feel-art-again

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The Group of Seven

Reader Wanda requested a post on the Group of Seven, a group of Canadian painters who are most well-known for their landscapes. The group members often painted together, both in their Studio Building and on excursions into the wilderness. They didn't call themselves the Group of Seven until 1919, and they didn't hold their first exhibition until 1920, but they got their inspiration in January 1913. After seeing an exhibition of Scandinavian art, Lawren Harris and J.E.H. MacDonald were... READ ON

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PÃ¨re Corot

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot passed away 134 years ago this past Saturday. Claude Monet once said of his fellow French painter, "There is only one master here—Corot. We are nothing compared to him, nothing." A few facts about the painter of "Les Petits Denicheurs": 1. While Jean Baptiste Camille Corot came to be well-respected as a painter, he wasn't always very accomplished. In school, he "was not a brilliant student," never receiving any awards or even nominations... READ ON

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Photographing Rocks While The World Was Falling Apart: Ansel Adams

Yesterday marked the 107th anniversary of the birth of American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984). At the requests of readers Scott S. and Nerak, today's post features Adams quotations and facts about his life, accompanied by his photograph "Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park." 1. "I think of the negative as the "˜score,' and the print as a "˜performance' of that score"¦" Adams' first creative passion was piano. He... READ ON

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The Trendsetter: Tsuguharu Foujita

"Three Ballerinas" is representative of the work of Japanese-French artist Tsuguharu Foujita (1886-1968), the only Japanese artist to be considered a member of the "School of Paris." 1. Tsuguharu Foujita was an accomplished artist even in high school. In 1900, when he was just 14, one of his paintings was sent to the Universal Exhibition in Paris. By age 24, the emperor of Japan had purchased one of his paintings; by age 25, he had been asked to paint a portrait of the king of... READ ON

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Made in Heaven: Jeff Koons

To celebrate Valentine's Day, today's "Feel Art Again" features two love-themed works of art—"Hanging Heart" (left) and "Sacred Heart" (right)—by Jeff Koons. Koons, who was requested by reader Corrine, is one of the most famous artists today, a fame that was only boosted when "Hanging Heart" sold for a record $23.6 million in 2007. 1. Jeff Koons has stated that his main interest as an artist is "the morality of what it... READ ON

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Iconic America: Grant Wood

Today is the 67th anniversary of Grant Wood's death; tomorrow is the 118th anniversary of his birth. At the request of readers Meredith T. and gmsc, today's "Feel Art Again" features "the only artist in Iowa with an international reputation," who died just one day shy of his 51st birthday. 1. Grant Wood's most famous painting, "American Gothic," was first exhibited in 1930, catapulting the artist to instant fame. He became known as one of the most... READ ON

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The True Master: Johan Jongkind

Yesterday was the 118th anniversary of the death of Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-1891). The Dutch artist isn't very well-known, especially in the U.S., but he had a significant impact on both Dutch and French art. 1. Johan Jongkind got his big break when the leader of the French Romantic school, EugÃ¨ne Isabey, noticed his work in 1845, while Jongkind was still in the Netherlands. Isabey invited Jongkind to study under him in Paris; Jongkind was able to go thanks to a subsidy and allowance... READ ON

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The Dada of Us All: Man Ray

Emmanuel Radnitsky (1890-1976), better known as Man Ray, led a life as interesting as his artwork. Referred to as "the Dada of us all" by one of his patrons, Man Ray is popular with "Feel Art Again" readers, especially Bob the Walrus and Corrine, who both requested a post on the man who sought to "amuse, bewilder, annoy, and inspire." 1. Man Ray was once described by his brother-in-law, Joseph Browner, as "a kind of short man who looked a little like Mr.... READ ON

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The Hermit of Holland Park: Lucian Freud

At the request of reader Lauren, today's "Feel Art Again" post features the famous—and infamous—grandson of Sigmund Freud, the 86-year-old British painter Lucian Freud. Some of the highlights of his fascinating life: 1. School was never quite up his alley. At his first school, where he often skipped his art class, "all Freud acquired was a bad reputation." He was expelled from another school, supposedly after dropping trou in public; he had already served... READ ON

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The Man Who Ran Away With The Circus: John Steuart Curry

At the request of reader Meredith Tusha, today's "Feel Art Again" features John Steuart Curry (1897-1946) and his mural "Tragic Prelude." 1. "Tragic Prelude" is John Steuart Curry's most well-known mural, in part due to the controversy surrounding it. Curry was commissioned by a group of newspaper editors to paint murals at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka. He began the mural in 1937, but was met with resistance as soon as his plans for the murals were... READ ON