports

December 26, 2014 by Beverly

Today I would like to introduce you to my mother, Dorothy aka Dots and Dash with Lots of Flash, the woman who supported me in every way throughout my entire life. She encouraged me to pursue my art – even when I decided to pass on art school as an undergrad so I could apply to the liberal arts college at her alma mater, the University of Michigan, and major in math (a subject that still makes her shake when she hears it, even now, long after her school career ended.)

Mom still supports my art, only now we’ve reached a new phase where she buys sweets for me to paint (or so she says), which I encourage on special occasions such as this.

Unlike most women of her generation, my mother loves sports! She says, “I love my Tigers, I love my Pistons, and I LOVE (drawn out like looovve) my Lions!”.

When I mentioned that her University of Michigan Wolverines were noticeably absent from this illustrious list of Michigan sports teams, she answered, “I am a poor sport. I hate them when they lose.” Spoken like a fan who attended a lot of games on campus during the “Fritz” Crisler era (the head football coach with a basketball arena named after him), culminating in the national football championship in 1947 during her senior year. You should hear my mother when Michigan plays Ohio State on Thanksgiving weekend… or when UM makes it to the Rose Bowl… Mom still calls to remind me that Michigan is playing, especially now that it’s basketball season – which I love! I think I grew up singing the Michigan fight song. I am hearing “Hail to the Victors” in my head right now. Go Blue!

Now Mom even follows Missouri sports since my husband grew up in St. Louis. Jay reports she’s always up on the news on his favorite Mizzou teams. Mom says Jay is still talking about the 1968 World Series Game 7 when Mickey Lolich, the infamous Detroit Tiger far out-pitched Bob Gibson from the less fortunately St. Louis Cardinals, who lost the series as a result. Mom also keeps tabs on the University of Illinois teams now that Laura goes to school there (not that Laura does…).

Often people ask me if Mom is an artist. While she isn’t, her sister, my aunt Ruth, is a talented watercolorist who lives in Columbus, Ohio (home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, of all places). Actually, I take that back. Mom is an untraditional artist if you define artist as a person who has an exceptional skill in a particular area. You could call her an “artist of current events”. Mom thrives on listening to the radio – I think of her as a radio junkie. She picks up so much information about everything and anything, including sports and the arts, and keeps me posted on what’s happening in Detroit – and, surprisingly, New York. Once she actually called to tell me a bus overturned on the NY State Thruway! You can always count on Mom for a lively discussion about current movies and TV shows, even when she has never seen them.

And did I mention that she’s a Mitch Albom fan? Mitch is a long time Detroit sportwriter and author of acclaimed books such as Tuesdays with Morrie. Mom recently got a new convert in my eldest daughter Laura, who now regularly listens to his radio broadcasts on Detroit’s WJR. Laura says he’s really funny.

Upon reflection, I think Mom earned my 2013 Sports Artist Award when she proved her sports prowess to the outside world by winning our accountant’s March Madness basketball pool – and took home $1,600! Her lead was so convincing that she claimed the prize before the final game was played. Amazing, isn’t it? All those macho men in the pool (with 180 entries!) were left behind in the dust, scratching their heads.

Dot, we wish you luck in the 2015 March Madness pool, but you may not need it with your track record – as long as you don’t get sentimental about the Wolverines and the Big “Ten”! From your greatest fans.

2003

Monet Through a Different Lens

December 22, 2014 by Beverly

Jay and I decided to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City yesterday to see the Assyria to Iberia exhibit. When we got there, we took a quick detour through the Impressionism rooms – always a favorite.

We both came to a complete halt by this painting, Claude Monet’s Garden of Sainte-Andresse (1867), where we both had strong feelings of déjà vu, like we had been there before. The feelings of going back in time were powerful, and Jay said he felt like he had been talking to Monet while the work was being painted.

Why did we feel this way? The simple answer is: We had been there before! In fact, in was a multi-sensory experience – we walked in the garden, saw it from all angles, felt the warm sunlight on our skin and the breeze in our faces. We even “met” the artist. Being a guy, Jay remarked,”The restaurant is to the left, so I’m getting hungry”, a comment that makes me smile even now.

The good news is that you don’t have to go to France to do this. Just take a drive to Hamilton, New Jersey and visit the Grounds for Sculpture where Seward Johnson constructed his outdoor sculpture installation titled, If It Were Time, based on the Monet’s Sainte-Andresse painting. If It Were Time is a full scale 3-D translation of Monet’s 2-D oil painting, which I had previously included in a June blog entry. The installation sits on a plot of land at least as large as our house lot (1/4 acre) looking out on a lake (unlike our house which looks right at our neighbors).

© The Sculpture Foundation, Inc., photo: David W. Steele

While the photos of these two works of art look similar in this blog post, our interaction with these pieces couldn’t be more different. Viewing a painting as an outsider looking in is a far cry from inhabiting the space as a participant.

To give you some idea of Seward Johnson’s sense of humor and irony, which comes out in subtle ways in many of his sculptures, here is a bronze cast of Monet who greets you at the entrance before you walk down the stairs to the scene below. Monet is working outdoors for the day in his plein air style, as he typically did.

Take a closer look at what Monet is doing in this photo, taken from a different viewpoint. The artist is painting Johnson’s If It Were Time sculpture, which is in turn based on Monet’s own Sainte-Andresse painting at the museum! Seward Johnson provocatively named this bronze portrait of the artist, Copyright Violation!!, raising numerous issues on many levels.

Is Johnson’s work really an original work of art, a slavish imitation, or a copyright infringement? The art historian in me is intrigued by all the possible interpretations. What do you think? I would love to hear your opinions.

Here’s a photo I took of the sailboat that Monet is painting, before I realized how the boat fit into the bigger picture. (FYI. While we looking at Monet’s painting at the Met, we noticed the many boats on the horizon line for the first time – quite a contrast to Johnson’s serene focus on a single sailboat.)

As you walk down the stairs and begin to inhabit the space, the effect is startling. The cast bronze bronze sculptures almost come to life, somehow bringing out the playfulness in you, as if you are actors on the stage, or talking and taking pictures with costumed interpreters at Williamsburg.

You not only walk around Johnson’s re-creation, you touch it and even sit on it. Jay was delighted there was an empty chair so he could take a break with his newfound friend.

The dictionary definition of “installation” explains things well and gives you a handle on the way to think the Monet and Johnson connection. Installation: a large sculpture-like artwork which alters the way a space is experienced. Certainly that was the case in New Jersey, quite a vivid memory too. What we didn’t expect, was for that memorable interactive, multi-sensory experience to carry over and enrich our viewing of the original artwork back in New York. At the time, we felt it was quite surreal since the two works of art became inseparable.

Yesterday we were looking at the Monet’s painting through a different lens. Our perspective changed, probably forever, which is a good thing. In fact, I think a visit to see Seward Johnson’s work at Grounds for Sculpture is an excellent way for people, particularly kids, to be exposed to art and to get truly excited about it.

P.S. We did make it to the Assyria to Iberia show, a major scholarly undertaking which is excellent, just not as much fun.

Matisse’s Cut-Outs: A Triumph

December 8, 2014 by Beverly

It must be over five years ago that I bought this box of Matisse holiday cards at MOMA. I always smiled when I looked at the uplifting design composed using cut paper, and was reluctant to use the cards since they were so “special”. After hanging on to them for so long, it was exciting and somewhat jarring at the same time to come across the magnificent original work in the “Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs” exhibit at MOMA in Manhattan (through February 8th, 2015). The scale of the real cut-out (over 10 feet tall vs. my 9 inch card) seemed absolutely gigantic, reminding me how important it is to see artwork in person to fully appreciate the artist’s intention.

In addition, I had forgotten that this cut-out design was actually a full-size mockup for a vibrant stained glass window. While I don’t think the experience of interacting with original artwork can ever be completely replicated by the online world, you can get an idea of the scale of Matisse’s works by viewing the slide show from the New York Times review. (The ‘no photo’ rule was strictly enforced by the guards the day I visited.)

“Henry Matisse: The Cutouts” at MOMA. Courtesy of Ruth Fremson / The New York Times. October 9, 2014 review.

When I first entered the show, I overheard someone say, “But these are just cutouts!” – which is exactly the point.

Matisse elevated the simple cut-out – which we all did as kids – to a major art form in his late work. After spending much of his life as a painter and sculptor, using cut-outs as mockups for stage sets, books (“Jazz”), and stained glass, Matisse turned to them as his primary medium in his last decade out of necessity (the mother of invention, so they say) – but on his own terms. Although wheelchair bound, Matisse rejuvenated himself with the help of assistants who painted custom paper to his color specifications and then cut the forms under his direction. A fascinating video part way through the exhibit demonstrates the process of cutting, pinning and re-pinning shapes (almost foreshadowing Pinterest!) that Matisse used to realize his vision, before glueing down the pieces for the final composition.

The entire show is a colorful, exuberant experience, and a testimony to Matisse’s vision and commitment to making art. He was a passionate artist with a mission, who would not allow anything to interfere with his art, whether it’s a divorce from his wife of 31 years, World War II, or abdominal cancer surgery. It’s interesting that the spirit of the work transcends these major life challenges – truly a triumph for Matisse on many levels.

If you want to see an upbeat, light-hearted show that will put you in the holiday spirit, go see the Matisse cut-outs and find out for yourself why over 500,000 people went to see this exhibit the Tate in London. Enjoy lunch at MOMA’s 2nd floor Cafe, take a short stroll to see the tree at Rockefeller Center – and don’t forget to walk by the Saks and Bergdorf holiday windows. It will be a lovely way to spend a day!

The Cake Lady, My Alter Ego

December 4, 2014 by Beverly

When I was straightening up the dining room for our Thanksgiving feast, I came across this Thank You card addressed to “The Cake Lady” from the art students who attended my August presentation at the Frank Sinatra School for the Performing Arts in Astoria, Queens.

But this wasn’t just any card – it was a giant card packed full of goodies inside drawn by aspiring artists!

While I was preparing the talk about my art career and gathering images on my laptop, I visualized my paintings projected on a small, standard size pulldown screen. Imagine my surprise when I looked up and saw this! No wonder the Cake Lady nickname stuck!

We all had a great time that day. There were a lot of questions so the presentation was interactive. Getting up in front of the students brought me back to my days as an art history lecturer at the University of Michigan, which I used to love! At one point, I even wanted to be an art history professor.

Back then I would spend days in the UM slide collection library of over 100,000 slides, flipping through numerous drawers of slides, looking for what I needed to give my weekly lectures. When I recently showed the kids a sample sheet of slides, I learned they had never even seen slides before. (I know, I know. I dated myself…). How things have changed! This time around I used an iPad too, which gave me the freedom to walk around and zoom in on details.

Thank you to Laura Blau, art teacher and friend, who invited me to speak to her class. (And no, we didn’t talk about clothing in advance. I guess artists naturally gravitate toward black so they don’t distract from the art, and then add chunky, artsy necklaces to make a statement and break up the black. )

Afterwards Laura and the kids took me on a personal tour of the student art show in the main lobby, the culmination of an entire summer’s work. I was so impressed by the breadth and depth of the exhibit, and Laura’s ability to introduce such exciting projects to her students and then step back and let their creativity flourish.

Here are a few of the many fine pieces that span a variety of media and moods, from a delicate black & white cutout of a tree, to colorful paintings and marker drawings, to intense 3D mixed media pieces (this one depicting stress by using real books to represent the weight of the world pressing down). And these kids are only in 8th and 9th grade!

It was such a nice surprise to receive The Cake Lady card during the summer and then to recently find it again. And as The Cake Lady, it felt good to rediscover a part of myself that I had forgotten, my alter ego. When I was up in front of the kids, I fell back into an old and familiar rhythm that I want to hang onto this time around. I just have to figure out how, when, why, and where (minor details…).

Any suggestions?

The Art of Food

November 30, 2014 by Beverly

I found an intriguing blog post showing a salad plate arrangement (on the right) that was inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s Painting 201 (on the left). This is certainly a unique take on life imitating art!

I wish my Thanksgiving plate had looked this artistic. But then maybe I wouldn’t have wanted to eat it….!

You can take a closer look here. Research showed that a Kandinsky-inspired salad was not only rated as tasting much better, but restaurant diners were willing to pay twice as much for it than a traditionally arranged salad using the same ingredients!

Future chefs and restauranteurs, take note!

Another Food Artist in the Family!

November 30, 2014 by Beverly

Given the recent Thanksgiving holiday, it feels right to talk about food and art. It’s probably not surprising to you that I spend a lot of time looking at the presentation of food, whether it’s at home, at restaurants and bakeries, parties, and especially at weddings (I can picture those dessert banquet tables now!).

Nor would you be surprised to learn that I’m one of those people who takes photos of their plates at restaurants, which is just one of many reasons why I have more than 85,000 pictures on my computer.

Over Thanksgiving, I photographed our own Chef Bonnie preparing a feast for the four of us that made my mouth water in anticipation. I felt like I was watching her play the starring role on a new Food Network Show show called Bonnie’s Thanksgiving Feast Challenge.

Instead of competing against others, she competes against herself, each year raising the bar higher and higher. Bonnie, who is a special education teacher by day, spent her “free” time last week planning 23 different recipes, far exceeding the number of recipes from previous years. She researched her recipes online (carefully avoiding mushrooms for Laura’s sake), printed them out, systematically made a grocery list, and did her own grocery shopping after work. (Bonnie was so organized that Jay only had to make one quick trip to the store.) Prep work began Tuesday night while cooking and baking began in earnest on Wednesday, extending through Thursday right up to showtime.

I was mesmerized watching Bonnie calmly preparing her cornucopia of food, moving confidently from one dish to another. It was when I looked at this beautifully composed, picture-perfect root vegetable tray waiting to go into the oven that I realized I had been watching the other food artist in the family!

Here’s the rest of the team. Sometimes it takes a village just to keep up with all the pots and pans.

Bonnie’s final menu included 2 turkey recipes (she makes a wicked herbed turkey lemon recipe), with homemade cranberry sauce, her infamous popovers (nothing makes Bonnie happier than to see how them really “pop”!), her trademark stuffin’ muffins (gluten and non-gluten versions), and numerous side dishes (I lost count) from root vegetables, sweet potato casserole, spaghetti squash to wild rice with cranberries.

Here we are all dressed up and ready to get stuffed, especially Chef Bonnie, who looks amazingly fresh after all her hard work!

I decided to learn from previous years and pace myself by taking small portions of everything. (I’m getting hungry again just looking at my plate!)

We took a break before attacking the 5 desserts – including three delectable gluten-free selections. Needless to say, Bonnie sampled everything as you can see from her plate. (When people talk about Bonnie and desserts in the same breath, they are talking about the food!)

Thanksgiving is always a special family occasion since Jay, Bonnie, Laura and I are all together. (I’m thinking Tom Selleck and his family around the holiday table on Blue Bloods.) Laura makes the 10 hour trip (if she’s lucky) from Urbana, Illinois where she is working on her Ph.D. The four of us love every minute of eating one delicious dish after the other, each one more flavorful than the next. Even the cleanup is fun (well, most of the time…). Ellen Degeneres, we’re giving you a run for your money with this selfie!

So Bonnie, it’s official – you won! Congratulations on beating all previous Thanksgiving benchmarks – both in quantity and quality – and winning your Thanksgiving Feast Challenge! Maybe next year I’ll take some video to demonstrate your many talents for your show’s online debut… Just a thought. We are grateful to have a food artist in the house besides me – one that actually makes food instead of painting it!

I hope all of you enjoyed Thanksgiving as much as we did!

It’s The Little Things In Life

November 23, 2014 by Beverly

Sometimes little things can make a big difference.

I was reminded of that today while I was cleaning up after a painting session – which only lasted an hour but created a big mess! For many years, this was a huge issue since it took a half hour just to get the paint off my hands, let alone my brushes. If I had a free hour, I wouldn’t even think about picking up a paint brush since the cleanup time was so long.

Anyone visiting my home studio can see that I am not the neatest painter in the world. I use a lot of brushes and have a nasty habit of not putting the caps back on my oil paint tubes. While I tried many non-toxic cleaners through the years, none of them seemed to work well with oils, especially on my hands. I walked around with stained hands and kept my nails short so the paint under my nails wouldn’t look so obnoxious, often dreaming about the good old days when I used water-soluble acrylics to avoid the whole cleanup issue.

Little did I know how my life would change for the better when my friend Janet, the office manager for my nutritionist, recommended a new non-toxic household cleaning product called Branch Basics. A week later, I was painting in the late afternoon and had totally lost track of time. All of a sudden, I realized that my husband and I were supposed to leave for a party in 45 minutes. I looked down at my hands and groaned out loud because they were covered in red, blue and green paint, all primary colors that stain the skin quite badly (I was working on a cupcake with sprinkles on top). In desperation, I spotted the bottle of Branch Basics next to the sink, grabbed it and began spraying my hands, just like I did today when they were covered in Oreo Cookie brown paint.

Then I used paper towel to start wiping the paint off. To my surprise (and yes, I am still surprised every time!), the paint actually began coming off easily.

Voila! It’s really quite amazing that it only took 3 minutes to get my hands completely clean! I had the feeling I was watching a magic trick that collapsed 30 minutes into 3 minutes – and did the job better too. (Please excuse me if I am starting to sound like an infomercial. By the way, we did make it to the party on time.)

I decided to share this wonderful product with all of you so you can stop your search for the perfect hand cleaner. As far as I know, Branch Basics is only available online. I would recommend purchasing the Starter Kit shown below at http://branchbasics.com/shop/starter-kit-small/

Branch Basics Starter Kit

The product comes in a concentrated form that can be diluted for various uses that are discussed in the user guide that comes with your shipment, and which is posted online at http://branchbasics.com/user-guide/. I use the 1:1 ratio on my hands, which means mixing 1 part Branch Basics concentrate with 1 part water. If you decide to try the product and would like a 15% discount, please contact me and I’ll send you the code.

I am starting to experiment with cleaning my brushes using the undiluted form. For the moment, I am still using a combination of olive oil and The Masters Brush Cleaner. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I have a busy day scheduled tomorrow, and look forward to picking up my paint brush for the limited time I do have between commitments – hopefully more than once. It’s still hard to believe how this one little thing has given me so much more flexibility to paint in short intervals throughout the day, and how dramatically it has changed my attitude toward painting with oils. I hope it does the same for you.