Willie Benson

On Wednesday October 7 the post was a wordless shot of handsome Willie Benson, a recent graduate of Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Willie has a knack with critters: reproducing them with paint and clay. See that wonderful lizard/iguana behind him. If you want to reach him concerning commissions his email address is: bigwilliestyle52@hotmail.com

John Piper

Here is an artist who I was totally unfamiliar with. John Piper an English artist who spent most of his career painting English subjects. As a boy he fell in love with the works he saw at the Tate Gallery, London. After Law School when he had an opportunity to go to art school, he took it and never looked back.

His early canvases were abstract constructions. During WWII he painted the war and captured the Coventry Cathedral while it was still smouldering. I saw the Coventry Cathedral in 1985, the ruins and the marvelous new building. The latter part of Piper's career was dominated by landscapes. He painted many of the ruins of England as he discovered them.

Another surprise once I did some google research is that he also did ceramics. He certainly didn't get into a rut with his art; he was willing to try new things whether popular or not.

501

I'm looking at 501 Great Artists again and came upon a favorite Georgia O'Keeffe. Georgia O'Keeffe, the little gal from Wisconsin who became a household name in her lifetime. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Student's League in NY. From there she headed west and produced some remarkable watercolors from her impressions of the plains. But it was Albert Stieglitz who changed her life by introducing her to the NY art scene.
Eventually she made her home in the west; I've been to her house in Abiquiu, NM, and I've viewed many of the places where she painted. She captured the heat and starkness of the SW, and really made a name for herself as well as securing her spot in art history.

The pic is of Palo Duro Canyon, TX, which inspired Georgia's early work.

Day of the Dead

I'm getting ready for the third annual Day of the Dead exhibit at the No Man's Land Museum in Goodwell,OK. This year I am planning on honoring Georgia O'Keeffe; I'm still looking for a good "head shot".

Laurie Zuckerman is the queen of Day of the Dead. She makes some of the greatest displays. Check out her blog: http://lauriezuckerman.blogspot.com/. The image on this post is one of Laurie's photos; a really Day of the Dead like skeleton; don't you just love him!

Sign Saturday

A sign to point the way to beautiful fall color!

Wordless Willie