Museums | Beverly Shipko, Artist

Keith Haring: Is his art really for everybody?

August 31, 2023 by Beverly

Recently I had the good fortune to be in Los Angeles and see the Keith Haring show, which had caught my eye on a list of 12 Must See Art Show in artnet news.

Exceeded Expectations

Art is for Everybody is an appropriate name for a show with such a breadth and diversity of medium and subject matter. This show is provocative, stimulating, and fun. Most of all it’s accessible, which was Haring’s oft proclaimed intention. It feels very timely even though much of this work was done in the 70s and 80s (1968-1990). And Haring only lived to age 31.

Bottom line: It exceeded my expectations. That’s what I want you to take away from this blog. The Keith Haring exhibit at The Broad, a contemporary museum in downtown Los Angeles, CA runs thru October 8, 2023. Read on for the details (and there are many! Hopefully not too many…).

I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. You can see Bonnie enjoying herself below. This was one show where I didn’t have to ask anyone to interact with the paintings – it just happened spontaneously! Haring’s love of dancing and music comes through in his work and is contagious.

But is Keith Haring’s art really for everyone? Or is it more accurate to say it’s accessible to everyone?

Certainly it’s simplified bold strokes and colors, dancing figures and barking dogs won’t appeal to everyone, especially art fans primarily drawn to traditional chiaroscuro paintings. While it’s not intended to be highbrow, it’s energetic shapes, bright colors, and diversity of subjects tend to appeal to younger generations who are receptive to new art concepts and constructs.

Haring essentially created his own visual language that is easily recognizable.

Recreation of 1982 Major Show at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, NYC

My most recent exposure to Keith Haring was during several Street Art lectures via zoom during the pandemic. I was prepared for a raw feeling that is typical of that genre.

Instead, this splash of sophisticated and bright neon-color greeted us, signaling this show was going to be different. As you can see, Bonne got into the swing of things right away.

Keith Haring 1982 *Statue of Liberty*… and Bonnie

Upon closer viewing, you can see the Statue of Liberty is covered with Keith Haring’s recognizable marks.

This painting was inspired by NYC and the break dancing of the 50s and 60s. All the works in this room shared bold lines, colors and shapes, along with Haring’s signature people.

Art Historical Influences

Keith Haring surprised me by displaying an awareness of art history, which didn’t fit with my preconception of him as a graffiti artist. This section shows the influence of early Greek vase painting patterns, which we had seen at Getty Villa in Malibu the day before.

Here’s a photo I happened to take at the Getty Villa Museum (which is a lovely way to spend an hour or two). Notice how Haring appropriated the geometric banding concept and unglazed terracotta in his vases, but we see Haring’s dogs and human figures in the registers instead.

Etruscan Vase from the Getty Villa Museum, photo by Beverly Shipko.

Influence of Indigenous Cultures

My favorite room was this one with 3 totem-like sculptures set amidst huge patterned Haring paintings. These bold, whimsically shaped totem had an indigenous feel from South America. Also they were very creative, and had such a distinctive character. Bravo!

When you got closer, you could see that each was engraved with unmistakably Haring imagery in yellow and against the black.

I particularly liked this view of the gallery, which evoked the complex patterns of Mayan and Aztec art that permeated South American cultures. Click here for an example of a typical Mayan portal to see what I mean.

The curators did an excellent job of placing the objects, and coordinating patterns of the paintings and sculptures so they played off of each other, creating a playful space with a lot of movement and energy.

Art History References

When I first saw work below, I thought about Michelangelo’s Creation on the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. And then I turned the corner to read how he drew on art history and cultures for his imagery – specifically the Vatican. The irony of these naked creatures – with their tongues hanging out – imitating famous Vatican art was not lost on me. Only here we’re witnessing the creation of consumerism vs. the creation of Adam.

Haring hung out with a group of well known Manhattan artists, including Andy Warhol. Rhese paintings are his personal tribute Andy Warhol and his repeated imagery (think Campbell Soup Cans) with its consumerism theme.

This Tree of Life is a symbol that is traceable through all of art history. This was one of the more lyrical, optimistic and peaceful images in the show, with happy colors. I wish I had taken a photo of the wall tag to confirm there isn’t some sinister meaning behind it… as in many of his other pieces.

X Rated

Of course, no Haring show would be complete without a few sexual images and more than a few penises.

Art and Activism

Haring spent a chunk of his short career trying to change the world by calling awareness to issues that troubled him. He was fearless when confronting the establishment, whether he was expressing his strong views on AIDS (which ultimately took his life), apartheid and global social justice, systemic racism, capitalism, or the atomic bomb and nuclear warfare..

There are a lot of different interpretations of Haring’s work, but the following images indicate he was an original who pushed the boundaries of expression. He constantly experimented. He had courage to make and create art that would make viewers uncomfortable.

Capitalism

One of his favorite themes that he often returned to is capitalism, which he presented with the stereotypicial “capitalist pig”. As explained in the wall texts, Haring often used this image “in political cartoons to depict greedy businessmen… Haring’s pig paintings comment on the ills of capitalism and abuses of power in the name of profit.”

This work is a good example of a brightly colored Haring paintings with a very dark message.

“This tarp painting portrays a pig spewing money-green vomit made up of computers, TVS, clocks, airplane, and other objects of modern life. The green vomit occupies the ground of the painting out of which little figures climb, suckling the sickly peg’s teats. This work is a monstrous depiction of the struggle of production in an era when everything was deemed consumable.”

In this next tarp painting, we see a weapon piercing the central handcuffed figure, representing a tool of oppression. The bleeding globe we see here often represents the worldwide social ills, including systemic racism right here in New York.

Systemic Racism, Social Injustice and Aparteid

In this particular work, red represents blood of a specific person, Michael Stewart, as well as the blood of the world. Michael Stewart was a young black artist, a student at Pratt Institute, who was brutally arrested for writing graffiti in NYC and died after spending 13 days in a coma. This work was created to call attention to systemic racism and social injustice right here in New York.

In addition, the bleeding globe is a symbol Haring often used to represent the ills of institutionalized racial issues such as segregation, in this case apartheid in South Africa – as indicated in the title that references Africa. Yet the US maintained trade ties with the country ostensibly to neutralize off the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In this respect, the red represents the blood of the world. The yellow figures remind me of the quote: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.

Keith Haring, “Michael Stewart – USA for Africa,” 1985

Here’s another piercing of body parts by the devil himself using a long Pinnochio like nose as a sword. It’s an unusually powerful horizontal image, and I can only imagine what it means since I can’t read the wall plaque… Please feel free to use your own imaginations.

Frustrated by AIDS

Haring was a visible AIDS advocate, and used his talent to bring attention to the magnitude of the crisis. Here he promoted safe sex and the AIDS hotline. After being diagnosed with AIDS in 1998, he created the Keith Haring Foundation to provide funding to AIDS organizations to support education, research and care.

Keith Haring as a Capitalist Pig

Given his desire to fight against consumerism and for the oppressed underdog, it feels like a contradiction in terms that Haring embraced consumerism. He opened his own Soho Pop Shop which sold Haring branded merchandise in lower Manhattan.

A 1988 painting by Haring and items from his Pop Shop

Now you too can own Keith Haring slippers and refrigerator magnets!

Haring argues that his Pop Shop is a legitimate alternative avenue to reach the mass audience. And certainly we’ve all bought branded merchandise. But after making fun of the “capitalist pig”, Keith Haring essentially becomes one by opening this store.

End of Life Works

Similar to other artists, Haring’s last paintings foreshowed the end of his life. They have an unfinished quality and missing pieces. It’s almost as if he’s commenting on the work he still wanted to do to change the world.

To me, these two painting feel incomplete and yet satisfying at the same time. They provide a proper coda to a distinguished career.

Love

On the way out, there’s a mirror where Bonnie and I took pictures that summarized our feelings about this show.

In case you noticed, that is me in a wheelchair still recovering from a March leg injury. I enjoyed the show with Bonnie’s help.

Thanks to these two ladies for making it a wonderful day, especially Lauren who had the foresight to buy tickets way in advance.

It certainly looks like Lauren and Natalie loved the show too!

Before the trip, I was most excited about the All Consuming: A rt and the Essence of Food exhibit at The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. It was underwhelming. However, it did get me to think about the delivery of food, and there are a few images that I’ll probably use in a food in art talk.

But the Keith Haring exhibit was the standout show. It’s so relevant today. That’s what I remember and recommend when I’m talking to people about my CA trip.

The rest of The Broad Museum has some pretty stellar art, enough that it’s worthy of a separate blog should I ever get around to it.

If you’re in LA before October 8th, I would highly recommend that you purchase tickets in advance for the show. Weekends are selling out quickly. It’s probably easier to get weekday tickets.

Is Haring’s art really for everybody?

That’s still the burning question. While your initial reaction may be “No, this art isn’t for me”, there’s an excellent chance it is for your kids and grandkids. So bring the family.

And if nothing else, you can appreciate a contemporary artist who was marching to his own drummer in his goal to create positive change.

Haring believed that art made the world a better place. It was his mission.

Today his art and activism deeply resonates in the upheavals that have occurred around the world. Many paradigm shifts have occurred following COVID. The pandemic brought many issues to the surface, including more awareness of inequities, racial issues (#Black Lives Matter); identity (#LGBTQI); plus Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (#DEI).

The world has evolved in many ways since Haring passed away in 1990. Yet the big unresolved issues feel somewhat the same, perhaps even more pressing today.

It’s important that we become more aware, tolerant and accepting of the inevitable social, economic and political change that is taking place outside of our own little silos. And hopefully there will be some compassion in the mix that will bring help to people who need it most. And Haring saw art as his tool to do just that.

In that sense, Keith Haring’s art is for everybody!

Sketching Outside My Comfort Zone

January 29, 2023 by Beverly

Today I had a little local art adventure – something new to me. I joined the Westchester Sketchers Group (no, not the shoes!) at the Neuberger Museum in Purchase, NY for an afternoon of sketching, sharing and chatting about art.

The Unexpected Sketch

I came home with this. Not at all what I anticipated going in since abstraction isn’t my thing. Quite a bit different from my typical food paintings, right? This abstract composition doesn’t even resemble any of the compositions in my Challenge paintings!

My interpretation of Louise Nevelson, 1973 at the Neuberger Museum

A Global Urban Sketchers Community

This is my second Westchester Sketchers event. The first being last week at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers. This time around I knew what to expect. Thank you to my friend Betty for introducing me to this group, which is essentially a subsidiary of NYC Urban Sketchers and complement to NJ Sketchers. Both Urban Sketchers groups are a part of a worldwide sketching movement called Urban Sketchers. Who knew?

Their global motto is, “See the world one sketch at a time.” And maybe that’s what I’m going to do… starting by experiencing Westchester County and NYC from this new perspective.

The group meets in the lobby of the museum. Then we have about 2 1/2 hours to wander around the museum and choose something appealing to sketch, and create an image using dry materials (since we’re indoors in a museum). Afterwards, we share our work, and talk about the process.

My Process

After wandering around the museum the first time, nothing resonated with me. So I meandered through a second time. I remained undecided.

I considered these two pieces of art. Ultimately, I passed on the Richter since I thought it would do better in color (which I didn’t have). The African sculpture was still a possibility. Eventually I realized I was short on time (already lost an hour) so I better pick something and just do it!.

You can see another member of the group sketching away in front of this African sculpture.

Hans Richter, *Wall Wood Relief IV,* c. 1970 by Richter.

Eventually I paused at this Louis Nevelson (below) after reading the title. Even though it’s a black wooden wall relief, it is called Day/Night XX. This name intrigued me since I thought the more appropriate title would be Night, with Day being a white version of this wall relief. And Nevelson did work in white.

So I decided to sketch this as if it the original Nevelson before me was white and titled Day.

Materials

I sketched the whole drawing freehand, often standing (which I do at home when painting on an easel), using a soft graphite pencil (on the right) with a kneaded rubber eraser. (Note to self: Throw a ruler in my bag next time.) The smooth, stiff paper is called Bristol board, which I use for my 6 x 6 inch Oreo Cookie drawings. This was about 2/3 done.

Kneaded eraser, 6 x 6 inch Bristol board, and a soft artist pencil.

All of a sudden there was only 15 minutes left to add the contrasting, darker shading and small details, like the little staples holding those horizontal wires and the shadows on the horizontal molding near the bottom.

Time to stop and meet up with my fellow sketchers, uncomfortable though that is. The “final” version.

As I look at this, I realize my choice of subject was at least partially driven by my left-sided math brain, which was always drawn to geometry when I was a math major. How I always loved the challenge of solving geometric math problems! I guess I still do only in a different way.

Stretching or Sketching Outside My Comfort Zone?

Overall, today was a positive experience – even if I was uncomfortable going in. More so last week when it was my first time. Usually my paintings are carefully thought out, often ruminating in my head for weeks. Quick sketches are a radical departure for me.

However, I believe it’s a good thing to try new approaches and get out of my comfort zone. And to open myself up to different comments from other artists, as well to see how other artists approach this challenge. That’s how we all grow artistically and unlock new opportunities.

And no, the headline is not a typo. The best headline that captures the spirit of today is still Sketching Outside My Comfort Zone and not stretching – although I did a lot of both today and especially over the past few weeks.

Maybe that could be the subject of my next blog….!

50 Shades of White

November 27, 2016 by Beverly

I decided to repaint several rooms in our house as a reward for decluttering (aka Kondo-ing) them – my Oreo Cookie brown studio, terra-cotta red dining room, and dark green master bedroom.

The dark earthy palette I saw on HGTV and TLC (think Trading Spaces) is wearing thin after 8 years. I’m ready to return to light and airy rooms, which will open up the space.

I thought this would be a relatively easy task since I had selected a limited palette. But there are so many shades of “white”! Over 50 in just one corner of the online Benjamin Moore chart for the white family.

Being an artist, people assume painting skills will translate into decorating skills. But I decided decorating is an acquired skill, at least for me.

Helpful Hint: The large 8 x 8 inch color sheets you see here can be ordered relatively inexpensively from this link at www.myperfectcolor.com. It certainly beat paying more money for sample size paint cans, brushes, and poster boards, not to mention the time and mess of painting everything. I confess to placing 3 orders so I could have duplicates of my final choices and put them around the room in different light and at different times of day.

I tried plain white, super white, warm creamy whites, cool whites, taupe whites, grays, blue-grey whites, creamy-grey whites. Who knew?

The answer is that Agnes Martin knew.

Paintings by Agnes Martin at the Guggenheim, Courtesy of artnet®news

Can you see why I was thinking about my color samples when I walked through this exhibit?

Agnes isn’t a decorator, however, but an artist who is having a retrospective (through January 11, 2017) at the Guggenheim Museum – itself a masterpiece of swirling whites.

This show feels like it was put together to showcase the spiral design of Guggenheim.

Agnes says that she wanted to paint emotions, just as joy, happiness, love, and peace. Clearly Agnes had a mystical and spiritual bent that belies her classification as a minimalist. And white has the connotation of purity, innocence and perfection, which brides traditionally wear. These paintings were among her late works.

Agnes Martin paintings, courtesy of the Guggenheim Museum

I walked away from this show with a new appreciation for the power of white. I also had many ideas of paintings for the huge wall in the master bedroom (non food too!), especially from her early less structured paintings.

What I learned from Agnes Martin is that white doesn’t necessarily have to have that feeling of sterility associated with hospitals and dental offices. Several friends warned me away from bright white rooms. But white can be warm, friendly and happy.

Do I dare paint my studio Super White to showcase my paintings? What do you think?

In color psychology, white is the color of new beginnings and wiping the slate clean. That just about sums it up. I’m ready for a clean slate, literally and figuratively. So wish me luck sorting through all the whites!

Mexican Political Art: Not Always a Pretty Picture

October 31, 2016 by Beverly

After being pleasantly surprised by the Vlisco fashion exhibit at the Perelman Building last Sunday, Jay and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

We had the unexpected pleasure of attending the member’s preview of Paint the Revolution: Mexican Modernism, 1910–1950. It is a major show with its powerful imagery, and insightful presentation of Mexican political art and the role it played after the resolution in shaping the nation’s vision.

For the most part, we felt Paint the Revolution was a visual and conceptual counterpoint to the vibrant, celebratory world of fashion we just left – although the brochure featuring Frida Kahlo in her pretty pink dress might have you thinking otherwise.

The show is divided into several sections, starting with Modernism and Mexicanidad (Mexican identity). The first few rooms display the modern Mexican art scene before the Mexican Revolution (1910 – 1920), both historically and artistically.

During this period, President Diaz, longtime Mexican leader, was forced out. The situation resembled what we see today with autocratic leaders who forcibly keep peace and stability while enriching their own pockets at the expense of the people. Eventually the people rebel. This pastoral painting by David Alfaro Siqueiros depicts life as usual, without acknowledging the turmoil that was going on in Mexico.

“Peasants” by David Alfaro Siqueiros, c. 1913, Pastel on Paper

To my surprise, a large number of early Diego Rivera paintings also kicked off this show, which made this blogger happy. You could follow Rivera’s early development and see how he and his contemporaries were heavily influenced by European art. Specifically, Rivera was inspired by Cézanne and the Post-Impressionists, as well as Picasso, Braque and Gris and Cubism, while living in Paris.

Here’s a traditional self-portrait of a young, willowy Frida Kahlo, who later married Diego Rivera in 1929.

“Self-Portrait in a Velvet Dress” by Frida Kahlo, 1926

Contrast this larger, straightforward Kahlo composition to the intimate version of Frida below in her pink dress set against a complex background full of symbols fraught with meaning in the Paint the Revolution section (1921-1926). Here she is caught between two worlds, her agricultural and spiritual homeland on the left, and the industrial revolution on her right. Where do you think her heart is?

“Self-Portrait on the Border Line Between Mexico and the United State” by Frida Kahlo, 1921. Oil on metal. 12 1/2 × 13 3/4 inches

In the rest of the Paint the Revolution (1921-1926) section, I was surprised to discover more lyrical work by Adolpho Best Mauguard, a renown artist and art historian (unknown to me!) who developed a national art education program for primary schools that was government sponsored.

Best Mauguard’s work combines some of the abstraction of the European painters with the ancient Pre-Columbian and modern Mexican motifs that he included in the curriculum. There is a lightness, playful, fantasy quality to this work that belies the fact a Mexican Revolution occurred, ultimately leading to a withdrawal of government support.

The show shifts to more weighty subjects that offer a political and a social commentary on the bloody civil war. Here is Sequieros’ Zapata, the leader and hero of the peasant revolution again the landowners (quite a contrast his early pastoral work!) and the peasant solders themselves (by another artist whose name I can’t decipher on the wall plaque – can you?).

We see a dramatic shift in the work of Diego Rivera both in subject and style, almost a proclamation of Mexican nationalism represented by these two reduced size frescos painted for a 1931 MOMA show. The work is darker in tone and manner, befitting revolutionary art with a message to tell.

“Liberation of the Peon” by Diego Rivera, 1931. Reduced version of 1923 work at the Ministry of Public Education in Mexico City. A reworking of the Lamentation theme from Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy

“Sugar Cane” by Diego Rivera, 1931, Fresco. 1/3 size from his 1930 Slavery in the Sugar Mill fresco at the Palacio de Cortés in Cuermavac, Mexico

In 1920, after the most brutal fighting of the civil war tapered down, the new government, spearheaded by former revolutionary general Alvaro Obregan, started rebuilding the nation and put Jose Vasconcelos in charge of a new Ministry of Public Education. For the first time, the visual arts played a prominent role in national reconstruction. The government sponsored a monumental mural painting initiative for public buildings that essentially declared fresco it’s national art form in order to institutionalize the Mexican revolution.

Vasconcelos put together a network of painters to accomplish this. The Big 3 Muralists – Rivera, Orozco, and Sequieros – emerged as representatives of Mexican mural art during this period, and each with their own digital installation, and one interactive station.

One of the strengths of the Paint the Revolution: Mexican Modernism, 1910–1950 installation lies in its life size digitized virtual tours of major mural frescos in situ which were scattered through the exhibition. We see the genesis of a huge public art project depicting the struggles of the people, the history and ideals of the insurgency.

In 1921, Rivera returned from Europe to Mexico after a stint in Italy studying fresco painting to participate in the government sponsored mural program.

The first installation we see is Rivera’s Ballad of the Agricultural Revolution and Ballad of the Proleriet Revolution from the late 1920s. Over 17,000 square feet of murals and decorations for the headquarters of the Ministry of Public Education in Mexico City scroll by us. It was fascinating to watch the iant video projection (sorry for not taking a video and compressing it for you) showing the progression throughout the rooms that I’ll probably never see in person.

Next we see The Epic of American Civilizations by Jose Clemente Orozco, 1932-34, installed in the reserve reading room at Darmouth College. This installation is a highlight of the Paint The USA section of this exhibit (1927-1932), incorporating the imagery of both countries. During this period, Mexican muralists were strongly supported in this country for their social consciousness and innovative artistic achievements, and were drawn to the north for major public art commissions.

The third major installation, Portrait of the Borgeoise by Sequieros and his team, represents the most depressing section in this show, In Times of War. But then how can war be anything but depressing?

The Mexican’s Electrician Syndicate in Mexico City commissioned Sequieros to decorate their new building in 1939. He chose the stairway, an unconventional choice, because it offered 1,000 square feet and provided the opportunity to develop a narrative that would unfold as people walked through the space. To the credit of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this unusual mural is represented by an equally unusual presentation going up 2 stories.

Here’s a detail of the piles of bourgeoise money that greeted you at the top of the stairs.

The galleries in this section were filled with dark paintings, and newspaper journals about fascism, among other things. While war is an important reality of the Mexican revolution, I must admit to skipping over these less visually appealing sections.

Around the mid-1930s, many Mexican artists opted for a rather raw and combative style, going for strength and force over poetry. After a quick walkthrough, Jay turned to me and asked, “You don’t actually like this stuff, do you?”

But I do – just not all of it. I’ve been a Diego Rivera fan since I was a little kid in Detroit, growing up with the great fresco cycle, Detroit Industry Murals, at the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA). You just have to cherry pick what you like out of this show, which is what I’ve done with this blog.

And so I am ending with somewhat lighter post-revolutionary paintings in the last few galleries (1930s on), that provide a welcome respite from the weight and darkness of all this ideological art.

While the curators were smart to leave us with an more upbeat feeling, our net impression is not one of a pretty picture show, like the 2015 Impressionism exhibit that occupied this same space. This is a substantial show of issues. In my opinion, the recent New York Times review Two Sides of Revolution: Muscular and Elegant may overstate the case for elegance.

It’s worth the trip to explore the artistic heritage of a people we share a continent with. I walked away with a better appreciation of the relatively recent political and artistic struggles of a country so often in the news these days.

Vlisco Surprise: A Feast for the Eyes

October 28, 2016 by Beverly

Just sometimes you get lucky when exploring new exhibits and gallery shows.

That was certainly the case this past Sunday when Jay and I visited the Perelman Building, an Art Deco extension of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, featuring special contemporary art exhibits.

As we entered a show dedicated to Vlisco, a company I had never even heard of, I didn’t know what to expect. An involuntary WOW! escaped my lips. To say this was a surprise is an understatement.

The vibrant fabric colors, the creative silhouettes, and the innovative African fashion designs for all occasions pulsated against rows of creative patterned fabrics manufactured by Vlisco – a name that I won’t soon forget.

It turns out that “Vlisco: African Fashion on a Global Stage” is an visual feast for the eyes. Only we’re talking fashion feast rather than food this time around.

While I’m not a fashionista like my daughter Bonnie, I was mesmerized by this room and walked around several times taking iPhone photos along the way. Somehow I left my favorite camera charging back in New York…

I kept coming back to this Gala Dress with its memorable silhouette, intense colors and patterns. The shape reminded me of a mermaid – but what a mermaid!

I found one wedding dress in this collection, the dress with the white veil (middle right) full of patterns and colors – but still clearly recognizable as a wedding dress.

This display features one-of-a-kind designs made specifically for this show. Atypically, I was told the mannequins were made (and later shaved off!) to fit the dresses, not the other way around (i.e. dresses made to fit mannequins). As a result, the exhibit installers had a unique challenge on their hands, and are to be commended.

After admiring my favorite dresses, I directed my attention to the resin fabric sheets on the wall. The wax print designs were pure fun, and included everything from abstract patterns, body parts (think symbolic eyes and hands), and pop culture images of shoes, rings, maps, and whatever else one can think of. The designers are only limited by their imaginations.

One wall the demonstrated the wax resin printing process (the brown plate is on the upper right), reminiscent of screen printing but using wax, which made me appreciate the intensity of the colors and rhythms all the more. It’s the wax process that preserves the bold, crisp colors and makes this the medium of choice.

While I was talking to Jay (who wasn’t as mesmerized looking at clothes as I was, no matter how creative), I remembered a New York Times article about this a while back (turned out to be July), which I just found here. The Times talked about the Vlisco show being the most vivacious show under the umbrella of 5 shows called Creative Africa, three in Perelman.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Philly before January 22, 2017, stop by and get a flavor of an exciting Dutch fashion manufacturing company with a clear design niche. Vlisco is a fascinating and unique company which has been creating Western African and Central African textiles in the Netherlands for over 170 years – a surprise since I assumed these fabrics came out of Africa rather than Europe.

You can see how active Vlisco is from their extensive website. A few pages that I thought were interesting included the news around the world and a limited edition fashion page (click on the swatches to see the dresses).

Certainly the traditional Art Deco design of the exterior had us fooled. Once again, I was reminded that you can’t always judge a book by its cover. Be open. Try new things. Sometimes you’ll be richly rewarded.

Chihuily: A Glass Act

February 25, 2016 by Beverly

Today I was going through hundreds of wild life photos from our recent Sarasota, Florida trip when I came across these images of exquisite art glass by Dale Chihuily, glassmaker extraordinaire.

I had forgotten we left the beaches behind to visit the Chihuily Collection in St. Petersburg, about an hour away. For me, this small, well designed museum was one of the highlights of the trip.

The collection began chronologically with Chihuily’s older work, such as Seaforms, which evoke underwater forms with their flowy, asymmetrical shapes.

There’s the Venetians series, with a work missing. One piece was stolen right off its platform, which is not something museums are proud of. Fortunately, the piece was returned after the thief discovered he couldn’t sell it on the open market, and will be reinstalled shortly.

Chihuily is known for his intensely colored Macchia series. This large blue vessel make me think of a morning glory.

Stunning Chandeliers, made up of as many as 1,000 elements of glass attached to a stainless steel base, dominate this large gallery. These works are shipped in pieces, each individually numbered, and are assembled on site. It took a large team from Chihuily’s studio 8 hours to install this blue beauty.

Here are side and bottom views of a smaller multicolored Chandelier beside it.

When we came across this nook, we immediately thought of Leslie, Jay’s sister, who creates very elegant and striking Ikebana arrangements in Portland, OR. Chihuily presents his own whimsical glass Ikebana series including 3-D and 2-D works.

Then we moved into a dark, dramatic room featuring this boat piece full of large globes. Chihuily called the globes Niijima Floats, after an island in Tokyo Bay and the small Japanese fishing floats he found growing up on Puget Sound. I couldn’t help but recall other Chihuily boats and floats we had seen in outdoor installations at the Phoenix and New York Botannical Gardens.

A passageway with this ethereal ceiling, conjuring up thoughts of lily pads , flowers, and other natural elements, lead us down the hall to the showstopper.

Finally, we reach Chihuily’s own true garden of glass, Mille Fiori (Italian for a thousand flowers). This modern, sleek indoor installation took on a completely different vibe (quite a contrast to the dessert!), combining refined forms from Chihuily’s entire career.

Here Chihuily took one of his Chandeliers and turned it upside down to anchor the end of Millie Fiori.

In person, you can really see how his work is based on natural forms. For example, tips of the blue plants are inspired by frog hands, with their knobby pads located on the tips of their fingers, giving them suction.

These green plants resemble agaves and other dessert plants.

We never made it to the glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Center nearby, which is included in the $20 admission fee, and comes highly recommended. Next time.

Dale Chihuily makes the art of glass blowing look easy, but it’s not. It’s physically demanding, technically challenging, capital intensive, and often unpredictable in lesser hands.

All of which serves to remind us that Chihuily took what some considered to be an almost forgotten minor art form and turned it into a major installation vehicle that is ubiquitous. And for that he is truly a modern master of glass, in a class of his own.

Pablo Makes Me Smile!

February 2, 2016 by Beverly

When I walked into the Picasso Sculpture show at MOMA in Manhattan, I made a beeline for this sculpture – a very old friend. The last time we saw each other was 30 years ago at the Picasso Museum in Paris.

And I smiled. Just like I did the first time.

A few words came to mind. Creative. Playful. Clever.

Woman with Outstretched Arts, by Picasso, 1961. Front view. Painted iron and sheet metal.

“Woman with Outstretched Arms”. by Picasso. Back view.

More words popped into my head through the whole show.

Classic. Epic.

“Head of a Warrior” by Picasso, Boisgeloup, 1933. Plaster, metal and wood.

Elegant. Humorous.

“Insect” by Picasso. Ballauris, 1951. Fired white clay, incised and painted with slips.

Whimsical.

“Vase” by Picasso, Vallauris, 1947 or 48. White earthenware painted with slips and oxides.

Beautiful. Stately.

“Bust of a Woman” by Picasso, Boisgeloup, 1931. Plaster.

Poignant.

“Woman with a Baby Carriage” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1950-54. Bronze.

Innovative. Technical prowess – a life-size cast bronze sculpture held up by a jump rope!

“Little Girl Jumping Rope” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1950-54. Bronze.

Creative. Visionary. Who else would see a toy car as a baboon head?

“Baboon and Young” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1951. Bronze.

Versatile. Prolific.

"Bull" by Picasso. Cannes, 1958. Blockboard (wood base panel), palm frond and various other tree branches, eyebolt, nails and dress)

“Bull” by Picasso. Cannes, 1958. Blockboard (wood base panel), palm frond and various other tree branches, eyebolt, nails and screws)

Simplicity. Essence. Sleek. Modern.

“Little Horse” by Picasso. Valllauris, 1961. Painted metal with wheels.

Other thoughts came to mind. Master of any material. Fearless. Adventuresome. Joyful. Love of Life (as the French say, Joie de Vive). Pure Genius. And what you see here is just the tip of the iceberg since my own taste gravitates towards the later work.

Going to this show made me smile from the inside out. I’m grinning as I write this.

That alone is a good enough reason to see this exhibit. With one more week to go (closes February 7th), the crowds are large. So plan your visit early or late in the day.

And don’t forget to smile for the camera.

John Singer Sargent: An Artist’s Artist

August 29, 2015 by Beverly

Can you imagine John Singer Sargent doing a painting a day? The answer is yes, without breaking a sweat.

As I prepare for my second 30-day painting-a-day challenge starting shortly on September 1st, I can’t help but wonder what Sargent would choose to paint each day.

Would it be a watercolor? Sargent’s dazzles us with his use of bright light and shadow playing over surfaces – with such fluidity and ease in this medium that he never ceases to amaze me.

An Arab Woman by John Singer Sargent, Watercolor.

“Escutcheon of Charles V of Spain” by John Singer Sargent, 1912, Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper

A pencil drawing? Sargent has an uncanny ability to represent people with an economy of strokes. He did more sketches of the infamous Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau) than he did for any other portrait. Here she’s sitting down, unlike in the final full-length portrait that almost derailed his career.

“Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)”. 1883-84, Graphite on off-white wove paper

A charcoal? Like this elegant depiction of American actor Mary Anderson. I love how he set the smooth skin again a dark background, and used an eraser to delineate the folds of the scarf.

“Mary Anderson” by John Singer Sargent, 1913, Charcoal on paper.

Or, how about an oil painting? Maybe he would set the scene outdoors, as he does here. Sargent’s light-filled oil sketches are brilliantly painted, demonstrating his uncanny ability to depict the most important elements with loose but telling brushstrokes that makes this work look effortless.

“A Gust of Wind” by John Singer Sargent, 1883, Oil on canvas.

These are just a few of the delightful works at the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s impressive portrait show, John Singer Sergeant: Artists and Friends (open through October 4th, 2015).

The exhibit includes a variety of work from the freer works above, to many more tightly rendered and traditional commissioned paintings – but nonetheless impressive works. Admittedly the selection you see here is more slanted towards light-filling paintings full of exuberance, and feature more women.

Here we see an early self-portrait, Sargent’s first double portrait (Jay’s favorite painting of the entire show), and his tribute to his art teacher, which was so accomplished that some people commented that the student already surpassed the teacher.

John Singer Sargent Self-Portrait

“Edouard and Marie-Louise Pailleron” by John Singer Sargent, 1881, Oil on canvas

“Carolus-Duran” by John Singer Sargent, 1879, Oil on canvas

Even in large formal commissioned portraits, Sargent’s brilliant bravura brushwork shines through. In this vibrant painting of Mrs. Hugh Hammersley, a patron of the arts and notable hostess, Sargent masterfully juxtaposed a variety of fabric textures in this strikingly energetic pose that showcases her engaging personality. Closer scrutiny of the pink velvet shows that he describes the essence of the rich fabric and her satin shoes with a minimum of detail.

“Mrs. Hugh Hammersley” by John Singer Sargent, 1892, Oil on canvas

Detail from “Mrs. Hugh Hammersley” by John Singer Sargent

Sargent: Artists and Friends is a fascinating compendium of Sargent’s large circle of talented contemporaries, including friends, acquaintances and patrons, and is a reflection of the rarified world in which he moved – from France, England, Germany, and Italy to America.

Sargent seemed to thrive on hanging out with other artists, some more famous than others, and documented his visits with them in many informal compositions. Some of Sargent’s freshest works are more spontaneous paintings of his artistic friends, including author Robert Louis Stephenson (who he painted 3 times), Claude Monet (who needs no description!), and a close friend and fellow painter, Paul Helleau, with his wife leaning against the boat. (I know this last painting well since it’s on the cover of my first book on American Impressionism, the subject of my master’s thesis.)

"Robert Louis Stephenso" by John Singer Sergent, 1887, Oil on canvas.

“Robert Louis Stephenso” by John Singer Sargent, 1887, Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet By John Singer Sargent

An Out-of-Doors Stud by John Singer Sargent, 1889, Oil on canvas

One of the most striking aspects of Sargent’s career is his ability to switch seamlessly from one medium to another, and from tightly rendered commissions of patrons and champions, like Isabella Stewart Gardener, to free and spontaneous depictions of his peers, such as Monet, Rodin and Faure.

Painting portraits is a gift, as anyone who paints and has tried their hand at portraiture knows. You either have it or you don’t. And Sargent had it. And boy, did he have it! That’s why I call Sargent an artist’s artist and would highly recommend this show, along with the audio guide to learn more about all the people involved.

And so the 30 Day Challenge probably wouldn’t have been much of a challenge for Sargent, would it? What do you think he would have done?

Whatever he chose, I’m sure Sargent would have relished the opportunity, and I’m pretty confident he would be painting on a much larger scale than I plan to do. Sargent has inspired me to try a bigger panel for the Challenge (at least once) and see what happens, and to experiment more with watercolor, charcoal and pencil. And just maybe, one day, if I do enough Challenges, I can evolve my own personal painting style to record the essence of a subject using a similar economy of strokes and a equally compelling bravura… 🙂

A painting a day? Done.

The Dealer Who Saved Impressionism

July 30, 2015 by Beverly

Writing this blog today was at the bottom of my to do list.

After reading Michael Fitzgerald’s rather slanted review today in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel and the New Painting, a blockbuster exhibit currently on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this blog post went right to the top of the list.

Michael, I totally disagree with your conclusion that this show “offers many visual pleasures but rarely does justice to its topic”. Furthermore, I think this misses the whole point of the show – and wish the WSJ would publish a counter-point to this slanted review (says Beverly, the indignant art historian).

While I agree with much of what is written, the conclusion overlooks the plethora of information in the wall charts and each wall tag, adding a whole new dimension to our experience of the show. Most of this information is new to us. We walk away thinking about the business aspect of 19th century Impressionism, and comparing it to birth of art movements in today’s world.

The goal of this exhibit was not to do a survey of Impressionism, or “tell this crucial story of modern art“, but to show how one 19th century art dealer committed himself to a fledgling art movement, enabling it to survive.

We learn from this show that Paul Durand-Ruel had the eye – and what an eye! In today’s poker vernacular, we would say Durand-Ruel was a visionary who had the courage of his convictions and guts to go all in.

As for why the curators decided to pick these particular paintings or why such “tiny samples” cannot tell this story, it’s almost irrelevant because the curators are not trying to tell the whole story. Some works are included, I suspect, for their provenance. The point is that Durand-Ruel kept Impressionism afloat at his own financial peril by taking out loans to purchase thousands of paintings to support the artists, narrowly avoiding bankruptcy.

Durand-Ruel was surprisingly modern in his thinking, developing innovative marketing strategies and tactics that are used routinely today in the gallery world by Gagosian, David Zwirner, among others. While being a visual feast for the eyes (especially Monet’s mouthwatering Gallettes) and serving up many major serial Impressionist works such as Monet’s Poplars and Renoir’s Dancers, this show looked at Impressionism from the perspective of a gallerist, providing an intriguing glimpse of the financial inner workings of the gallery world. (Unfortunately photos weren’t allowed of the paintings or the charts, so thanks to whoever took these.)

Claude Monet’s “The Galettes” (1882)

Durand-Ruel established himself as the forerunner of modern day gallery owners by establishing outposts in various geographic locations (Paris, London, multiple venues in the US), cornering the market by purchasing thousands of Impressionist paintings (think 1,000 Monet’s and 1,500 Renoirs alone), manipulating auction prices, wheeling and dealing with discounts, and more. And I learned that pop-up galleries are nothing new, having originated over more than a century ago.

He singlehandedly supported the Impressionists on a day-to-day basis (no consignment agreements for him!), introduced his artists in solo and group shows, and producing catalogs that could be passed along, generating word-of-mouth. He even promoted his shows with the press, commissioned essays, using strategies akin to contemporary PR. All of this sounds like what I learned in Marketing 101 at Northwestern – and yet it all happened in the 19th century.

One of the highlights for me was the reproduction of a Durand-Ruel gallery ledger showing the prices he paid for the the paintings and sculptures, his selling prices, and therefore revealing his profits – which were gigantic on some of the name artists of the day such as Corot, Millet and Rousseau, and funded his Impressionism investment. The ledger essential functions as a defacto list of all the unsold inventory – which represented a huge investment.

Fitzgerald says we don’t know much about Durand-Ruel, but I beg to differ. We know he was a private man, a conservative and a Catholic, who raised his kids alone after his wife died, and put a priority on his family. He was a creative thinker who committed himself vehemently to those artists whose work he believed in, putting his conservative politics aside. Durand-Ruel remained fiercely loyal to his artists throughout their lives – even when a few started using Theo van Gogh (brother of Vincent van Gogh) as a secondary dealer (which would have put an arrow through a lesser man’s heart). And he ventured out into the American art market, where he found the financial success that bailed him out and saved Impressionism.

After Jay and I finished viewing this impressive show, we had a few minutes to wander around and participate in a veritable treasure hunt for paintings in the permanent collection that were handled by Durand-Ruel. Almost an extension of the show, here’s one of many, many works marked with a special labels at the bottoms saying, “This object was sold by the Durand-Ruel Gallery”.

The fascinating part was finding out that large number of 19th century works in the Philadelphia Art Museum came through Durand-Ruel. At one point, we were in a gallery with a whole wall of these special tags!

I highly recommend seeing Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel and the New Painting without hesitation. There’s something here for everyone.

So get in your car and go before the show closes on September 13th. Be ready for a treat on multiple levels.

Seward Johnson Retrospective – Revisited

June 25, 2015 by Beverly

Our first two visits to this exhibit in 2014 left us wanting more. And we were lucky enough to get it.

By popular demand, this record-breaking Seward Johnson Retrospective at Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton, NJ was extended through the first half of 2015 (the last day is July 1st).

Jay and I went for the third time since I first blogged about it in 2014, and we still discovered new things in nooks and crannies. GFS is a dynamic place, packed full of sculpture that is constantly evolving and changing.

This trip we got to GFS early enough to take a tour, which we highly recommend. When you get to the ticket counter, ask about the free tours and sign up since space is limited (first-come first-serve basis).

Our tour guide covered a lot of territory in an hour, and led us through several popular permanent installations including this Seward Johnson 3-D take of Henri Rousseau’s popular painting at MOMA called The Dream, which was buried deep in the bamboo forest. At the end of the path, we were greeted by the mesmerizing stare of this beast.

We learned that the weather takes its toll on these outdoor bronze-cast sculptures, which are repaired on an ongoing basis, sometimes 3-4 times a year. Johnson’s Atelier (aka workshop where you can see the casting process) is open to the public once a month, alas, not during our visit. Instead, we settled for a peek through the fence at this collection of work currently being restored.

At this point, you might be asking yourself: Why did Jay and I go back 3 times? What exactly is the attraction?

The answer is fun and accessible art – and a lot of it with over 270 sculptures, 150 of which were Johnson’s in 2014 (some have moved on due to previous commitments. Not to worry – there’s so much to see!). You can touch the sculptures, walk around them (no climbing!), and interact with them

There is a lightness about these sculptures that comes from Johnson’s own internal compass and innate sense of humor.

Here is an artist who is comfortable in his own skin, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. This is most evident when you read the newspaper articles and book titles that are thoughtfully incorporated into his works, with powerful messages. In this article, But Is It Art?, Johnson pokes fun at himself and his entire body of work – which hasn’t always received critical acclaim.

When you’re visiting GFS, you don’t take yourself too seriously either. That’s my husband “inspecting” Marilyn Monroe’s backside… and asking for directions from the “guard” by the Mona Lisa – one of many classic icons, photos and Impressionist paintings reinterpreted by Johnson. Being an artist and art historian, I was particularly delighted to sit in full scale version of Van Gogh’s bedroom.

Johnson plays with scale on a monumental level, and gives us a chance to experience Impressionist icons in different settings, so that our relationship with the original art changes.

You can get a good idea of Seward Johnson’s approach by looking at his treatment of this well-known painting, Olympia by Manet.

Edouard Manet, “Olympia”,
1863, Oil on canvas,
H. 130; W. 190 cm, Courtesy of the Musée d’Orsay, Paris

When you park your car, this huge nude sculpture confronts you from a big hill, entirely out of context and blown up to a gigantic scale.

Inside, we find this same life-size, humanized nude sculpture set in a formal Parisian room, chandeliers and all. We’re free to walk around the installations, view them from every angle, and participate in them. I’ll never look at Manet’s Olympia the same again! (I wrote about this transformative experience in Monet Through A Different Lens)

By playing with sculpture on such a huge scale, Johnson also plays with our minds.

Monumental sculptures, like two ladies on a bench in The Meadows, a solder kissing a nurse (remember the famous photo?), and Johnson’s giant version of Matisse’s Dance for Joy reflecting in a pond, are juxtaposed with works of life-size everyday people scattered all over the park. Around each corner, we might find a window washer, policeman, mailman, or this girl reading on a park bench.

In one of the videos, Johnson says his space is the area beyond the frame (in fact, the name of one of his series). I can’t but help think it’s also in front of the frame, behind it and through the frame. He allows us to literally play with the frame in his version of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and the Mona Lisa.

Take some time to watch the video of Seward Johnson in the main building to get a sense of the man. Johnson has a strong sense of self (and even joked about being fired from the family business, Johnson and Johnson!), and creates the art he is compelled to make. He is quite an authentic character who is true to himself, willing to take risks, and has made a long-standing commitment to bring art to more people – as evidenced by evolution of this 42-acre park offering a a calendar full of events and activities for all ages.

In Johnson’s world, art imitates art, which imitates life, which can in turn imitate art…. Here we see how Seward Johnson inserted himself (wearing a hat) into Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, having drinks with his friend Red Grooms and other cronies. On this particular day, Jay and I were delighted to find Johnson – in person – exuberantly leading a Sing-A-Long and thoroughly enjoying himself (like in the installation) while belting out a variety of Broadway tunes (which takes courage since he doesn’t have the greatest voice…).

We had dinner at Rats Restaurant at GFS, receiving generous portions that were wrapped up to go in a light-hearted way, in keeping with the day.

Then, OMG, it was time to leave! I realized I can’t come back again before the show closes on July 1st…

But you can! There’s 10 days left for the Seward Johnson Retrospective. Check the website for the latest information, and get there early to get a parking space (which is the constraining factor at the GFS).

It’s worth the trip. Experience art like you never have before!

Andy Warhol at MOMA

June 18, 2015 by Beverly

Of course, being a food art junkie, I had to see Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can series at MOMA.

“Campbell Soup Can” by Andy Warhol, 1962, synthetic polymer painting, 20 x 16 inches canvas, courtesy of MOMA.

While this infamous print series had typically been displayed in a grid, for the first time it is installed at MOMA like it was for the original installation at Ferus Gallery, Los Angeles, in 1962 – in a straight line.

There is something very satisfying about seeing them all in lined up in a row, establishing a rhythm in the gallery that draws your eye around the room from one to another. I couldn’t help think about Peter Dreher’s serial imagery of drinking glasses similarly lined up on the wall, which I saw a year ago and loved, and blogged about.

Certainly it made it easier to compare individual works, which was an interesting exercise since these works were hand-painted. Warhol used his photo-screening technique on subsequent series’ after he completed his Campbell’s Soup Cans.

Contrast the way the Campbells Soup Cans are hung vs. Warhol’s Marilyn series of photo-screened images, which is in the next gallery. Imagine how different this body of work would look spread out in a single line. Neither installation is better or worse, just different. Which would you prefer – straight line or grid?

The show also includes drawings and illustrated books Warhol made in the 1950s and 1960s, featuring work from his years as a commercial artist in the 5os.

You’ll have plenty of time to stop by this small show the next time you’re at MOMA since it runs through October 15th, 2015.

Indoors at the New Whitney

June 7, 2015 by Beverly

Now that I’ve given you a preview of the outside of the downtown Whitney Museum building in yesterday’s blog, it’s time to move inside to the art.

The inaugural show is called “American Is Hard To See” (through September 27) and features the Whitney’s permanent collection, an impressive compendium of American art, some of which I hadn’t seen in years.

Starting with the chronologically older works on the top floor and working down, I found some old friends in more traditional paintings from Georgia O’Keefe and Wayne Thiebaud.

And I discovered new ones, like Chiura Obata, whose striking Yosemite prints caught the spirit of that magical place, which we just visited a few weeks ago.

On the 7th and 8th floors, I confess I missed the more intimate, distinctive feeling of the old galleries in the Marcel Breuer Madison Avenue building, whose space and flow felt more appropriate for the smaller works. Maybe I was even a bit disappointed, but unwilling to admit it to myself.

So I gave in to urge to explore outside once again. Jay and I revisited the Whitney sculpture collection against the Manhattan skyline, including this David Smith. Up until this point, I found the outside art more compelling than the inside.

When we went back to the art in the 6th floor gallery, I let out an involuntary sigh of relief. Maybe it was my mood or my personal taste, but all of a sudden I felt the Whitney I knew and loved was back. Once again, the art was the hero rather than the building, and was enhanced by the large open spaces.

Finally, I was caught up in the art itself rather than the design of the building and NYC views. However, we were running out of time. As I quickly walked through the rest of the galleries, a smattering of works caught my eye, like this whimsical Marisol wood sculpture.

And then there was this gallery, one of several whose floor to ceiling windows allowed a successful melding of the art, building and city.

I liked the large installations on the lower floors which worked well in the new space. And many of the smaller pieces commanded more than their fair share of attention. The innovative combinations and juxtapositions from the permanent collection offered pleasant surprises around every corner.

I was glad to see that Jay and I are not the only ones who imitate the statues in museums.

While the novelty of the new Renzo Piano building dominated this first visit, the art itself commanded my attention in the end. Unfortunately, we had to leave before I was ready to go. Fortunately, we live close by and can go back often.

As we walked down the High Line back to our car, we came across this mural.

In a way, it summarized the essence of the new Whitney and this exhibit – a labor of love – which has changed the face of the downtown art scene forever. Next time, I’ll plan a longer visit and even get the audio tour. And I promise to give the art the attention that it deserves.

New Whitney Museum Building

June 5, 2015 by Beverly

Jay and I made our maiden visit to the new downtown Whitney Museum, designed by Renzo Piano. It was an extraordinary architectural experience – with the building as hero.

We approached the Whitney from the High Line. I noticed a series of metal walkways jutting out from a stepped building with new pink accents. I thought that was the Whitney, but wasn’t sure since it was so well integrated into the neighborhood and the High Line itself.

We took an elevator to the entrance, and found an inviting public space full of tables of people eating and hanging out. Even though it was Wednesday, we waited in line to get into this lobby. I can’t imagine what it’s like on weekends!

The 8th floor was our destination, and our art emersion began when we stepped into elevator designed by artist Richard Artschwager. When we to the top, unlike my usual lingering self, I zipped through the art exhibit to get to the stunning views outside.

The icons of NYC were visible from one spot – the uptown view of the Empire State Building, the downtown view of the Freedom Tower and Statue of Liberty in the distance, and the Hudson River. (Note to self: Find the panorama setting on my new camera….).

The Freedom Tower seemed to be the most popular picture taking attraction, with people taking selfies everywhere. After taking photos of many couples against the skyline, we were rewarded with this shot.

Then we shifted our attention to the High Line and the outdoor terraces below. In one direction, we saw a scattering of dayglow chairs filled with people (an installation by Mary Heilmann) and some abstract sculptures in another.

We ventured further out on the terraces and outdoor stairs with a nautical feeling that fit with the river setting (think Fleet Week). The constantly shifting angles and views were exciting and almost dizzying with photo ops everywhere. (That’s Jay waving in the red Cardinal jacket.)

Reluctantly I dragged myself inside, and walked to the 7th floor. The indoor staircase was almost an extension of outside, so I felt I was back on a ship. I loved the airy feeling, with the play of light and shadows. I was taking more photos of the stairs than the art!

The lower we went, the more dynamic the views of the building with its protruding platforms and irregular shapes. On the 6th floor, there was an awareness of contrasting raw materials, everything from metal, concrete, to glass. Our vantage point kept changing every few feet as did our perspective of this dynamic structure and the sculptures surrounding it.

The art seemed connected to the museum and neighborhood buildings. This David Smith sculpture played off one of the water towers that punctuate the lower Manhattan skyline, and had people talking about it.
When I walked four floors down to the lobby, I was greeted by this light installation on the interior staircase.The creative Whitney Building is an experience to be savored, and I wanted more. I broke my resolution to cut down on digital clutter and not take so many photos…. oh well.

On our way out, we exchanged our tickets for a Whitney Membership to avoid wasting time in line, and to allow for short visits. Taking out an unplanned museum membership says a lot about the downtown Whitney, which will give MOMA a run for its money in 2015. See for yourself.

Helpful Hint for Parking: We broke our all-time Manhattan parking record at $58.50 for only 3 hours in one of the recommended lots, dampening our enthusiasm just a bit at the end. Next time we’ll park in Chelsea or more towards the center of Manhattan to avoid sticker shock – and we’ll look for online parking coupons elsewhere.

Katonah Museum Exhibit

February 12, 2015 by Beverly

Right before the 30/30 Challenge began, this painting was accepted to a juried show called Line Describing A Cone: Tri-State Juried Exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art in Katonah, NY, which is up through February 15th.

This exciting news got lost in the shuffle of cranking out 30 paintings in January.

If you haven’t been there, the Katonah Museum is an interesting building architecturally. The museum is light and airy inside, and has a lovely garden in the back with lots of trees, which you get feel for from these snow scenes. It’s a small museum whose mission is not to collect, but to service the community by putting up exhibits. The museum does’t have a permanent collection or any storage space.

The juror is Eva Respini who was a Photography Curator at The Museum of Modern Art when she put this show together. She recently became the new chief curator at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). So it’s not surprising that the show, which was hung in three large galleries, includes a high proportion of abstract works and has a contemporary vibe to it.

It’s always fun to go to an exhibit and look for your own painting. I found mine in this room, among some abstract and semi-representational works.

The opening was a success and very crowded, so I didn’t get to take a lot of photos. Here’s one of my friend, Ceclia Soprano, and I in front of her painting, Web, an intriguing work with crystals embedded in it, giving it many layers of meaning.

My husband and I went back another day to get a better look at the show and to take the installation photos. Another visitor was kind enough to snap shot of Jay and I in front of A World of Cakes. Zaro’s Bakery at the Grand Central Station Marketplace was the inspiration for the painting. This angle really shows how the cakes define the seemingly endless space.

This light installation by Lara Knutson won first prize. This sculpture has great presence in person and certainly does an excellent job representing the theme Line Describing a Cone.
If you like seeing a variety of contemporary art in a single exhibit, this show is for you. There’s one more week to go. So enjoy it!

Day 23 of the 30/30 Challenge – Peacock

January 24, 2015 by Beverly

The last week of the 30/30 Challenge is approaching and I have more ideas than days left. The hard part now is to decide what to tackle.

I’ve been contemplating peacocks for a long time, especially since I have seen them wandering around the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ several times in the past year. Sometimes I dreamt about wearing a peacock feather dress. So I had to paint this Peacock Eye on Day 23 before switching to food tomorrow.

Day 23. “Peacock Eye” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on cradled panel, 5 x 7 inches

To me, peacocks are some of the most beautiful creatures on earth. The intense colors on their iridescent bodies and feathers on male peacocks are exquisite, almost surreal. I like the notion of peacocks having so many “eyes” and being all-seeing, so they can look into the future. They have been appropriated as symbols by many cultures, religions, and rulers throughout history (not to mention NBC…). They were especially popular during the Victorian error. You can see James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room in its full glory at the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C.

I am fascinated by peacocks, which is why I was thrilled to discover the Hudson River Museum (HRM) was mounting a rich exhibit on the subject called Strut: The Peacock and Beauty in Art. Did any of you happen to see it? As part of the show, one room of the HRM Victorian Glenview Mansion was completely decked out with peacocks – including a full-length peacock dress like the one I was dreaming about.

I went to the opening of this gorgeous show wearing my peacock scarf, and then went back twice. This peacock feather was my souvenir from the bookstore, which I used together with a photograph of the feather, as the basis for my painting.

This peacock feather was truly a stretch subject for me for a number of reasons. The colors changed every time the feather moved, which is why a photo was extremely helpful in establishing a fixed viewpoint. After deciding on the angle you wanted to paint, it was difficult to mix the colors and almost impossible to capture the iridescence (unless you have iridescent paint, which I don’t). The way to do it is by juxtaposing lights and darks, a trial and error method.

After playing around for a while, I went to youtube.com to watch a demo video on the subject, which encouraged me to keep going (didn’t have the guts to try the fan brush). Now that I attempted a peacock feather myself, I wish the HRM show was still up so I could have studied the details of my favorite peacock feathers painted by other artists. I do remember chuckling about one artist got around this problem by painting an albino peacock! My appreciation of all the artists in the show who depicted peacocks grew by leaps and bounds today.

I want to try painting the “eye” again after the Challenge is over – and I’ll be sure to post it here.

Now it’s time to leave this exotic bird and move on to Day 24. Come back again soon!