Quote of the Week

"To be an artist is to believe in life." Henry Moore                       

Sign Saturday

Art to Craft

I wanted a sign that would point the way to my studio.

I had a cedar fence board cut to size.

I stained the wood with "home made" walnut ink.

Stencils were cut for the letters.

First coat of white on all.

Added love for contrast.

This way to ART!

Barnes Foundation

There I was flipping channels in the wee hours of the morning when I came across Cool Places a series that presents architecture, and this hour it was museums. 

First up was the Barnes Foundation. Founded in 1922 by Dr. Albert C. Barnes as an educational institution, the Barnes art collection has been a hidden treasure for decades. Dr. Barnes collected the "modern" art of the late 19th & early 20th century, the art that hadn't become popular yet. His collection contains the largest number of Cezanne paintings anywhere, along with works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir, Gauguin to name a few. Jed Perl said, "Nobody else has ever collected the artists they admire in such extraordinary depth as Barnes."

Dr. Barnes' plan was for the art to left just where and how he had placed it, but as of 2012 it has all been moved to a new city and a new "modern" building.
I heard about the controversy while it was happening, but times & things change. So the new building is gorgeous and the collection is intact maybe just not as Dr. Barnes intended, and the building and the collection are still worth our attention if we love art and architecture So maybe I'll plan a trip to see for myself.

"to see as the artist sees is an accomplishment to which there is no short cut, which cannot be acquired by any magic formula of trick." Dr. Albert C. Barnes

Quote of the Week

"I'll seek a four-leaved shamrock in all thy fairy dells, And if I find the charmed leaves, oh, how I'll weave my spells."   Samuel Lover

Color of the Week

Red, White,& Blue !

Three cheers as we celebrate Flag Day !

This print is slated for Remember September 2014.

Remember September is a mail art project that commemorates 9/11.

Check out all the great mixed media submissions at:

www.rememberseptembermailart.com

What Is It Wednesday?

OK Mozart

It's OK Mozart time again in Bartlesville OK. This annual festival is heavy on the music but also includes the visual arts. I think Wolfgang would be glad to see so many "regular folks" enjoying his music and the local culture.

The featured festival artist is Jan Brieschke. For about a year Jan has been exploring Reverse Glass Painting. Just like the name implies the paint is applied to the back of the glass. She certainly achieves some interesting results.

 I love what she's added this year by displaying the glass on stands; her pieces have gone from walls to table tops. Her work is on display at the Bartlesville Community Center.

Quote of the Week

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." 
                                                                                     Oscar Wilde

Words on the Wall Wednesday

Great Images

Here's the set of postcards I found Saturday. Aren't these great images? Retro designs: clean, streamlined shapes so popular in the 50's & 60's (remember the 50's & 60's?). They were created by upbeatrust.com; they have tee shirts too, and will soon have a storefront.

Showcase Artist

Yesterday I met Lana, a self-taught artist living & creating in OK. She likes to paint with watercolors right out of the tube, and achieves very painterly effects.