Guest Post: See Lisa's Van Gogh

Hello, my friends! I first want to apologize for the radio silence. I've been incredibly busy since school started, and Monday was my first day back at my on-campus job. I know, it's an old and very lame excuse, but it's all I have. I will do better. Also I've been faithfully art-journaling, and I'll have pictures for you soon. Bear with me!

Second, I want to welcome the lovely Miss Lisa to my blog once again! Lisa has just begun her freshman year of college, but somehow managed to write a second very well-researched, humorous, and well-written post for me, so let's give her a round of applause! If you missed her first guest post, you can find it here. And again, if you're interested in seeing more of Lisa's writing, hop over to her blog, This New Adventure, and take a look at her thoughts on inspiration, college, cats, and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

So without further ado, I present

Lisa's thoughts on Vincent van Gogh:

I am simultaneously writing this post and watching season  5 of Doctor Who (which, like, yes Matt Smith BUT I NEED DAVID TENNANT BACK), so just know I am going to reference Vincent and the Doctor approximately 145837 times in this post. 

And yes, that means what you think it means. Today we will me talking about none other than Vincent Willem van Gogh. Van Gogh was born in 1853. As per my last post, I'll give you a short history lesson. In 1853, the first ever potato chip was made, the first woman was ordained as a minister in the US, and Cincinnati, Ohio became the first US city to pay firefighters a regular salary. (Why yes, that is my hometown. You go, Cincinnati.)

Anyway, back to Van Gogh, he had a pretty difficult life. As a child, his parents got to frustrated with him that they sent him to boarding school. Unfortunately, he got kicked out because it didn't exactly improve him like they thought it would. So then he went and got himself a job as an art dealer. He wasn't bad at it, But he kept arguing with customers and he didn't like his coworkers so he quit. He went to school again, but he kept failing his exams. He became a minister in Borinage, which he was actually pretty good t. He cared so much for the coal miners in the community he lived with, that he was always giving them his stuff, even though he didn't have much for himself. Pretty decent thing of him to do, right? Yeah, well, it got him fired. Out of luck again. But we have now found ourselves at the point where he decided to become an artist. 

Last time, I talked about the raging war between the grumpy old Neoclassicists and the hipster Impressionists. Well, at this point, Impressionism was the big thing and it was leading into a form of art called Expressionism. Expressionists didn't want to display truth through their paintings, they wanted portray emotions. Goes with the whole patter of every other kind of art form. Stuff about God, to stuff about truth, to stuff about emotions. Next is stuff about fantasy and surrealism. So anyway, as an example of Expressionism, here is the painting "Redfish" by Mike Savlen.

[Quick note from Cailey: the original of this amazing painting is available for sale at Savlen Studios, so hop on over and check it out if you're interested and you've got some money burning a hole in your pocket! And no, the talented Mr. Savlen is not paying me to endorse his work, although as a broke college student, I wouldn't mind it! Okay, back to Lisa]

I suppose this fish is supposed to emote an emotion (does that even work as a sentence? You can tell I'm such a professional writer) but I can't really tell what it is. Blind panic, maybe? Or maybe he's having an existential crisis. You decide.

Getting back to Van Gogh, his later life was pretty much as miserable as his early life. He ws 27 when he decided he wanted to be a painter. During the 10 years he painting, he created over 1,000 works. His early works were in darker colors, depicting the normal lives of people, like this one called "The Potato Eaters".

Later he started painting his more famous works, which used brighter colors and curved brushstrokes. Obviously his most famous painting was "Starry Night", which I'm not even going to bother showing you because literally everyone already knows what it looks like. Another one of is his famous ones is "Sunflowers" which of course we all know is actually inspired by Amy Pond.

It is well known that Van Gogh was mentally unstable for most of his life. What his exact illness was, we're not exactly sure. Some claim depression, others claim epilepsy, still others say he got lead poisoning from all the lead paint he was using. He was very close with his brother, Theo; he even lived with him fore a while, but Vincent's mood swings made their relationship very strained. Still, he needed to maintain their relationship since Theo sent him most of the money he used to buy paint supplies, and he didn't have nay to spare. Sometimes he even skipped meals in order to spend more money on paint. To paraphrase what Ron Weasley once said, "He needs to sort out his priorities."

Ten years after he started being a full-time artist, he shot himself. I read somewhere once that he killed himself by drinking yellow paint, because yellow was a happy color and he wanted that happiness inside him. Although I half-hoped this was true, I'm sure I knew somewhere in me that it couldn't possibly. That type of tragically romantic stuff doesn't really happen, let's be real here. Van Gogh was crazy, but he wasn't dumb. Some people say he did ingest paint, but I haven't been able to find out if it was actually true or not. Whichever way you spin it, Van Gogh had a pretty depressing life. Even with all his hard work, he only sold one painting in his lifetime.

Yet, while hard lives are pretty terrible while they're being lived, when they're over they make pefect fodder for tragic stories and don't we all love those. Van Gogh became the poster boy for tortured artists. It wasn't until after his death that people started appreciating his art, and now his paintings sell for over 50 MILLION dollars.

I probably haven't told you anything you didn't know in this post. But I learned a bunch, so I think it was worth it. I'm going to go watch "Vincent and the Doctor" now and cry for a while.

Thank you so much, Lisa, for bringing another great story of an artist to all of us here at See Cailey Color! 

Van Gogh is one of the many artists I mentioned in my last post. Though it's not clear what mental illness or illnesses he had, it is clear that it was a great struggle for him. If you want to learn more about mental illness and artists, go check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness and this article on Mental Illness and Creativity. If you're battling depression and suicidal thoughts, please check out the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Van Gogh was gone too soon, and we don't want to lose you, too! 

What do you think about Vincent van Gogh? Which of his paintings is your favorite? Share it in the comments!

-Cailey

Sources:
"Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)" The Department of European Paintings in associated wth the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Van Gogh by Shelley Swanson Sateren

When A Creative Genius Died

Today I'm branching out a little from my usual topics of famous artists, reasons and ways to journal, and the stories behind my own art. Why? Because I'm seeing a very serious problem, particularly in social media. I specifically waited a few days to talk about this, because I wanted to learn as much of the truth as I could, as well as see what others have to say before I throw my own little voice into the din. And now, even more than a few days ago, I feel the importance of this.

I don't want to talk about depression or suicide, like, ever. I don't think anyone does. I think we can all agree that it would beyond wonderful if depression and suicide just did not exist. But they do exist, and they need to be talked about, and I'm choosing to talk about it today because I feel I have something important to say.

If you were on Facebook or Twitter at all last week, you know Robin Williams' passing sparked a lot of discussion and a lot of uproar. For three days, I couldn't scroll down my Facebook news feed without seeing countless blog posts and articles on Robin Williams, depression, and suicide.

The din has all but disappeared by now, or at least it has on my Facebook news feed. Maybe yours has not. And because the din has gone down, I think now is the most important time to talk about this.

Depression is a really important topic to me because I have dealt with it some myself. I have friends and family members who have dealt with it. I have learned about artists who have dealt with it. I have read blog posts and articles, seen paintings, and listened to music on the subject. A lot of creative people struggle with depression, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses, and I've read quite a few articles and blog posts on the subject, including The Dark Side of Creativity, Artists Create Art, Cope with Depression, and Creativity and Depression. I even did a research paper on the subject of depression and art therapy. I can't even begin to list the artists, writers, actors, and other creative people who currently struggle or did struggle with depression, including the late, great Robin Williams. I mention this connection between creativity and depression not to romanticize it or say depression is good or useful, nor to say that I'm an expert on the subject, but because as a creative person who has experienced depression, I find it interesting. Also I mention this connection as a way to further justify writing about depression on my art blog.

One of my friends posted a Facebook status one night last week that said "People are talking. People are sharing their stories. Depression is becoming less taboo. People are getting help. We will be the hopeful."

I agree on one level. It's great that so many people felt compelled to share their stories, to offer encouragement and help. I loved seeing so many people (especially celebrities, with their much wider sphere of influence) sharing the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (which happens to be 1-800-273-TALK [8255], and I encourage anyone who's considering suicide to call right away, they're available 24/7 and believe me, calling them is not making yourself a burden for them. If you need help, they would call you if they only had your number! But they don't, so do yourself and your loved ones a favor and call).

That being said, there are two problems I have with all this recent talk about depression.
1. Duration
and
2. Words

Did you see what happened last Monday? The news and internet exploded with the topics of depression and suicide. But like an explosion, it was there and then it was gone. Why is this topic only discussed in the two days following the death of a beloved celebrity? To my friend with the Facebook status, I want to say this: people are not talking. They threw their voices into a very temporary din.

I loved Robin Williams as much as anyone. Why, I ask, did it take such a heartbreaking, devastating act to make suicide and depression become something to talk about? Why can't we talk about this before the next death, rather than after? Depression was not new for Williams; he struggled with it his entire life. All this discussion, all these tributes to Robin Williams, all the posts with the suicide prevention phone number, why did they have to come after this tragedy?

As with any loss, it's good to go back to life as usual and not dwell on our sorrow. It's healthy. I'm not saying we should spend all our time obsessing over Robin Williams' death. But neither am I saying it's alright to talk about nothing but depression and suicide prevention for three days and then move on and not give it another thought until the next celebrity suicide. Go about life as usual, but don't be unchanged. We have a responsibility to our loved ones to always be aware of the signs of depression and suicidal thoughts and be ready to support one another at all times. Depression doesn't need to be a silent fight.

One of the big struggles in living with depression is feeling alone, right? Depression is a lonely struggle, and the stigma surrounding it doesn't help. No one can just remove another person's depression, nor can three days of discussion make this issue go away. So why are we not talking about this all of the time, and helping people with depression see they're not alone all of the time?

My friend's post has already been proved wrong. People are not talking about this; they did talk about this. And now they've gone back to arguments over organic foods and feminism, obsessing over Disney movies, and sharing cat videos. Why, dear friends, are cat videos going viral again just one week after the internet exploded with talk about something as serious and vitally important as suicide prevention? Do you see what's wrong here? Do you see the imbalance?

Let's be intentional about this. Let's make a point of asking our friends how they're really doing today. Let's try to encourage at least one person each day, even if it's just a simple text message. In fact, if you're feeling really crazy, why don't you jump over to your favorite search engine and type in "suicide prevention" and learn more about this? Or scroll to the end of this post and click on the TWLOHA link? Please, let's make this last longer than a few days, in memory of Robin Williams, if for no other reason.

Now for my second point, words. I don't know about you, but I saw some hope and encouragement last week, and also a lot of angry, rude, illogical ranting. My friends, I don't care whether suicide is a selfish act or not! I don't care what little semantics you use to define depression! Those are side discussions that are, frankly, irrelevant in the face of this life-and-death issue. The reality is, depression is a very personal, individual issue, and no one blogger (or comment on a blog) has the authority or the ability to say just what helps or hurts those with depression.

And friends, do you know what does not help prevent suicide? Things like The Academy's tweet "Genie, you're free". I realize that whoever came up with that idea had the best of intentions, and didn't mean to cause such an uproar or to make suicide sound like a good option, but that did nothing to help. Suicide is not the way to freedom. Nor, as some people have argued, is it something that happens to someone. It is the awful, heartbreaking decision to give up on life, and that decision comes from a very dark, hopeless, and unhealthy state of mind. Why are people so quick to throw their voices into the din without thinking about what they're saying and the consequences of those words? Why is there so much anger and thoughtlessness in the wake of a suicide? Shouldn't the internet explode with encouragement and prayer? Shouldn't this be a time when people come together to share the horrible burden Robin Williams' family must carry? Why are we arguing and criticizing one another instead of writing open letters of love and support to his family, and to everyone who is trembling under the weight of depression?

Believe me, I know how easy it is to say something without realizing the impact of those words. My friends will tell you, "grace" is not my middle name. I've certainly said and written my fair share of hurtful things, intended or not, and I've felt my fair share of regret for those words. I'm not trying to make anyone feel guilty (that's the last thing anyone needs), but to point out the importance of suicide awareness and words-awareness. I'm just asking everyone who reads this to join me in trying to make a change. I know that a few days ago I invited you to join me in making an art journal, but if you only feel like helping me with one thing at a time, this is much more important than any journal project or silly Instagram hashtag.  This is about reaching out and encouraging rather than bringing people down, especially in the wake of such heartbreak.

So to Robin Williams' family and friends: my heart breaks for you, and my prayers are with you. I hope and pray you're able to find peace in the wake of this devastating loss.

To those struggling with depression or considering suicide: Please, please, please seek help. Suicide is not the answer you're looking for. Please, call or visit Suicide Prevention Lifeline to talk with someone. You are not alone in this.

To everyone on social media: please be aware of your words and the way they can impact others. Let's make a change, and let's make it last.

And on behalf of everyone in the world who has depression, has considered suicide, or has been affected by the depression or suicide of someone else*, I ask the world:

Please. Stop the criticism, but don't stop the conversation. 

-Cailey

P.S. The last part of my friend's Facebook post, "we will be the hopeful", is a reference to a really awesome non-profit called To Write Love On Her Arms, which spreads awareness and seeks to help people struggling with depression, self-harm, and addictions. You should definitely go take a look at what TWLOHA is doing.

P.P.S. I mentioned my art journal up there and I just want to say that yes, I have been faithfully writing and gluing and painting and coloring and such, despite the craziness of moving back into my college dorm and starting classes. Don't worry, pictures will be arriving here on the blog sometime later this week, so that's cool.

*The group "everyone in the world who has depression, has considered suicide, or has been affected by the depression or suicide of someone else" includes everyone. Everyone in the world has been personally affected by this in some way. So yes, I just asked everyone in the world to do something, on the behalf of everyone in the world. Bam.

My Art Journal

Recently I've been thinking a lot of about art journals.

What is an art journal, you ask?

Like art, art journals are difficult to define. Most involve turning the pages of a regular notebook or journal into collages, combining art with traditional journal- or diary-keeping. There are some really amazing examples of art journals online if you want to hop over to your favorite search engine and look them up. Most art journals involve gluing things on the pages, painting, drawing, even embroidering them, and incorporating writing into these collages.

As you know, I'm an artist. I love art. And specifically, I love making collages. I mean, I really know my way around glue and scraps of paper and whatnot. Take my journal habit into consideration, and you'd think an art journal would seem like the most natural thing in the world for me, right?

Wrong.

I've read blog posts on art journals, explored them on Pinterest, and played around with the idea of creating an art journal for about a year now, but I still have yet to enter that world. I don't know how to start! And when it comes to art, especially my own, my slight perfectionism kicks in full-blast. I want the "perfect" art journal! As if such a thing could possibly be determined.

I think my problem is that I've thought about it too much. I've built this up in my mind until it's become a sort of far-off, barely-achievable journaling ideal. It's silly, really. Why should I feel so nervous about combining these two favorite things of mine?

However, that's all about to change. I've just finished my latest journal, and I've decided my next one will be a art journal.

I won't stress about it, I won't put hours upon hours of effort into each page, I won't strive for perfection. I'll simply open my journaling world a little more and let art explode all over the pages.

So why am I telling you all of this? Because I want to share my art journal with you. My plan is to photograph my process and share this art journal with you. Each week I'll share pictures from the past week. And if you want, you're all more than welcome to join me! In fact, the more the merrier. Take pictures of your own art journal pages and then share them on my Facebook page or post them to Instagram with the hashtag #SeeMyJournal.  Let's make some art journals together!

For my first page, I glued on a couple scraps of paper and a page torn from an old book, added some red paint, and doodled a bit in the corner. I'll add more when it dries, and later I'll come back to it and write, but this is my start:

Need some ideas? Check out these sites for inspiration:

Journaling Journeys

Artists Journals

Art Journaling 101

Need a journal to get started in? Check out my shop, CaileysArt!
Don't forget to post pictures from your art journal on my Facebook page or on Instagram! #SeeMyJournal
-Cailey

Guest Post: See Lisa's Degas

Hey there! Today is a special day, because I am hosting my very first guest post here at See Cailey Color. Lisa is one of my best friends and the beautiful mind that brings This New Adventure to life. She is a dancer, writer, and theatre extraordinaire, who just happens to love art history, as well. If you like what you see, you should definitely check out her blog, where she writes about her life, thoughts, musings, and the exciting new adventures she's undertaking. 

And now, without further ado, I present

Lisa's thoughts on Edgar Degas:

Being a “guest writer” makes me feel very special and important. Though I don’t quite feel qualified for this and honestly I’m pretty nervous. But I can tell I’m excited because I did research for this. Like, actual, legit book research not just Wikipedia and sketchily-sourced blogs.

I decided to start off my little mini series with the brilliant Edgar Degas. I wish I had some inspirational, well thought out reasoning for starting with him but honestly I just love him. What more reasoning do I need. Edgar Degas is most famous for his paintings of ballerinas. I have been a ballet dancer for five years (though I still have trouble calling myself a ‘ballerina’) so naturally his work interests me. It was not until last year when I bought a monthly calendar of his paintings that I really began to take an interest in the artist as well as the art.

Edgar Degas was born in 1834, in Paris, France, which at the time was the art center of the world. Degas was brought up in a wealthy banking family, and he was well educated in Latin and Greek and ancient history. For a little historical background, in 1834 Andrew Jackson was president of the United States, Charles Darwin went on an expedition in Rio Santa Cruz, sandpaper was patented, and the Whig party was officially created. (This information comes via Wikipedia. I never said I didn't use it, I just said I did book research too.)

During the time that Degas began painting, there was this huge art dispute between the Impressionists and the Neoclassicalists. (word? Not word? idk. My spell check is telling me Neoclassicist so we’ll go with that.) The Neoclassicists were more of the purists, arguing that paintings should be simple and realistic. An example would be this Neoclassical painting with Tom Selleck’s face photoshopped over it:

[Quick note from Cailey: this image is from the Replace Face Project, which is really, incredibly awesome and you should definitely check it out. Neither Lisa nor I own this or have any rights to it! 

Okay, back to Lisa]

Basically Neoclassicists were the crotchety old men complaining about kids these days with their texting and murder. The Impressionists were the cool hipster teens insisting that “It’s not a phase mom, it’s who I am.” Their paintings were much less stiff and formal and their brushstrokes were more obvious. The most famous examples of this style are “Starry, Starry Night” and “The Scream” but those are waaaayyyy too mainstream, so instead I will show you this one called “In the Garden” by Richard Emil Miller:

Gorgeous right? Right. So anyway, Degas began his art in the time when these two styles of arts were in the middle of a little cat fight about which style was better. Degas tended to lean toward the Impressionist style, though his early works were Neoclassical enough to get noticed. One of his early works was the painting “The Bellelli Family.”

Slightly more obvious brush strokes than a Neoclassical, but still and formal. The works we know Degas for are the ones he painted of ballerinas. He produced approximately 1500 works on them, mostly in the 1870’s. He liked to depict them, as well as the people in his other paintings, doing boring everyday things such as “Dancers Practicing at the Barre” or “Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper.”

One of his most famous paintings is “The Dance Class.”

In this painting you see a girl sitting on the piano scratching her back, while one in the back stretches out her feet and one adjusts the ribbon around her neck. This was very different from the time when paintings showed people formally posed, or sitting gracefully and romantically in a field of flowers.

To summarize, Edgar Degas was a man who, when everyone was arguing about THE way to paint, just did whatever the heck he wanted and got famous for it. His works became fewer and farther between as he got older and lost most of his sight, but he did do a few wax models. He only ever showed one of these, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. He died in 1917 when he was eighty-three years old. Yet his paintings are still well recognized to this day, especially by us dancers who really appreciate anything that acknowledges dancers in a positive light.

P.S. Here’s another dancer painting just cuz, like, it’s my favorite.

Thank you, Lisa, for your great explanation of Degas, Neoclassicism, and the birth of Impressionism. Once again, please go to Lisa's Blog to enjoy more from her! And stay tuned, because in the near future Lisa will have more for us here at See Cailey Color. I can't wait!

Want to welcome Lisa to See Cailey Color? Got any questions or thoughts to add? Want me to give you yet another link to her blog (because two just doesn't cut it)? Comment below!
-Cailey

3 Reasons to Keep a Diary, No. 4

Once again, I return to that recurring question:

Why write a journal?

I've shared some evidence for health benefits, talked about successful people who journaled, and shared some silly reasons. And today I want to to talk about Superman.

Notice I said I want to talk about Superman... But I'm actually going to talk about kryptonite. 

   by  andertoons 

Kryptonite, if you don't know, is Superman's weakness. Whenever he's around this fictional element from his home planet, his strength and abilities are weakened. Not only does it affect Superman, but it also affects humans. In some cases it harms humans, but in other cases humans are actually strengthened.

I'm sure you know you have weaknesses. And no, I'm not talking about a little sweet tooth or a love for kittens. I'm talking about a legitimate weakness, something that keeps you from living your life to the fullest. A fault, something that puts you at a disadvantage, an Achilles heel.

One thing that journaling has helped me with is discovering and understanding my weaknesses. For example, I'm a people-pleaser, and I hate real confrontation. While I live with the mantra and intention of being true to myself and not caring what others think, I've discovered that deep-down, I'll willingly sell myself out in order to keep the peace and please others. 

If I have a problem with a friend, I'll write out exactly how I feel and exactly what I want to say to them to stand up for myself and do the right thing. But when the opportunity arises for me to say what I need to say, I back out. I choose not to say it, and I go into damage-control mode instead.

I ignore my own feelings and my own needs in order to prevent confrontation, and I allow the other person to be comfortable while I am miserable. 

Notice what I said there: my fear of confrontation allows others to remain comfortable. As in, it puts the other person at an advantage. And when it's a matter of right and wrong and I chicken out of being bold for the right thing, it causes harm to those on the other side. Like kryptonite, folks. It poisons one, strengthens the other, and kills the third. 

Since I've realized my desperate need to please others and my desperate fear of confrontation, I've been able to work on those problems. More and more, I've been able to be bold and stand up for the right thing. Yes, I still struggle with confrontation, and I'd much rather have everyone just be friends. I love when everything is all rainbows and unicorns and puffy white clouds!

Through journaling, I've also been able to outline my strengths and what makes me unique. I've discovered that my weakness can also be a strength when it comes to volunteering and serving others. And more than that, I've been able to work on my strengths in more inconsequential ways like trying to not care what others think about my clothing or my likes and dislikes. I've been able to focus on who I really am, and what God can do through the real me, without worrying as much about whether people think my love of poetry is weird or my "hairy potter" tee is too obscure.

So for a quick recap, what can journaling help you do?
1. Discover Kryptonite (weaknesses)
2. Overcome Kryptonite (weaknesses)
3. Discover Strengths

Thoughts, concerns, quips, stories, questions, random facts about Superman? Comment below!
-Cailey

Disclaimer: There are many different kinds of kryptonite that all have different effects on Superman and his human counterparts, and I'm not getting into that. I'm just giving the general explanation in order to illustrate my point, so if you're a comic book junky and you're offended by my lack of detail, I apologize. Just be impressed by the skill with which I relate superheros and writing a diary.

Indianapolis Museum of Art

My older sister just got home from a 2-month medical missions internship in Ivory Coast, a little country in West Africa. She had an amazing time and learned loads about Ivory Coast, African culture, medical care, and living in a developing country, and you can read some of her thoughts from her journey over at her blog, A Thousand Sunrises. Anyway, when my family went to Indianapolis to pick her up, we spent the day at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Wow. 

There was so much to see, it was incredible. Beautiful gardens, fascinating sculptures outdoors, and amazing art inside. I could have gladly spent weeks exploring the museum and getting to know each of the paintings! I was thrilled to find two Edward Hopper paintings, a Rockwell, and a Picasso, to name a few. Another great thing: admission to the park and permanent collection are both free! They do charge non-members for tickets to some of the special exhibitions, but the majority of the museum and grounds is free to the public. 

Some highlights for me: 

"Landscape at Saint-Remy" by Vincent van Gogh

If you thought Van Gogh's work looks awesome in a book or on a computer screen (or on print reproductions and a myriad of household objects), just wait until you see his work in real life. The texture just comes to life! There is so much more movement. If you like Van Gogh, or art, or breathing, you have got to see one of his paintings in person. 

"Landscape Near Arles" by Paul Gauguin

As with the Van Gogh, this piece really came to life in person. The vertical brushstrokes made it feel so much taller than it was. I love that something so simple as the direction of the brushstrokes can add so much more feeling to a painting!

"House in Provence" by Paul Cezanne

I love Cezanne's landscapes. The simple, subtle blocks of color make it seem, to me, both effortless and very intentional. 

"Charing Cross Bridge" by Claude Monet

Let us not ignore Monet's squiggly line-work.  

"The Boy" by Amedeo Modigliani

Modigliani's flat, elongated shapes, and the boy's mask-like face, are perfect for this melancholy piece. It makes me wonder what has the boy feeling so down. Is he being kept in from recess? Is he in time-out? Did his pet turtle die, or did he scrape his knee? 

"Self-Portrait, 1629"

My friends, I will never grow tired of Rembrandt and his multitude of self-portraits. Once again, the texture in this painting is so much more visible in person, and oh how lovely that texture is!

"Bronco Buster" by Frederic Remington, 1895

I'm not big on the sculpture scene. It's probably my feelings of bitterness at never having had much success with 3-dimensional art myself.. I'm just not drawn to scultpure the way I am to 2-dimensional work (get it? Drawn? Oh, I crack myself up. Feel free to groan at my bad puns). That being said, Remington's Bronco Buster will never get old for me. It will never become commonplace, boring, or anything short of perfection in my eyes. I absolutely can not get enough of this sculpture! There is so much detail, and for a rather small piece, too (it stands at 23 1/4 inches). I have loved this one for years, and I think I always will.

This concludes my post for the day, but I plan to discuss some of my other favorites from IMA in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled for more amazing artwork! And be sure to comment and tell me about your favorite artwork. If it's in this list that's awesome, and if not maybe I'll talk about it soon...? Finally, go check out IMA sometime, you won't regret it! (and no, they're not paying me to say that, although I wouldn't mind if they did)

-Cailey

Fine Art Friday: Ivan Aivazovsky

If you've read any of my Fine Art Friday posts, you know I love me some Van Gogh, Degas, Norman Rockwell, and and Dali. But if I'm going to be totally honest with you, I have to admit something.

I'm having a love affair.

(The Ninth Wave, 1850)

I'm in love with Ivan Aivazovsky's seascapes. 

The pounding surf, dramatic clouds, and gorgeous lighting give such feeling, such deep emotion to his work that I honestly couldn't help falling in love. I mean seriously, that guy could paint!

I've loved his work for some time, but it wasn't until recently that I took a moment to put a name with those incredible seascapes.

Stormy Sea At Night, 1849

Aivazovsky was born in modern-day Ukraine, met instant success as an artist, and basically spent his life painting beautiful oceans all day long. The man painted from memory. Freaking memory. As in he would go the beach, look at beautiful waves, and go home and paint it and become famous. If I thought I could express my conflicting feelings with any eloquence, I would. But I can't, so I'm just going to show you a bunch more of his paintings and let them speak for me. 

Sea Against a Rocky Shore, 1851

Fishing Boats, 1854

Sunset at the Crimean Coast, 1856

The Black Sea At Night, 1879

So that's my confession for the day. Ivan Aivazovsky. Wow.
-Cailey