by Bob Martin | Nov 24, 2009 | Art, Creativity, Culture, Learning
What seems like a life time ago, I can remember going to the library as a kid with my school and the librarian
J. C. Leyendecker
reading to us an exciting tale of adventure. After reading a paragraph or two she would would turn the book towards us so that we could see the wonderful illustrations painted by N.C. Wyeth. As a kid Wyeth’s paintings along with J.C. Leyendecker, Norman Rockwell and others
The Death of Robin Hood-N.C. Wyeth
helped open up the world for me with visual representation pirates, celebrities and families. It was possibly my first introduction to paintings as well a visual look of what life might have been like outside of my own neighborhood. It hard to believe in this period of FB, Twitter and Google, that there was a time when a kid looked forward to those weekly visit to the library to learn about history, culture and art.
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by Bob Martin | Nov 20, 2009 | Art, Art Travel, Culture, Museums
Twenty five years ago I would pass through Katonah and at times would park my car there as a part of my daily commute to New York City. Katonah from what I could see, was/is a beautiful small town framed by a large tress.
"A Ride for Liberty" Eastman Johnson
The perfect sub-suburb of New York and I was not surprised that Ms. Clinton and the former President picked Katonah as their New York home. (As pointed out to me the Clintons picked Chappaqua, NY, which is equally lovely, my error)
What I did not know about was the Katonah Art Museum which has me wondering what other treasures did I pass up while riding the commuter train. The current exhibition “Walt Whitman and American Art of the Civil War Era” features some of my favorite paintings of this period, many of which I’ve only seen in reproduction. Good reminder to always stop by the local museum.
This landmark exhibition takes its themes from a troubled era in American history and its title from a Walt Whitman poem. Whitman’s elegiac words introduce the portraits, landscapes, battlefield scenes, and genre pictures that depict the heroism of the common soldier, the flight of escaped slaves, and the courage of the women and children left behind. Bold, Cautious, True features the work of some of the most important American artists of the mid-19th century, including Frederic E. Church, Sanford Gifford, Winslow Homer, Eastman Johnson, John Frederick Kensett, and Worthington Whittredge. Katonah Museum of Art
by Bob Martin | Oct 25, 2009 | Art, Culture, Education, Exhibits, Learning, Museums, Photograhy
The Brooklyn Museum is not on the tip of the tongue when talking about great museums, but it should be.
Egypt Collection
The Museum is a “community Museum” that attracts other communities. There are important works on view all the time . If you are in Manhattan you have to make a conscience decision that you are going to Brooklyn and it is always worth the trip.
Artist Kiki Smith
They have a diverse collection of works from around the world housed in a facility that is not overblown in scope, yet it may be the largest museum of its kind in the United States. The space is designed for visitors to see the art.
On view from October 23rd – January 17th 2010 “The Life of Christ” an exhibitions of water colors by James Tissot . Beginning this coming Friday October 30th is the opening of a Photo Exhibit “Who Shot Rock & Roll” .
November, Kiki Smith is being honored at the Women in the Arts Luncheon, a Museum fundraiser
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by Bob Martin | Oct 18, 2009 | Art, Arts, Entertainment and Music, Creativity, Culture, Exhibits, Galleries, Museums
There are great history lessons contained with in the biography of an artist and the work that he or she produces. The first major 
exhibit of the works of the Armenian born Painter Arshile Gorky will be at the Grand Opening Cafesjian Center for the Arts from Nov. 8th to January 31 2010.
“The stuff of thought is the seed of the artist. Dreams from the bristles of the artists brush. As the eye functions as the brain’s sentry, I communicate my innermost perceptions through the art, my worldview.” – Arshile Gorky – “Abstract Expressionism”, by Barbara Hess
Gorky and his family fled the Armenian Genocide in 1915 when he was thought to be about 10 years old and eventually was able to migrate to the United States in 1920. His paintings tell me a lot about his life, what he he knew and what he wanted to find out his own life.
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by Sandy | Oct 8, 2009 | Art, Artist, Blogroll, Culture, Museums
Modernist Uruguayan painter Joaquín Torres-García (1874—1949) “one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century to have emerged from Latin America” will have is work presented at The Museum of Fine Arts Houston until 11/29/09.
“Joaquin Torres-Garcia: Paintings in Houston Collection”
Until November 29, 2009
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, MFAH
by Sandy | Oct 7, 2009 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Books, Culture, Museums
An article by Fred Kaplan, “1959: Sex, Jazz, and Datsuns” featured in the June 8, 2009 of New York Magazine determines that 1959 was an important year for music, politics, world dynamics, social issues, and the arts. The 60’s might have gotten more press, but, 1959 was the year of change, innovation, out of the box thinking.
The magazine piece is based on Kaplan’s book, “1959: The Year Everything Changed”. He presents his examples of some of the greatest happenings of this special year and they include:
*Actor turned director John Cassavetes was perhaps the first “Indie” filmmaker with his partly improvised script for his movie “Shadows”.
*Completion of the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, changed the NYC sky line on the upper East Side.
*The first micro chip introduced by Texas Instruments.
*The release of the Miles Davis album (they were albums then) “Kinda Blue” (considered by many to be best jazz recording ever).
*Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro invited to NYC and staying at the St Teresa Hotel in Harlem.
*The emergence of Malcolm X and his conversations on race and politics.
Where were you in 1959?
“1959: The Year Everything Changed”, by Fred Kaplan
