ArtExpertOnLine

     American artist, Paul Jenkins (1923-2012) created Phenomena, Yonder Near in 1964.  He was one of a group of abstract expressionists living in New York City and finding success with their inventive methods of expression.  It was the desire of these painters to express a mental, psychic moment, or an idea or emotion that is very real, but not explicitly seen.       Jenkin's had a stronger following in Europe, than the U.S.  One American critic labeled his paintings a "popular" idea of abstract art, and "to gorgeous for their own good".  And, here we have an excellent example - for this painting is beautiful.  It is still to early to learn how kind history will be to Paul Jenkins, but today, this is a fun image to admire.      Jenkins developed a unique method of painting.  While others were dripping paint or pouring thin layers on un-primed canvas, Jenkins used primed canvas and carefully poured paint allowing it to roll, pool or bleed as he desired.  He move

     Isn't this a delightful image, doesn't it make you smile!   There are so few paintings of people in complete joy, laughing.  And here we have three robust, common working women, all dressed alike, taking a break from their duties.    Nikolai Kikolayevich Baskakov (1918 - 1993) is the artist.   He was Russian, living his entire life in that nation.  After college he served in the Red Army for seven years so did not begin serious painting instruction till almost mid life.   He was educated in, and completely adhered, to the Russian form of impressionism and realism, and was very successful in his home country, creating a style of Russian art well accepted by all Russians.     This painting is pretty simple in construction.  The circular row of milk cans, the side of the building and the fence cement the work, uniting the women.  Black and white in the rear suggest Holstein milking cows adding to the realistic topic of the painting.    I have looked up a meaning for nove

  I discovered Hung Liu (1948 -) thanks to a book given to me by a dear relative, and I find this oil painting particularly interesting.  She was born in China and now lives in California, where she is professor emerita of painting at Mills College, Oakland.   Chinese Profile II is her title, and the first thing I note is the painting's size.  It is 80" x 80".  This is huge, almost 7 feet by 7 feet!  Think of how impressive is the visual impact.   Art critics view Liu's work as dealing with memory, as she begins with a photograph to convey her message.   Three things stand out to me in this painting.  First is something I have experienced myself - the concept that by the use of color and shape an artist molds a face almost like building up a 3D sculpture from clay.  Look closely and see how the face and hairline is an overlay of shapes, many triangles.   Second, the background is alive with colors and movement taken from the figure.  To the lower right, balancin

   If you are a frequent visitor, you know I enjoy mixing  up the selections to present a wide variety of paintings. When John James Audubon (1785-1851) created  S mew or White Nun, his reasons were far different from most artists.  Audubon was foremost an ornithologist, so his purpose was to simply record nature, leaving little personal imprint.  But, whatever his purpose, Audubon's paintings, (later, prints), did mark them as uniquely Audubon.    The difficulty in painting any living thing is to make it look alive.  I have know talented artists who have painted stuffed birds and their abilities are good enough so the animals look like dead, stuffed birds.  Audubon took another path.  He shot the ducks then wired them in the chosen position to paint.  Most were in watercolor, often in many layers and sometimes gouache, or pastels were added.  The paintings were quite large, all done so the birds were life size.     Smew or White Nun is very dramatic. The ducks are caught in mo