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The National Gallery in London is hosting a major exhibition titled "Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers" from September 14, 2024, to January 19, 2025. The exhibition focuses on Van Gogh's most famous artworks, including "Sunflowers" and "The Bedroom," and explores the theme of poets and lovers in his work. Van Gogh's life and art continue to captivate audiences, with numerous documentaries and immersive experiences dedicated to his work. This exhibition offers a fresh perspective on Van Gogh's final years, highlighting his creative genius and the role of romantic love in his art. [Extracted from the article]

The British Museum in London is currently hosting an exhibition titled "Michelangelo: The Last Decades," which focuses on the final years of the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The exhibition showcases drawings, poetry, architectural renderings, and other works on paper from the museum's extensive collection. Through a close examination of Michelangelo's writings and relationships, the exhibition offers a nuanced and intimate view of the artist. It also challenges the commonly held perception of Michelangelo as a solitary and impoverished figure, revealing his complex personality and struggles. The exhibition includes preparatory drawings for Michelangelo's famous fresco, "The Last Judgment," as well as the recently conserved monumental black-chalk drawing, "Epifania." [Extracted from the article]

Frans Hals, a Dutch painter from the 17th century, is known for his innovative and lively portraits. The National Gallery, London; the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; and the Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, in collaboration with the Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, are presenting the largest retrospective of Hals' work in over 30 years. Hals' portraits capture the essence of his subjects, with vibrant brushwork and a naturalistic approach. His group portraits are dynamic and show interaction between the figures. Despite falling out of favor during his lifetime, Hals' art has endured and continues to be celebrated. [Extracted from the article]

The invention of paper has had a significant impact on the world, particularly in the realm of artistic expression. From its earliest precursor, papyrus, used in ancient Egypt, to the development of papermaking in China, paper has played a crucial role in the communication of culture, the advancement of the written word, and the progression of art. Despite the rise of digital media and the push for a paperless society, paper remains important as a surface for all media and as a handmade art form. The evolution of papermaking techniques and its use in various artistic mediums, such as illuminated manuscripts, prints, and watercolors, has contributed to the democratization of art and the exploration of new artistic possibilities. Today, artists continue to value the tactile qualities of paper, even as we move towards a more digital future. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the artwork and creative process of artist Kalin Thomas, whose paintings draw inspiration from past art and ideas. The author first encountered Thomas' work in a group show at Burlington City Arts, which featured artists who were considered "self-taught" rather than "outsider" or "Art Brut" due to the changing landscape of art and the internet's impact on accessibility. Thomas' paintings are described as evocative and reminiscent of historical masters like Giotto and Leonardo da Vinci. The article also explores Thomas' studio, materials, and lifelong learning approach to painting. The artist's work is characterized by ambiguity, storytelling, and a dialogue with artists from different time periods. [Extracted from the article]

And like Van Gogh, Whistler and other art titans - including Picasso and Warhol - Hokusai is recognized by his last name alone. As Japanese Ukiyo-e prints by Hokusai and others began to infiltrate the European art scene, the response to Japanese aesthetics, pictorial flatness and creative use of negative space was instantaneous. By age 18, Hokusai had entered the studio of Ukiyo-e artist Katsukawa Shunshö (1700-85), who was known for depicting Kabuki. Compositions Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave), a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is one of the most iconic and widely reproduced images from all of art history. [Extracted from the article]

In 2020, NGA acquired her iconic painting, I See Red: Target (opposite) - the first painting by a Native American artist to enter its collection since the museum's founding in 1937. VISIT THE WEBSITES OF JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH (GARTHGREENAN.COM/ARTISTS/JAUNE-QUICK-TO-SEE-SMITH); KAY WALKINGSTICK (KAYWALKINGSTICK.COM); MARIO MARTINEZ (MMARTINEZART.COM); AND YATIKA STARR FIELDS (YATIKAFIELDS.COM). JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, is one of the most significant Native artists working today. Compositions the art of Native American people has always been deeply entwined with their daily lives, inherently part of their culture. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne (French, 1839-1906) painted Mount St. Victoire dozens of times. CLAUDE MONET Claude Monet committed his life and work to capturing the qualities of light and air in paint on canvas. WINSLOW HOMER Landscape painter and illustrator Winslow Homer was one of the first American artists to practice painting en plein air. PAUL CÉZANNE It's safe to say Paul Cézanne was obsessed with Mount Saint-Victoire. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions Rhode Island-born artist Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) captured America's first President, George Washington, in oil on canvas, in 1796, creating a precedent for the commissioning of official presidential portraiture that has endured to this day. Former president Obama chose artist Robert McCurdy (1952-), who created a photorealistic, exquisitely detailed painting of the president wearing a black suit and gray tie, standing in the center of the canvas against a stark white background. For decades following Lincoln, every president sported a beard or - in the case of Grover Cleveland (No. 22 and 24), a mustache - with the exception of Andrew Johnson (No. 17), Lincoln's former vice president. [Extracted from the article]

Since so few surviving Vermeer works are available for public viewing - and because of the artist's popularity - those institutions lucky enough to own even one Vermeer usually keep it on permanent exhibition and are loath to remove it from their walls. Lead NGA curator, Marjorie Wieseman, was determined to answer the question, "What makes a Vermeer a Vermeer?" It was a literal painting within a painting, adding complexity and nuance to the story Vermeer tells in this work. [Extracted from the article]

The Brooklyn Museum is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a series of events and exhibitions. The museum, which started as a small library, has grown into the second-largest exhibiting museum in New York City. The anniversary celebrations include a major exhibition showcasing the work of Brooklyn artists, special exhibitions that reinterpret objects from the museum's collection, and the launch of a mobile Museum on Wheels program. The museum also houses the Brooklyn Museum Art School, which provides educational access to its collection. The anniversary events aim to highlight the museum's commitment to Brooklyn and its artists, while also providing more access and space for art experiences. [Extracted from the article]

Often, I don't know what I'm doing until I do it!" - HENRIETTA MANTOOTH Mel Leipzig DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION with New Jersey-based figurative artist Mel Leipzig, he immediately launched into an excited description of a portrait he was painting of a musician he'd recently met - a guitarist, dressed for the painting in a fabulously patterned Nigerian garment. The Artist and His Daughter (opposite) is a painting within a painting, and The Artist Painting the Graffiti Artists Who Painted Him (opposite) presents four portraits: a self-portrait of the artist, a copy of a mural of the artist and the two mural artists. Compositions Most people look forward to retirement, usually starting around age 65, but artists often continue to work, sometimes for decades longer, even up until their final hours. Leipzig's family members are fully integrated within his work, as are so many other people the artist encounters - and Leipzig isn't shy about asking people to pose for him. [Extracted from the article]

This groundbreaking book, written from the perspective of a woman artist, targeted a female audience during a time when artists who created welded-metal sculpture were almost universally male and their work was abstract, devoid of the figurative, storytelling aspect that Benton espoused. Benton, however, has been a modern trailblazer in the field, laying the groundwork for contemporary artists to explore the meaning of their lives through the art of mask-making. Prime an abundant froth of silvery hair springs out from behind the enigmatic, yet commanding mask, shielding the face of multimedia artist Suzanne Benton. [Extracted from the article]

By James McNeill Whistler PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE) PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE) PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE) In 1870, Whistler had a brief affair with a young woman, Louisa Fanny Hanson, while still living with Hiffernan. By James McNeill Whistler NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON., D.C. HARRIS WHITTEMORE COLLECTION Whistler struggled with debt and poor health, which was only exacerbated by his excessive smoking and drinking. [Extracted from the article]

No longer considered part of the counterculture, tattooists are now called tattoo artists, their craft made safer and more accessible since the invention of the electric tattoo machine in 1938. In this work, the tattoo's design shares characteristics of a ukiyo-e wookblock print, thus raising the tattoo itself to the level of fine art. Photographer Lars Krutak (1971-), also known as the world's foremost tattoo anthropologist, explained the age-old allure of tattoos this way, "Our tattoos belong to us and no one else. [Extracted from the article]

It's interesting that in both the early work from Pompeii and this 18th-century painting, we can detect a leash or chain attached to the dog's neck, perhaps tying the hound to his master through eternity. The Ancient World One of the earliest and most well-preserved sculptures of a dog is an endearing terr-cotta piece from ancient Greece, Dog With Puppy (opposite), which is alternately titled Dog With Prey. Compositions The role dogs have played in human survival from our earliest days of hunting and dragging our prey home can't be overestimated. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions DANCE AS AN ART FORM encapsulates the social conventions and fashion of a particular point in time. Some restrictions against dancing lingered into the 16th century, when the highly regarded Dutch painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder (ca 1525-69) painted several peasant dance scenes. The human body in the act of dancing is regarded as a vehicle for worship, and it's widely understood that painters and sculptors cannot succeed without a basic knowledge of dance. [Extracted from the article]

PAULA MODERSOHN-BECKER The fiercely independent German artist Paula Modersohn-Becker (1876-1907) died at 31 of a postpartum embolism in the aftermath of childbirth, but her work is recognized today as a pivotal bridge to Modernism in the art of the 20th century. Compositions The tragic, romantic stereotype of the creative genius who rose to great heights only to die young before reaching his or her full potential has a basis in historical fact. AMEDEO MODIGLIANI Known for his modernist paintings and sculptures of elongated, highly stylized faces, as seen in Chaim Soutine (top left) and Nu Couché au Coussin Bleu (bottom left), Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), like van Gogh, fits the profile of the talented artist who was ignored in his own lifetime but whose work would earn high acclaim posthumously. [Extracted from the article]

This association sought to promote the work of professional women artists during a time when they weren't allowed to attend life-drawing classes alongside their male peers and a serious career as a practicing artist was nearly unthinkable. Compositions On May 10, 1998, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, in Greensburg, Pa., presented an exhibition honoring the Philadelphia Ten, a group of women painters and sculptors who collectively promoted and exhibited their work from 1917 to 1945. Talbot worked over a period of several years to learn whatever she could about the Philadelphia Ten, mostly through contact with artists' family members. [Extracted from the article]

Eight years in the making, Autobiography of a Garden not only records a horticultural cycle but also returns full-circle to Raftery's Rhode Island roots, his mother's garden and her creative influence. Compositions "I've always been interested in using multiple images to tell a story that moves through time", says master printmaker Andrew Raftery. Even after Raftery and Bush worked out the chemistry of that issue, Raftery still needed to figure out how to transfer a print onto the pottery. [Extracted from the article]

PHOTO (COLOR): Fulton Street Subway Station ink and watercolor on paper, 8x11 PHOTO (COLOR) PHOTO (COLOR) PHOTO (COLOR) PHOTO (COLOR) THE OPPORTUNITY When St. Vincent's closed in 2010, Levine saw a window - a chance to invest more of his time in his expanded artistic interests of photography as well as painting. As a witness to the impact of the poor living conditions experienced by many of the artists in the neighborhood, particularly elderly artists, Levine knew unequivocally that medicine, not art, was the right choice for him. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions We can trace the romantic roots of the mythic relationship between artists and their models back to the story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who falls in love with the life-sized statue of a beautiful woman he carved out of ivory. ALFRED STIEGLITZ AND GEORGIA O'KEEFFE American photographer Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) obsessively photographed artist Georgia O'Keeffe (see Georgia O'Keeffe, above), especially when she was in her 20s and he in his mid-50s. This relationship resulted in the reverse of most artist/model/ muse stories in that the female model becomes a more famous artist than her mentor. [Extracted from the article]

The Russian artist Yuriy Vasilyevich Demiyanov has faced this challenge with a level of energy and ingenuity that can be seen and felt in his landscapes. Demiyanov considers himself an Impressionist, though his major source of influence hasn't been Monet or Degas, but Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin (1861-1939), a prominent Russian Impressionist painter. The Local Landscape Today, Demiyanov finds a wealth of painting possibilities in and around the village of Zadonsk, where he lives with his wife, who's also an artist. [Extracted from the article]

Before encountering Beaux's work, artist Mary Sauer had always pointed to John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) as her favorite painter, and Beaux's exquisite brushwork could easily be mistaken for that of the prolific portrait painter. "She was a woman in a man's career, and every man around her idolized her", Georgia O'Keeffe AMERICAN: 1887-1986 NOMINATED BY FRAN BULL Not surprisingly, Georgia O'Keeffe, the widely celebrated and perhaps most famous female artist of the 20th century, was mentioned by several of the artists on our nominating panel. Multimedia artist Fran Bull admires O'Keeffe's work but concedes it's more her life story that particularly inspires her. "[It's] the example she sets for a woman artist in her fervent dedication to making art", Bull says. In her initial encounters with Vigée Le Brun, watercolor artist Soon Y. Warren found the artist's depictions of culture and society to have an almost otherworldly quality. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions Defined simply as "needlework", the origins of the word stitchery can be traced back to 1600 A.D. Prior to this, as early as the eighth or ninth century, amateur needlewomen produced embroidered textiles. Linda Gass STITCHED PAINTINGS The role of educator, reinforced by a background in fact-finding and science, undergirds the textile painting, quilting and stitchery work of Linda Gass (lindagass.com). Jessica Rankin ETHEREAL VISIONS Born in Australia, artist Jessica Rankin (whitecube.com/artists/artist/jessica rankin) comes from a richly creative family. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions Artists paved the way to the 1872 founding of Yellowstone, America's first national park. STEVEN S. WALKER Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa Steven S. Walker (stevenwalkerstudios.com) is an accomplished landscape artist whose oil paintings embody traditions established by Bierdstadt but incorporate a distinctly modernist approach to color, composition and light. Through her artist-in-residence experience, Tremblay has discovered many new avenues for research and plans to apply for another program in the near future. [Extracted from the article]

World famous neurologist, philosopher and writer Oliver Sacks acknowledged the mysterious healing power of gardens: "I cannot say exactly how nature exerts its calming and organizing effects on our brains, but I have seen in my patients the restorative and healing powers of nature and gardens …. As with Monet's garden at Giverny, tourists can still visit the garden of Surrealist icon Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904-89) at Casa Salvador Dalí, Portlligat, Spain. Kahlo was born in La Casa Azul, a brilliant, blue-walled house and garden courtyard in Coyoacán, where she also lived for a time with her famous artist-husband, Diego Rivera, and where she died at the age of 47. As with Kahlo, the garden offered French Orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) painting inspiration (see Majorelle's garden, opposite), as well as refuge from pain and poor health. [Extracted from the article]

Compositions Still Life With Eggs, Birds and Bronze Dishes from the House of Julia Felix, Pompeii; 50-79 B.C.; 45. x27., fresco NAPLES NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM The Holy Family by Joos van Cleve ca 1512-13; oil on wood, 16¾ ×12½ THE FRIEDSAM COLLECTION, BEQUEST OF MICHAEL FRIEDSAM, 1931 Fall of Man by Hendrick Goltzius 1608; oil on panel, 811/10x527/10) HERMITAGE MUSEUM Creatives have connected food with art-making since the first cave inhabitants began making marks more than 40,000 years ago. From cooking competitions - where chefs, bakers and children vie for fame and fortune on reality TV shows - to food photographers plying their images on Instagram, we demand that food be presented to us like performance art. If we consider the food we eat to be "Art", are there still artists who see food as fitting subject matter?. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the Sculpture Fest and Land Art Lab, curated by ceramic artist Charlet Davenport and her husband Peter Davenport in Vermont. Topics discussed include outdoor sculpture by artists Bonnie Gale and Mary Admasian and Land Art Lab as an extention of the Fest organized by educator and activist Jay Mead. Also mentioned are various art installations at the Fest including When Sky Was Earth by Herb Ferris and Mead's metal arch, Passage.

The article reviews the exhibition "All the Rembrandts" at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands from February 15 through June 10, featuring 22 paintings, 60 drawings, and more than 300 prints from the Dutch Master's oeuvre.

Outfit Vincent van Gogh's dramatic life story embodies the stereotype of the tortured creative genius - an artist, unrecognized in his own time and suffering in isolation, who becomes famous after death. Van Gogh's struggles are well-known, but the Van Gogh Museum's 50th anniversary digs deeper into the artist's ouvre, exploring less familiar works and neglected periods of the artist's development. Founded in 1973, the Netherlands' Van Gogh Museum has become a must-visit venue for tourists from around the world who hope to gain some insight into van Gogh's legacy. [Extracted from the article]

Agata Cie'slak, an artist based in Poland who serves as the Secondary Archive's coordinator says, "The aim was to invite female artists to speak for themselves." A long overdue resource called the Secondary Archive (secondaryarchive.org) is a Wikipedia-like platform featuring profiles of more than 300 female artists from Eastern and Central European countries. Artist Katarzyna Kozyra (1963 -) is a key figure in the creation of the Secondary Archive. [Extracted from the article]

LEARN MORE Watch de Nieves' ICA/Boston video, "Joy Is Possible" at bit.ly/ica-denieves. As an aspiring artist, de Nieves turned down his acceptance to the California College of the Arts because of its high tuition costs. Outfit The artwork of fast-rising star Raúl de Nieves explores themes of adornment, identity and transformation. [Extracted from the article]

Curators and administrators of the Munch Museum (MUNCH), a brand new art space in Oslo, Norway, that's devoted to the country's most revered artist, Edvard Munch (1863-1944), were ecstatic when tickets for opening day in October 2021 sold out. Exhibitions scheduled for 2022 include works of other 20th-century modernists, such as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, as well as contemporary artists whose work is influenced by Munch. Does the art market turmoil of the past two years, including shutdowns, mask mandates, exhibition cancellations and fights over deaccessioning have you in a dither?. [Extracted from the article]

WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, NEW YORK CITY; PHOTO BY AJAY SURESH; CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/ BY/2.0/LEGALCODE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, NEW YORK, N.Y. PHOTO (COLOR): LEFT Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City PHOTO (COLOR): ABOVE Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1916; oil on canvas, 50x72) by Robert Henri Art news Keeping you in the know For decades, New York City's Whitney Museum of American Art has presented the Whitney Biennial, the longest running survey by a major museum showcasing what is happening in contemporary American art. [Extracted from the article]

The three fixedlocation easels in New Jersey's Historic Smithville park are stationed overlooking a creek on the Blue Trail (A), near the Smithville Park gazebo (B) and beside Smithville Lake (C). Art news Keeping you in the know The Burlington County New Jersey Parks Department has found a unique way to assist artists as well as call attention to idyllic park vistas that offer a pleasant contrast to nearby industrial or commercial environments. [Extracted from the article]

LEARN MORE • osgf.org/residencies • facebook.com/oakspringgardenfoundation • artsandculture.google.com/ partner/oak-spring-garden-foundation • artistcommunities.org/ residencies/oak-spring-garden-foundation • instagram.com/oakspringgardenfoundation The grounds of "Bunny" Mellon's Oak Spring residence include both formal and informal gardens, glasshouses and garden pools. Art news Keeping you in the know Gardens, a source of inspiration for artists throughout history, have also served as places of solace during times of crisis. [Extracted from the article]

Art news Keeping you in the know Art Auctions Thrive in the Virtual World "Bonhams, Sotheby's, Christie's - all the blue chip players in the business of art sales are experiencing a massive shift to online auctions, spurred on by the impact of a worldwide pandemic. LEFT Sotheby's, New York City headquarters BELOW Bonhams, London headquarters Photo by Ewan Munro LEARN MORE Check out Christie's series of articles about artists whose works have been offered at Christie's auctions. "It's been an opportunity to transform the industry", said Bruno Vinciguerra, global CEO of Bonhams art auction house, as cited in a New York Times article at the end of the last auction season. [Extracted from the article]

Brooklyn-based artist Bisa Butler uses textiles and stitchery to make compelling African-American portraits that tell stories. The MFA, which holds one of the most significant collections of historical and contemporary quilts in America, purchased the quilt in anticipation of a comprehensive quilt exhibition currently scheduled to open in the fall of 2020. [Extracted from the article]