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Art at
Home
Interiors in Oil,
Painting the Walls,
Fallingwater Revisited
PALETTE
KNIVES
How to Choose and Use Them
Georgia
O'Keeffe
in Hawaii NOVEMBER 2018
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CREATING TEXTURE IN ACRYLIC NAEF
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WILLIAM MORRIS
The Bed
by Nicolas Martin (detail)
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Contents
Volume 35 | Issue 09
NOVEMBER 2018
76 88
Compositions
54 68 82
BACK TO THE LESSONS OF HOMES AWAY
THE WALL FALLINGWATER FROM HOME
Wallpaper motifs favored by Frank Lloyd Wright's celebrated Art clubs offer opportunies to
artists and designers since the residence underlines the exhibit, learn and socialize.
Victorian era find fresh life. importance of beauty and grace
in design.
60 88
AWAKENING 76 PARADISE FOUND
Georgia O'Keefe's short visit to
AUTHENTICITY PAINTING ON Hawaii engendered pivitol works.
Nicolas Martin stresses honesty THE CEILING
and growth in his depictions of Andrew Tedesco transforms
interior spaces. homes and businesses with
paintings mimicking frescoes
96
and murals. ART DIVISION
A nonproit program in Los Angeles
serves young-adult artists.
Artists Magazine (ISSN 0741-3351) is published 10 times per year (January, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November and December) by F+W Media Inc., 10151 Carver Road, Suite 300, Cincinnati OH 45242; tel: 386/246-3370.
Subscription rates: one year $25. Canadian subscriptions add $15 per year postal surcharge and remit in U.S. funds. Foreign subscriptions add $20 per year postal surcharge and remit in U.S. funds. Artists Magazine will not be responsible for
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Only submissions with a self-addressed, stamped envelope will be returned. Volume 35, No. 9. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati OH and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all address
changes to Artists Magazine, P.O. Box 421751, Palm Coast FL 32142-1751. F+W Media Inc. Back issues are available. For pricing information or to order, call 855/842-5267, visit our online shop at ArtistsNetwork.com/store, or send a check or money order to
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ArtistsNetwork.com 3
From The Editor Art sts Magazine
MANAGING EDITOR Austin R. Williams
ART DIRECTOR Amy Petriello
SENIOR EDITOR Holly Davis
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mike Allen
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Mary McLane
Western U.S. & International
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Gregory J. Osberg
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SVP, GENERAL MANAGER, F+W FINE ART, WRITING, OUTDOORS
AND SMALL BUSINESS GROUPS Ray Chelstowski
MANAGING DIRECTOR, F+W INTERNATIONAL
For many, artful surroundings play an important VP, GENERAL COUNSEL Robert Sporn
role in fostering a suitable environment for VP, HUMAN RESOURCES, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TRADE
Gigi Healy
artmaking, so this month, Artists Magazine VP, MANUFACTURING & LOGISTICS Phil Graham
explores the many connections between art and VP, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT Pat Fitzgerald
the home. We meet several artists who have NEWSSTAND SALES, CONTACT:
fashioned studios that are small and perhaps Scott T. Hill, scott.hill@procirc.com
unconventional but well-suited to their needs ARTISTS MAGAZINE EDITORIAL OFFICES
(page 18). We then turn and face the wall—so 1140 Broadway 14th Floor, New York, New York 10001
as to consider the history of fine wallpaper info@artistsmagazine.com
to Hawaii, far removed from her familiar comforts (page 88). And in the PRIVACY PROMISE
Occasionally we make portions of our customer list available to
instructional portion of our magazine, we offer advice about using paint- other companies so they may contact you about products and
services that may be of interest to you. If you prefer we withhold
ing knives (page 28), combining watermedia and colored pencil (page 32), your name, simply send a note with the magazine name to List
creating texture in acrylic (page 38) and mimicking the appearance of Manager, F+W, 10151 Carver Road, Suite 300, Cincinnati OH 45242.
Whether you long for lavish interiors or need nothing more than a bed, Copyright © 2018 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Artists Magazine is a registered trademark of F+W.
a chair and an easel, I hope that you find your surroundings conducive to
creativity. As always, I wish you all the best in your life and art.
Send us your feedback!
Jasmine Write to us at:
by William Morris info@artistsmagazine.com
AUSTIN R. WILLIAMS 1872; block-printed wallpaper,
Managing Editor 21⁷⁄₁₆x22½
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART,
NEW YORK ArtistsNetwork
ArtistsNetwork.com 5
“OUR PRINT DESIGNERS ARE
FREELANCERS, AND MANY
O F T H E M D O N O T A C T U A L LY
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M I N N A K E M E L L- KU T V O N E N ,
M A R I M E K KO
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIMEKKO
ArtistsNetwork.com 7
Prime BIO
WILLIAM MORRIS
Artisan Extraordinaire
PHOTOS.COM/GETTY IMAGES
FAR LEFT
Detail of a stained-
glass window
by Morris at St.
Peter’s Church,
in Kirkbampton,
England
ArtistsNetwork.com 9
easel adjustments with
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COUNTERBALANCED LIFTING SYSTEM
8" ≈ 10" PANELS UP TO 72" CANVASES
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Prime COLOR STORY
Forest
Green Going Green
This deep, rich green is fit for subjects
both earthy and regal.
i n a sense, the name “forest green” is a misnomer, because as artists well know, leaves and
mosses are never a single color, much less a single value. Nevertheless, forest green does evoke
the overall impression of foliage—the sort of thick canopy that can block midday sun during
a summer hike through the woods.
When the color finds its way into domestic spaces, it can lend a degree of earthiness and calm. Still Life
This connection with nature is apparent in Still Life With Teapot, Cup and Fruit by Émile Bernard With Teapot,
Cup and Fruit
(1868–1941), in which the colors of the man-made objects seem to take their cue from the color by Émile Bernard
of the fruit. But in other hands, this shade of green can be a luxurious color, suitable for objects 1890; oil on canvas,
far less humble than Bernard’s collection of charming ceramics. —MIKE ALLEN 15⅓x18½
any wetland
which its loveliness arises." environment,
natural or
–Pedro Calderon manmade.
de la Barca
GREEN MEANS GO
“British racing green,” seen here on a 1964 Jaguar
E-Type S1 Roadster, is the official motor-racing
color of the United Kingdom. The color’s
association with auto racing dates back to a 1903
race held in Ireland; the cars were painted deep
green as a show of respect to the host country.
A doorway in Scicli,
a town in Sicily, Italy
A GIFT FROM
THE RIVER SPONSORED COLOR
Agate has been mined TURNING GREEN WITH ENVY? TRY DERWENT'S
since ancient times, ALL-NEW LIGHTFAST PENCILS. THEY'RE
FORMULATED TO BE 100 PERCENT LIGHTFAST
including by the AND HAVE A SMOOTH OIL BASE, CREATING
Egyptians, who used it RICH VIBRANT COLORS THAT MIX ON THE PAGE
to decorate a myriad FOR PAINTLIKE EFFECTS. DERWENTART.COM
of items. Agate is
named after the PILLARS OF LIFE
Achates River (now This depiction of Osiris, found on a pillar in a
called the Dirillo), an burial chamber, features green skin, signifying
ancient source of the resurrection. This association began with the
stone in Sicily. ancient Egyptians’ observation of the
death-and-rebirth cycle of vegetation.
ArtistsNetwork.com 13
THE ASK Prime
WE ASKED... WE ASKE
D. . .
“Guernica, hands
down.” —JON APPLE
“L E CORBUSI E R’S
“James Turrell’s Roden Crater, near N OT R E DA ME “The city of Samarkand,
Flagstaff, Arizona, which has been in Uzbekistan.”
D U H AU T , I N
under construction for over 30 years
RONCH AMP, —ALEJANDRINA MICHEL
and is still closed to the public. The
site actually incorporates numerous F RANCE , AND T H E
individual works by Turrell, but these ROT H KO CH AP E L , “I think Rothko’s work
are all subsumed into a single, unified I N H OUSTON.” is impossible to
experience. Or so I’ve heard.” appreciate without
CHERYL K. SNAY experiencing in person,
KJELL M. WANGENSTEEN CURATOR OF EUROPEAN
ASSISTANT CURATOR OF EUROPEAN ART, SNITE MUSEUM OF and I hope someday to
ART, INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART ART, UNIVERSITY OF visit the Rothko Chapel,
NOTRE DAME in Houston.” —GINA
PESCARINO HARTWIG
ArtistsNetwork.com 15
Prime SKETCHING
EVERYDAY PLACES
1 Errands take you around your city or
town a few times a week. Why not take
SKETCH: MATT ROTA; PHOTO: AKSHAY CHAUHAN/UNSPLASH
2 ARTFUL PLACES
Museums, sculpture gardens and public
art spaces are all awesome places to sit
and sketch. You may not be the only
one with that idea, so keep your eyes peeled for
sketch friends you didn’t know you had.
GREEN PLACES
8 Go where nature grows! Botanical gardens,
community gardens, fruit-tree groves, a park or
your backyard. Even your porch might have one
brave potted plant lifting its face to the sky.
COLORFUL PLACES
Niagara Falls
9 Close your eyes and think of color—vibrant,
shout-out-loud color. Are any of those colors
connected to a particular place? They are for me:
my local church, with sunlight streaming through the
ICONIC PLACES
3 Places that are instantly recognizable are fun
sketch subjects because they give you an instant
stained-glass windows; the county fair, with its twinkling
lights and rides with colorful cars; the Neon Museum, in
Las Vegas—to name a few.
compositional focus. Iconic subjects may
be natural (Grand Canyon, Mississippi River,
Niagara Falls) or man-made (St. Louis Gateway
Arch, Mount Rushmore, New Orleans streetcars).
STAY-AT-HOME PLACES
4 Have a sketch stay-cation! Prop yourself
on your bed or sofa and sketch what you
see: your pet, a houseplant or the
kitchen sink. Personally, I think this kind of sketch
is the most interesting of all. In this world of filters
and controlled camera angles, these views are the
real deal—and like no one else’s.
PEOPLE PLACES
5 Crowds both big and small are sometimes
the best places to sketch. Think of a busy
The Neon Museum, in Las Vegas,
illuminated in green lights
ArtistsNetwork.com 17
Prime WELLNESS
A Space to
Call One’s Own
Three artists describe their unique solutions
to the quest for studio space.
by Samantha Sanders
EMILIE LEE
Less than a year ago, Emilie Lee was
teaching at a Vermont college and
feeling frustrated by a demanding
schedule that left little time for her
own art. A pricey apartment lease
didn’t ease her mind, and besides,
this figure-and-landscape artist’s
true home is on the road. “I couldn’t
afford my rent, and I was Airbnb-ing
my apartment and sleeping in my car
a lot. I figured I might as well live in
my car and just not pay rent and see if
I could paint more.”
That fleeting thought manifested
into a cross-country journey that
lasted two months as Lee made her
way west. She alternated staying at
friends’ homes with camping out and,
along the way, painted some of her
most beloved landscapes.
“I just kicked into my momentum,”
she says. “I made more than 50 paint-
ings!” Where did she stash them while
she and her dog, Honey, were on the
road? “I sold them on Instagram along
ArtistsNetwork.com 19
Prime WELLNESS
Emilie Lee and her dog, Honey, embrace a nomadic lifestyle in their travels to plein air sites. A van
stocked with art materials and equipment doubles as a sleeping space. The arrangement enables Lee
to travel farther on a small budget and to remain on one site for several days.
Lee now plans regular trips, some- of them. And I like to bring my crea-
times traveling to a specific location ture comforts with me—my cooler of
to paint a commission and other food, coffee.” Lee suggests a few
times simply setting out to satisfy her additional essentials: a good back-
creative urge. “Last week I went to pack with a hip belt to get weight off
Northern California and didn’t even your shoulders, bug spray, sunscreen,
answer my phone,” she says. “I hiked a hat and clothing you can wear in
about 45 minutes into this ravine layers. “I always emphasize when I’m
the way,” she says. “I made about with a hot thermos of tea and a dog teaching that if you’re not comfort-
$6,000 and had almost no expenses bed for Honey, and I got to spend six able, you’re not going to be able to
aside from gas and groceries.” hours down there working on two focus,” she says. “A lot of times I end
Although Lee and her boyfriend paintings. I came back super inspired up picking the spot to paint because
have since settled into domestic life to get back in the studio and even got it looks most comfortable, like it has
in California, don’t think she’s left some commissions from it.” shade or a place to sit or even just
the influence of her life-changing While a life painting out of the level ground so I’m not standing in
road trip behind her. “I arrived in back of your car might sound roman- an awkward position for five hours.”
California feeling really empowered,” tic, Lee offers a few practical tips for Her advice is based on experience. “I
she says. “My strategy has been to when reality interrupts the day- have actually painted in my car, sit-
keep overhead low, so I can really dream: “Invest in a high-quality ting behind my steering wheel,” she
focus on painting and be productive.” tripod. It’s worth it; I’ve broken a lot says. “It was not great.”
ArtistsNetwork.com 21
Prime CROSSROADS
In Bold
Print
Finnish textile design
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bright prints and the
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by Allison Malafronte
THE MAKING OF
<
MARIMEKKO NOW
Today, Marimekko has a fresh breed of award-winning
artists finding increasingly creative ways to make bold,
colorful patterns a part of everyday life. According to
Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Marimekko’s design and product
development director of home products and prints, what
makes Marimekko designers distinct is their eclectic mix
<
ArtistsNetwork.com 23
Prime CROSSROADS
<
PROLIFIC DESIGNER
Maija Isola (1927–2001), who created more
than 500 prints for Marimekko during her
30-plus-year career, including Amfora
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Go the Pillows, page 23), drew inspiration
from traditional folk art, modern visual art,
nature and countless worldwide trips.
HOME PRODUCED
Marimekko has its own printing factory located in-house at their
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one million meters of printed fabric per year.
ArtistsNetwork.com 25
PAINT, PLAY, EXPLORE: EXPRESSIVE MARK-
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E V X
• 23 stepped-out demonstrations
Available at your favorite bookseller. To learn more about the full range of Artists Network products,
including North Light books, visit ArtistsNetwork.com.
Bu ld
“O I L PA I N T I N G W I T H A
PA I N T I N G K N I F E P R O D U C E S
A DY N A M I C S U R FA C E —
ONE QUITE DIFFERENT
F R O M T H AT P R O D U C E D BY
B R U S H E S A L O N E .”
HELEN OH
PHOTO: HELEN OH
ArtistsNetwork.com 27
Build TUTORIAL 2
PAINTING KNIVES
1
HELEN OH demonstrates a 3
variety of textures and effects
achievable with a painting knife.
DEMONSTRATION: PEAR
ArtistsNetwork.com 29
Build ART HACKS
Domestic Vignettes
A fancy way of saying, “Stay home and paint interiors.”
—COURTNEY JORDAN
VUILLARD: THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK; LIGHT BULB: GETTY IMAGES; PILLOW: CAROUSELDESIGNSSHOP/ETSY.
Invigorate those
monochromatic Perspective Check tone areas
walls—break up the and cool
Make all horizontals—furniture,
color by painting the
shadows, adding
shelves, doorways and tops of shadows.
framed objects on the walls—run
texture or variation in
parallel. Check these against the top
brushstrokes or adding
edge of your painting or drawing
décor.
The Green Interior surface. Measure verticals against
(Figure Seated by a the sides of your surface.
Curtained Window) Pattern Study But old homes have character.
by Édouard Vuillard When depicting something that isn’t
1891; oil on cardboard, Devote an entire art session to
mounted on wood; capturing the patterns in your home. straight as an arrow, make the lines
12¼x8¼ Consider wallpaper, curtains, rugs, “off” enough to appear intentional.
tablecloths and so on. If you don’t
want to paint in situ, snap photos
and work with them in a place where READER HACK
you can splatter paint. “During a painting session, I wipe excess paint or
thinner from my brushes on an old, coverless phone
Let There Be Light book. The liquid soaks through only one or two pages,
and when a page is saturated, I just tear it out and
● Explore light sources—computer throw it away. After my painting session, I clean my
screens, fireplaces, candles, brushes with fresh paper towels.” —jane gomez
chandeliers and lamps. A table
lamp in an otherwise dark room For a chance to win a month of free access to
casts dramatic shadows on Artists Network TV, email your favorite art hack to
adjacent walls and objects. info@artistsmagazine.com with “Art Hacks” as the subect
● Light entering north-facing line. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.
windows stays relatively
ART FEATURED
David Story | Harvest Time | oil 16x48
Brian LaSaga | Facing the Elements | acrylic, 24x34
Tony Luciani | The Dressmaker | oil 48x52
Ann Kraft Walker | A Friend’s Gift | oil 24x18
Build WORKSHOP
LEGION
MIXED MEDIA MASTER CLASS
SPONSORED BY
Combining
Materials
Watercolor & PAPER:
· 140-lb Stonehenge
Aqua Coldpress
Colored Pencil
KATHY KRANTZ FIERAMOSCA demonstrates how
artists can bring together watercolor, gouache
and colored pencil to create an elegant look.
STEP 3
I continued adding layers
of color to the red-violet
drapery, refining the
plane changes of the folds
of the fabric. To soften
the texture and blend
the edges of the value
changes, I used a stump
in the smaller areas and a
soft cloth over the larger
passages. I then began
working on the ribbon
as well, adding golds,
ochres, yellow and umber.
ArtistsNetwork.com 33
Build WORKSHOP
STEP 4:
THE FINISHED PAINTING
In this final step I worked on the jewelry, using both watercolor and gouache to
accentuate the facets of the black stones in the earrings. Next, I added a soft, dark
gray tone in colored pencil to the cast-shadow areas, letting them fade to the pale
watercolor wash. In the final touches, I used gouache in yellow ochre, cadmium yellow
and white to add some highlights to the edges of the ribbon.
Learn
at Home
Sure, getting away from
familiar surroundings
lends a creative boost, but
getaways aren't always
practical. The good news is
that you can shake up the
“same old” without leaving
your home. Cross-learning
is the key. If you typically
work in one genre—say
landscape or portrait—try
another—maybe still life
or abstraction. Then apply
what you've learned to your
preferred genre. —HOLLY DAVIS
1
Still Life—lighting:
Choose an object and
depict it three times,
rendering each with a
2
Caricature—
different light source abstraction:
STILL LIFE: MANUFOTO; BIRD: YULIA SHEVCHENKO/GETTY IMAGES; CARICATURES: IGOR ZAKOWSK/GETTY IMAGES
or light angle. Yes, caricature
is a form of
abstraction—
reducing the face to
essential lines with
a healthy dose of
exaggeration. Make
faces in a mirror or
work from selfies.
You’ll get some
bonus laughs out of
this one.
3
Animal—combining life study with 4
reference: Animals don’t understand the
concept of posing, so when you depict your Portrait—organic forms: Invite a neighbor to sit for
cat or dog—or the squirrel or bird outside a half-hour portrait session. Concentrate on rendering
your window—you’ll almost certainly need the basic forms of the face or body. Thank them with a
reference material. Do what you can from
life and then snap photos or search the shared meal or a snack.
internet for more information.
6
Landscape—
capturing color-value
changes.
perspective:
Keep this simple. Depict
a structure you can see
from your window—
preferably one that’s
not straight in front
of you. Concentrate
7
Pattern—abstraction: Search your home for
on getting the lines of patterns—fabric prints, louvered blinds or
BRANCH: KWANCHAI KHAMMUEAN/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES; TILE: MARIA TOCZYNSKA/GETTY IMAGES; UMBRELLA: DRA UJHELYI/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES
9
Figure—gesture: A family member, partner
or roommate works best for this. Let your
subject go about his or her normal business
as you make quick sketches. Strive for
expressive gestural movements rather than
8
Interior—perspective: Corners of rooms
a detailed likeness.
present a different type of perspective challenge Turn in your homework! Share your painting or
from outdoor structures. Pick a corner in drawing and tell us briefly what you learned on
your home and depict it in the medium of Instagram:
your choice. @artistsnetwork #artistsnetwork_prompts
ArtistsNetwork.com 37
Build LESSON
ACRYLIC
Autumn Peaks
by Ksenia Sizaya
2017; acrylic paint, soil, glass pebbles, acrylic polymer emulsion, modeling paste and
crackle medium on treated cotton canvas,40x30
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Perhaps the most obvious use for acrylic mediums, IMPASTO (ALLA PRIMA APPLICATION)
especially the thick ones, is to create and control tex- Impasto is the term generally associated with thickened
tures. Mediums collectively ofer painters almost paint that’s slathered onto canvases in rippling, bold
unlimited potential for dictating the appearance and waves, showing the bold strokes of the artist’s hand. It is
character of the painted surface, from ultra-smooth to not the only method of producing texture, although it’s
the spikiest of peaks. certainly the one most often discussed.
Touching paintings is discouraged, which I ind incred- Alla prima is usually used to describe the application of
ibly frustrating because being able to physically feel the paint colors, but can be used for mediums, as well.
surface of an exquisitely textured painting can greatly Whether they are thrown liberally onto a surface or sys-
increase my appreciation and understanding of it. Sadly, tematically applied with deliberate accuracy, unaltered
gallery and museum etiquette, not to mention conserva- mediums can produce some incredibly complex and expres-
tion concerns, dictate that we keep our hands at a sive textures. he signature of the artist’s hand is evident
respectful distance from the artwork, so we usually have in the directional strokes of paint or medium.
to rely on letting light, instead of our ingertips, play on hick impasto surfaces are typically built up in successive lay-
those surfaces. ers. Gel and modeling paste are recommended mediums. Tools
TYPES OF TEXTURE
Acrylic mediums are the masters of diversity when it
comes to disrupting and dictating every possible nuance
of an acrylic painting. hey transform color into a
three-dimensional, interpretive tool. he shallowest of
valleys between paint peaks provides enough shadow to
amplify contrasting surface textures in a painting. A
rough, granular surface scatters light, while a slick swath
of acrylic lings it, beaming, back toward the viewer.
Velvety matte surfaces appear to absorb light, rendering
the surface soft and nebulous.
here are myriad tools and methods for producing tex-
tures, ranging from the traditional to the more crafty.
Following are some examples of how to produce and
amplify textures in your acrylic paintings and the tools A mixture of nepheline gel extra coarse plus liquid mirror and carbon black
you’ll need to create them. produces a granular, iridescent texture on this stenciled surface.
ArtistsNetwork.com 39
Build LESSON
BAS RELIEF
In contrast to the drama and spontaneity of impasto tex-
tures, bas relief textures are shallow and subtle. he term bas
relief (after the Italian basso rilievo) refers to very low tex-
tures on a completely lat surface. I extend the idea by using
the term to refer to any relief that has only a slight height.
You can add a third dimension onto a two-dimensional
surface by either building up or carving down into the
material. If you’re building up, you can create surface tex-
ture and detail using a variety of methods: by layering
modeling pastes or gels, by using masking or stencils to
produce sharply deined relief or by adding collage ele-
ments. Relief creates areas of light and shadow, adding
visual dimension. Producing a more minimal texture in a
controlled manner can be accomplished with masking,
dripping, incising and some deft tool use.
GRANULAR TEXTURES
A surprising variety of granular mediums are available on
the acrylics market, and they seem, so far as I can tell, Gel textures
A B
Each petal of these flowers started as a thick filbert brushstroke of untinted gel (A). Once the
gel was dry, the color was built up in thin dry-brushed layers (B). Interference and iridescent
colors give the petals extra dimensionality and contrast against the matte black background.
ABOVE
One classic example of bas relief is the face of a coin.
Here, the image on the coin has been quickly reproduced
with a smooth swatch of gel. Areas have been etched
away with the smooth edge of a color shaper, and detail
has been incised with the tip of a bamboo skewer.
LEFT
Multiple dry-brush and wash applications,
finished with a tinted glaze, enhance this bas
relief surface’s visual depth. Repeated dry-brush
applications of slightly opaque metallic colors
accentuate the edges of the stenciled shapes.
to be quite underused. here’s a particulate for every taste, heir velvety tooth minimizes streaks and breaks up the
ranging from the subtle and uniform to the wildly erratic color while causing barely perceptible visual color mixing.
and coarse. Like the spice in a recipe, they add new dimen- Granular mediums with larger grit particles can be
sion to plain gel medium. Opaque pumice, translucent a little loose and messy. To keep those errant parti-
nepheline syenite, glass, metal, plastic, and other materials cles in check, you can add more gel medium to bulk up
are used to give grit to acrylics. the adhesion. Dry-brushing and applying thin washes
Granular mediums break up the surface of a painting, onto coarser mediums highlights the rough edges and
scattering light and adding tooth. Finer particulate granular three-dimensional appearance of the particles, adding a
mediums provide lovely surfaces on which to blend colors. real sense of depth to the paint surface.
Part of the process of getting to know a medium, such as this nepheline PETE plastic gel texture with dry-brushed and wash applications of color
extra coarse gel, is to experiment with paint application methods as well as
various types of color. Dry-brushing, color wash and alla prima painting
were applied, leaving the clear medium in the center untouched.
ArtistsNetwork.com 41
Build LESSON
Application of color with a very dry brush Detailing around clear gloss gel ridges.
reveals the valleys and ridges of dried
gloss gel medium.
A smooth alla prima application of color Water with just a single drop of color
reveals the underlying texture. pools in the valleys between elevated
gel cross-hatchings.
A tinted glaze of liquid medium brings out the nuances of a surface textured
with clear gel. Using a flat tool such as this color shaper, you can push the glaze
into the texture without adding brush marks (A). The dry glaze rests in varying
thicknesses on the textured ground (B).
ArtistsNetwork.com 43
Build GENESIS
ArtistsNetwork.com 45
Build WORKSHOP
TEXTURE
Harmony of Senses
ANDREW S. CONKLIN demonstrates how the choice of elements and rendering
of texture can appeal to the senses of touch and sound as well as sight.
ArtistsNetwork.com 47
Build WORKSHOP
STEP 1 STEP 2
Toning and drawing: I toned a 17x10 panel with a middle value Retracing: I retraced my lines, using firm pressure. This
of glue-size mixed with raw umber. I then taped on tracing caused the blue transfer paper to transfer the lines to the
paper for a graphite contour-line drawing. I wanted defined, panel. I used a bright orange pencil so that I could be sure
unshaded forms since I wasn’t sure where I might crop the I didn’t miss any contours.
image. With the drawing on a separate surface, I could easily
alter, reposition or even discard the design.
STEP 3
Darks: After removing the tracing
and transfer papers, I laid in
the shadows with warm earth
colors—raw umber, Van Dyke
brown, transparent earth red and
transparent earth yellow—thinned
with a small amount of Gamsol.
My aim was to keep the luminous
darks free of white, which would
not only lighten but also cool and
cloud the shadow colors.
STEP 6
Highlights: The various wood
textures reflected the cool daylight
in different ways, which I aimed to
replicate in the highlights—great
indicators of a material’s textures.
With white, Spanish earth, neutral
tint and ultramarine blue, I placed
lights on the chair back. I redrew
the mannequin’s contours in
graphite, restated its darks, then
rendered its midtones and, finally,
the highlights. With similar colors
I began to address the violin’s
strongly defined highlights, created
by the instrument’s glossy varnish.
ArtistsNetwork.com 49
Build WORKSHOP
STEP 7 STEP 8
More highlights: Focusing on the large highlight Oiling Out: Normally, a second oil paint layer
across the body of the instrument, I noticed has a tendency to dry matte, with the oil from
subtle hue shifts and a softness of transition to dark earth colors sinking to the support. To
the warm local color of the wood. Painting this revive the color, I “oiled out” the surface by
took intense concentration, but I couldn’t work brushing on a thin wash of about 25 percent
too slowly because natural light has a tendency stand oil to 75 percent solvent over the dried
to shift in temperature with passing time and pigment. I gently spread this application with a
changing weather. I also added highlights to soft cloth, which revealed the true colors.
the chair’s carved back and side. I let this paint
dry completely.
ArtistsNetwork.com 51
CAPTURING MOOD
21
Showcase Your Artistic Vision
IN THE PAGES OF SPLASH 21
Your best watercolor could be featured in the
pages of North Light Books’ Splash 21: Capturing
Mood, and your work could be viewed by artists
from across the globe.
EARLY-BIRD
DEADLINE:
December 3, 2018
Ephemeral / Lance Hunter
ArtistsNetwork.com 53
BACK
WALL
Trellis
by William Morris
1862; block-printed wallpaper, 27x21½ (sheet)
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK
ArtistsNetwork.com 55
I
n Charles Dickens’ novel
Hard Times, a government
inspector visits a schoolroom
to instruct children on the
essentiality of “fact.” After
asking the children whether
they would “paper a room
with representations of The Design Reform campaign was
horses,” he launches into his answer: a reaction against perceived excesses
“You are not to have, in any object in 19th-century wallpaper design, but
of use or ornament, what would be a as Edward Poynter, a one-time presi-
contradiction in fact. You don’t walk dent of the Royal Academy, remarked
upon flowers in fact; you cannot at the time, “This determined insis-
be allowed to walk upon flowers in tence upon the necessity of a purely
carpets. You don’t find that foreign flat kind of decoration has produced
birds and butterflies come and perch as a result a kind of work, quite as
upon your crockery; you cannot be unfortunate, if not more so, than
permitted to paint foreign birds and the vulgar rococo ornament which it
butterflies upon your crockery. You has superseded.” We can be glad Cole
never meet with quadrupeds going up and his cadre of improvers failed, for
and down walls; you must not have had they succeeded, we might have
quadrupeds represented upon walls.” been deprived of some of the world’s
In short, the inspector argues that most iconic wallpaper designs. These
using recognizable images to decorate include William Morris’ Trellis ( page
walls and carpets is a grand offence 54), which depicts a vine climbing a
Leon E. Panetta, then against reason. wooden trellis, with birds nesting and
the United States Absurd as this sounds, Dickens flying on and off the slats. Birds don’t
Secretary of Defense, was lampooning a real figure—Henry nest on interior walls in fact, do they?
meets with members
of Parliament in
Cole, a 19th-century British civil ser-
vant. Cole headed the Design Reform
2013 in the Pugin
Room of the Palace campaign, which sought simulta-
OPPOSITION TO
of Westminster, neously to improve British taste by REPRESENTATION
in London. On the grounding it in “fact,” and to raise the Cole was not the only Victorian to
walls is red-and-gold
wallpaper by A.W.N. quality of British wallpaper manufac- take aim at the supposed defective-
Pugin that emulates turing so that it might be made more ness of British wallpaper. No less than
medieval hangings. attractive to buyers abroad. A.W.N. Pugin (1812–52), the designer
ArtistsNetwork.com 57
America print in the White House’s
Diplomatic Reception Room (above),
she was not rectifying an accident
of removal, nor was she overly con-
cerned with anachronism. The paper,
which depicts 32 fantastic panoramas
of the early American landscape,
CLOCKWISE FROM their quest to dash representational wasn’t first printed until 1832, four
OBAMA: SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES; INSTALLATION: JOHN F. KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, BOSTON;
TOP LEFT wallpaper. Indeed, since at least decades after the White House’s con-
President Barack the beginning of the 20th cen- struction, and it had never hung in
Obama speaks in
front of Zuber & Cie’s tury, decorators have favored the building before.
Views of North historical wallpapers—often with Zuber & Cie has been in con-
America wallpaper in representational patterns—for a tinuous operation since 1797 and
the Diplomatic variety of projects, especially the still uses its original wood print-
Reception Room of
the White House in
restoration of historic homes. In her ing blocks. The French company’s
2009; workers 1905 book Old Time Wall Papers, Kate labor-intensive, traditional crafts-
installing the Sanborn noted how the burgeoning manship ensures that its papers
wallpaper in 1961; Colonial Revival in architecture had stand at the top of the market—a
the newly created a demand for reproductions single panel today can run around
redecorated
Diplomatic Reception of colonial wallpaper designs. In his $2,000—but advances in technology
Room in 1961. 1983 handbook to antique wallpa- have been a boon for other tradi-
per, Wallpapers for Historic Buildings, tional wallpaper manufacturers. Cole
Richard C. Nylander shows that even & Son—a British producer founded
before 1900, “several historical soci- in 1875 and holding a royal war-
eties and even a few private owners rant as a supplier of wallpaper to
had commissioned custom repro- the Queen—uses surface print and
ductions of early papers they had intaglio to make its Historic Royal
found on the walls of buildings they Palaces collection. These wallpapers
ROOM: BETTMAN/GETTY IMAGES
INTO THE
DIGITAL AGE
The advent of digital printing
technology may serve to bring repre-
sentational and historical wallpapers
to a wider audience, and a number
of companies now offer the ability to
print custom wallpapers of virtually
any subject or pattern, historical
or contemporary. Want a panel of
Veronese’s Allegory of Love in your
living room? Have it printed as a wall- One company offering such ser- ABOVE
Wreath
paper, with a linen effect (below). vices is Surface View, which can
From the V&A
convert consumer-supplied images collection at
to murals, wallpapers, tiles or surfaceview.co.uk
even lampshades. Especially use- The pattern is
ful for wallpaper is Surface View’s available in a range of
bespoke interior
partnership with the Victoria & décor products.
Albert Museum (V&A), whose col-
lection includes numerous designs LEFT
by William Morris and C.F.A. Allegory of Love, IV
(Happy Union)
Voysey. Although Morris & Co. may
Mural from the
decline to produce certain histor- National Gallery
ical patterns now, owing to a lack collection at
of commercial viability, Surface surfaceview.co.uk
View’s mining of the V&A’s archives
allows consumers to seek out for-
gotten patterns such as Wreath,
from 1876 (above).
In the introduction to The Papered
Wall: The History, Patterns and
Techniques of Wallpaper, Lesley
Hoskins describes the liminal nature
of wallpaper, asking, “Is it background
or foreground, art or decoration, vul-
gar or respectable?” Although these
questions remain unanswered, the
continuing interest in historical wall-
paper reproduction suggests that
consumers tend to take William
Morris’ view: “I love art, and I love
history, but it is living art and living
history that I love.”
ArtistsNetwork.com 59
Awakening
Authenticity
A Radical Decision
“When I decided to paint for real, for good and
forever, I changed everything completely,” says
Martin. “I took two years to save up enough
money so that I could stockpile quality paints
and supplies, then gave up my apartment, sold
my car and even changed my social life. When
I made up my mind, I was really ready to do this.
I was going to be a painter and I had a plan.”
Martin had hardly ever painted before that
momentous decision, and his plan did not
include painting lessons. “I have always been
very curious,” he says. “I spent a lot of time in
museums studying paintings, figuring out tech-
niques and how artists used color and design.
I had this dream of being a painter, and I was
determined to figure it out by myself. In the
beginning, I painted many different subjects.
I was trying to prove that I could paint any-
thing. I wanted to find my limits, but what I
found out was that I really didn’t know myself.”
ArtistsNetwork.com 61
tial and profound meaning for me.
Freedom to Evolve I’m fascinated by the idea that
Martin began honing his focus commonplace objects can suggest
with the realization that he was a story and reveal a history. When
especially attracted to the subject I paint a bed, chair or staircase in a
of night scenes. His concentra- hotel, I can feel that someone was
tion and achievements in this area there before me. I share this imag-
were soon rewarded by a series of ery so that people may recognize
successful solo exhibitions at the something about their own lives in
Gallerie L’Oeil du Prince, in Paris, it. I find great beauty in this idea
and other shows in the United and subject.”
States. “I quickly became known Now, before he travels, Martin
for an ability to capture outdoor, researches possible hotels, review-
evening light,” says Martin. “I built ing pictures of the rooms, lighting
my career on those effects, as can and hallways to select those that
be seen in Night Walk (below), but offer interesting subjects for paint-
I found that it wasn’t possible for ings. Bed of Clouds (right) is from the
me to just keep doing similar things hotel room he stayed at in Brooklyn
over and over again. That’s just not when he was exhibiting in a group
me. I want to change and to always show at the Salmagundi Club in New
grow as an artist. To do this, I need York City. “I chose it because of its
to always feel free to express myself. architecture and atmosphere,” he
So I decided to do the opposite of says, “The latter was so intriguing
an exterior night scene. I started that I wanted to link the outside
to paint interiors by natural day- with the inside so that the viewer
light and sometimes with multiple would sense the sky and feel the air
artificial light sources. It’s become in the manner in which I painted the
a subject that’s full of vast poten- light and drapery. It was the first
Night Walk
oil on canvas, 18x24
Bed of Clouds
oil on canvas,
18x24
ArtistsNetwork.com 63
64 Artists Magazine November 2018
and execution. The ladder dramat- year. They had hired models for
Places That Inspire ically cuts across the expressively a painting session in the historic
While visiting Normandy, a friend painted, near-monochrome ground. studios of Académie de la Grande
showed Martin a deserted indus- The darkness of the ladder and the Chaumière, in Paris, but Martin
trial dynamite facility that ignited man set against that minimalist became enchanted with the light
the artist’s imagination. Open Door background encourage more ques- falling upon a group of stacked stools
(opposite) and L’homme à L’échelle tions than answers. It’s a work and supplies on shelves, resulting
(Man on the Ladder), below, are two entwined with mystery and com- in the painting Les Tabourets (The
of many paintings inspired by this plexity, its significance and story Stools), page 66. The studios provided
area. “I wanted to challenge my color remaining inaccessible despite its a gold mine of imagery for Martin. He
palette in Open Door in order to apparent straightforwardness of had just turned off the light on the
express something other than what subject matter. easel, but the one above his brushes
was exactly there,” says Martin. “I Martin is part of the artist group was still on when he glimpsed his
do that a lot in order to improve Americans in Paris and participates subject for Weapons (page 67). “I
my understanding of color.” The in their Paris seminars. The group like this painting because there are
enigmatic Man on the Ladder stands studies, paints, visits museums and a lot of things going on and a lot of
out for its powerful composition exhibits together throughout the information in it,” says Martin. “Here
LEFT
L’homme à
L’échelle (Man on
the Ladder)
oil on canvas, 12x9
OPPOSITE
Open Door
oil on canvas, 12x9
ArtistsNetwork.com 65
are my tools—my weapons. They are Portrait (left), a painting that was
all I have to engage in my battles for commissioned with the intent
realization and authenticity. I do not by the patron that I would learn
paint for relaxation or fun. For me, a lot about myself and painting.
painting is hard work. It’s a struggle Although I had painted many
to achieve an honest self-expression, figures before, I feel I made a
but I’m always gaining and learning. breakthrough with this painting by
I also like this painting because I capturing an exacting realism while
used something that I first observed retaining that feeling of expressive
in Édouard Manet’s paintings—an freedom that I love. To me, paint-
outlining of form. It can bring an ing is a world of never-ending,
object forward, and I can play with abounding beauty.”
space as in the edges of the jars and
brush holder. I plan on using this Artist, writer and exhibitions juror
effect in other paintings.” Robert K. Carsten teaches workshops
Martin further explains, “I nationally and internationally. Visit his
first used this outlining on Self- website at robertcarsten.com.
Self-Portrait
oil on canvas, 24x18
RIGHT
Les Tabourets
(The Stools)
oil on canvas 24x18
OPPOSITE
Weapons
oil on canvas, 36x24
ArtistsNetwork.com 69
In 1935, the Kaufmanns commis-
The Birth of an Icon
structure’s placement in nature. Four bol- greatest work of art was nature, and he
sters anchored into the bedrock beneath designed all his spaces to gravitate toward
the main floor act as the fulcrum of the nature whenever possible. Over one bed-
house and prevent it from toppling into room fireplace is a slab of red stone.
the stream. The stone chimney that rises Wright placed it there himself, having
from the living room into the upstairs declared the stone a divine masterpiece.
bedroom stabilizes the cantilevered trays. The gradations in the texture and color of
Other walls throughout the house balance the stone shift with the light, an ode to
the weight so that the home successfully nature’s perfect variety.
rests on the side of the hill, as if a mere Wright tried to minimize his impact on
THIS PAGE, ABOVE LEFT: SMITH COLLECTION/GADO/GETTY IMAGES; THIS PAGE, ABOVE RIGHT: GETTY IMAGES
extension of the rock formation. The the area—he believed a house in nature
three cantilevered floors made of rein- should sit alongside the trees of the for-
forced concrete extend to terraces on each est rather than clearing them. As an
level, gently guiding visitors toward the example of this, Wright created a cement
splendor of the Bear Run Nature Reserve trellis entrance with pockets in the slats
surrounding the house. that allow the continued growth of the
As the Kaufmanns drove up to their slender saplings. The Kaufmanns and
house, they would have seen white rho- guests stepped through a natural haven
dodendrons and laurel trees veiling before walking into the house.
their home, wrapping it in nature’s Many visitors to Wright’s houses
beauty. As they crossed the stream, remark upon their narrow doors and hall-
Fallingwater would come into view, ris- ways. The architect did this intentionally
ing above the waterfall—subtle in some to create an experience of compression
respects yet a striking declaration of and release. Narrow frames encourage the
human presence. sense of expansion when delivered into
his open, light-filled, communal rooms.
Unlike previous home designs with sepa-
In Communion rate living rooms, parlors and dining
rooms, Wright generally created open
With Nature plans for people to move freely with large
Wright’s aesthetic sought its model in windows on most walls as a reminder of
nature. Wright once said in an interview the great outdoors.
that “organic architecture is an architec- The many windows throughout
ture from within outward.” For him the Fallingwater highlight the glories of the
ArtistsNetwork.com 71
landscape and also create a natural air allow greater air flow. To create a sense
flow. A glass-enclosed stairway on the of ambient light in rooms, Wright hid
side of the living room leads down to fluorescent lights behind paper screens
the stream; when the doors are open, in the ceiling. There are few table lamps,
the cool air from the water offers a as they cluttered tables and marred
breeze throughout the first floor. sightlines. Nevertheless, beside every
Because this was a summer retreat, built bed are lamps with paper screens that
over a stream, mosquitoes were plenti- swivel to modulate the amount of light.
ful, and the Kaufmanns insisted on Wright worried about how people
screens over the windows, despite would destroy his perfectly designed
Wright’s protestations that screens homes once they moved into the spaces.
impaired the views. He often created furniture and recom-
mended artwork to minimize the
disorder he foresaw occurring when his
Deliberate Design patrons cluttered his rooms with furni-
ArtistsNetwork.com 73
TOP: PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER LITTLE, COURTESY OF THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY; BOTTOM: ACRHIVE PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
Art and architecture imbue our world with design, and an artful abode
begins the process of appreciation.
ArtistsNetwork.com 75
PAINTING ON
THE CEILING
LEFT: Andrew
Tedesco poses
with a Frank
Stella-inspired
geometric design
breaking through
an Old World
fresco.
BELOW:Tedesco
sits on scaffolding
as he installs the
work on a ceiling.
OPPOSITE:
The completed
work installed
in the Blairsden
Mansion, in New
Jersey.
(AND ON
THE WALLS,
AND ON THE
FLOORS)
In his paintings mimicking
frescoes and murals,
Andrew Tedesco
transforms homes and
businesses with an eye
toward antiquity.
by Mike Allen
LIKE MANY ARTISTS, to a bolt long—there can never be any
seams,” he says. Tedesco was careful to
construct his current studio so that it
ANDREW TEDESCO had walls slightly larger than the aver-
age client’s. Once he’s completed any
work in his studio, he rolls up the can-
IS INSPIRED BY THE vas and transports it to the client’s
home, where he glues it to their wall.
OPPOSITE, TOP: This tropical mural hides two pocket doors. The ceiling is painted to look like a trompe l’oeil tent.
OPPOSITE, BOTTOM: Tedesco works on a floor mural that he gifted to his church’s parish hall.
of their home. We were able to add a for free. Then I started using the yellow sands the floor to the raw surface.
three-dimensional effect to the ceiling pages to find designers. I’d call them Then, if we’re doing multiple colors, I
with this process where we skipped a and say, ‘Hey, can I meet with you and have him stain the floor in the light-
trowel over a synthetic plaster, just show you my book?’ Slowly but surely, est color so we can go progressively
kind of touching over the top, and it they started giving me jobs. These days darker from there. In the early stages,
literally looks like Old World plaster. it all just pours in from the internet. I the floor is very, very delicate.
Then we did a five-color glaze into the can put 50 pictures on a website and Nobody else can come in, and I don’t
plaster, added some baroque elements everybody understands what I’m doing have any coffee or water in the room
over the eating area and used a little instantly. It’s so much easier to market because if you were to drop any liquid
sandpaper to rub it off. When we were yourself now.” on a stain, it immediately sucks the
done, the clients popped a bottle of Of the surfaces he works on, the stain out of the wood. Eventually, my
champagne and said, ‘I cannot believe artist says that floors are the most associate comes back in and lays down
what you did to this room.’” physically demanding and surpris- polyurethane over the top of the
When it comes to finding new cli- ingly technical. “You get to the point painting, and then we’re done.”
ents, the internet has been a boon for where your knees are aching, the sides When it comes to paints, Tedesco
the artist. “When I first started, I knew of your legs are numb because you’ve has embraced the modern. “I use all
I needed to build a portfolio,” he says. been sitting on them all day. … To latex paint,” the artist says. “Latex has
“So I started painting in my sisters’ begin each floor, I contact a profes- come so far from when I started paint-
homes, as well as my aunts’ and uncles’, sional floor finisher I’ve been working ing in the 1990s. It used to be you had
at a greatly reduced price—sometimes with for 10 years; he comes in and to use oil paints to achieve depth, but
ArtistsNetwork.com 81
HOM E S
AWAY F R O M
HOME
82 Artists Magazine November 2018
Tastes may change, and art movements may rise and fall,
but one constant in the art world is the clubs that for
generations have provided artists with opportunities for
exhibition, education and socialization.
OPPOSITE: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB; ABOVE RIGHT: NOAM GALAI/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB: DALI BALL
by John Eischeid
The humid summer air brother is visiting from Massachusetts, and clubs
was pierced by the sharp cries of the cornet that wailed aren’t really his thing,” says Nicholas Lowry, the chair-
over the oppressive heat outside. Next to a tiger-striped man of the club’s Fine Art Committee. “He’s like, ‘This
couch sat a worn side table with a crack running across is great! You hang out, you talk to people, you have like
the top—a battle-scarred furnishing with a tale to tell interests.’ I say, ‘Yes, that’s what a club is. You have
as a frosted-glass lampshade with gold flapper frills that in common, and you can really just have a nice
listened in. A leopard-print rug provided the stage. In a conversation.’ You’ve got 80-year-olds and you’ve got
window, an air-conditioning unit grumbled away, try- 30-year-olds, and everyone gets along great.”
ing its best to fight the heat. In the next room, a “I think that a club answers a sort of human calling,
group of 30-somethings discussed travel plans over which is to gather with people with whom you enjoy
drinks. One floor down were two art galleries of paint- socializing,” says Alice Chadwyck-Healey, the executive
ings and photographs, full of guests flittering about director of the Arts Club, in London. “In our club, it’s
from the dining room with turquoise chairs and white people from all walks of life—all nationalities, indus-
tablecloths to the bar beneath a stained glass ceiling. tries, interests, ages, and obviously we aim for a 50/50
One room over, a statuesque platinum blonde of split on gender as far as we can. A really good club is a
indeterminate age wearing a dark red evening gown really good mix of people. For us, they have a common
with a fur top and frilled bottom moved denominator—they have a demonstrable
about on silver pumps. Beneath a glass interest in the arts. You could work in real
ABOVE
chandelier, a band played. “Somebody’s got Organizers of the estate but be an absolutely passionate afi-
all that I need/My future is guaranteed,” Dalí Ball, a Surrealism- cionado of opera.”
the vocalist sang. themed event at the This social aspect is only one of many,
At the National Arts Club (NAC), in New National Arts Club however. Art clubs also serve as community
(NAC), in New York City
York City, it was the final night before the hubs that promote awareness, education and
club closed for the summer. “I’m here with a OPPOSITE mentorship programs, some of which can
friend of mine who’s a member, whose A stairway in the NAC have measurable impacts on artists’ careers.
ArtistsNetwork.com 83
“There’s something going on here every night,” says Linda archivist. Now middle-aged, he has worked at the club in
Zagaria, the president of the NAC. “Our mission is to edu- some capacity since he was 19 years old. “The club was so
cate the American people in the fine arts.” fortunate to buy this property,” he says, “to obtain it when
they did, because everything was still intact, all the trea-
sures were still here.” These include a stained glass window
Building With History by John La Farge.
At the NAC, this mission stretches back more than a century, The space serves both literally and figuratively as a
following the international recognition of American painters home to artists. In apartments upstairs, artists still live
in the Hudson River School, which was founded by Thomas and work, and the steady stream of people and social
Cole and included Frederic Edwin Church and Albert events serves as an informal support system. During the
Bierstadt. “In the late 19th century, people were going to power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some
Europe to buy art and collect art,” says Zagaria. “But a few members took up residence at the club. “It’s a massive
people got together and said, ‘Wait a minute, we have many
fine artists here in the United States.’ This was the impetus
for founding the National Arts Club. That was 1898.”
The club bought its current building—a former mansion
facing Manhattan’s exclusive Gramercy Park—in 1906. It
serves as one of the club’s defining features. “It does
require tender loving care,” Zagaria says of the building. A
house committee takes care of the mansion’s aesthetics to
make sure “everything looks as though it belongs.” Other
than that, there are no official guidelines. “The design of
the house’s carvings, even on the outside, is very organic,
all dealing with elements of nature—leaves, flowers, ani-
mals,” says Robert Yahner, who serves as the club’s
EXTERIOR: H.N. TIEMANN/THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY/GETTY IMAGES; BAR: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB
LIVING ROOM AND DALI BALL: CINDY ORD/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB: DALI BALL;
CLOCKWISE
FROM FAR LEFT
The mansion
housing the NAC,
seen near the turn
of the century;
a room in the
club; Cassady
Rose Bonjo
performs during
the Dalí Ball;
bar and dining
area at the NAC
network of people,” says Libbet Loughnan, an artist from a reorganization that resulted in increased dues and a
Australia who was recently awarded the NAC’s President’s greater number of members.
Award. “It’s an amazing building.” She keeps an apart- “The new owners saw that this really needed an injection
ment there, and she refers to the club as “part of my foot of tender loving care, so they took on this absolutely stun-
in the city.” ning Georgian building—really, really beautiful,” says
Chadwyck-Healey. “It’s been brought back to its glory with a
very classical approach to colors and materials used and
Across the Pond enhanced with a contemporary art collection to make it feel
Many clubs have not been so lucky as to have owned fresh and of-the-moment. They completely overhauled the
and occupied the same home for so long. The building food and beverage operation. Mayfair in 2010 was a very
housing the Arts Club, in Mayfair, London, was bombed different place from Mayfair in the 1970s, and whilst it still
during World War II, and along with the building, much has a wonderful village feel, it’s really a financial hub, it’s an
of the club’s history was lost. “It’s pieced together from arts hub, it’s the sort of epicenter of London, if you will. The
secondary sources,” says Chadwyck-Healey. The rebuild- food and the drink and the cultural programming that we
ing was finished in 1956, although much of that process put on needed to be cutting edge as well, right at the fore-
remains a mystery, as well as much of the club’s activities front of what was going on in London. So they spent a lot of
up until 1972, when it was closed for refurbishment and time completely remapping the offer for members. Now we
ArtistsNetwork.com 85
“A club answers a sort of human calling, which is to gather
with people with whom you enjoy socializing.”
–Alice Chadwyck-Healey, executive director, The Arts Club
they never had property. In the 1920s, they had talked Pillsbury. “They started this club in each other’s studios,
about certain properties in downtown Los Angeles, and and that’s really how it all began.”
there was even a building fund, but that was derailed.” As the art world changes, new genres are introduced and
trends come and go, the appreciation remains. The clubs
carry on at a steady pace, like a clock forever ticking on. To
Outreach and Education describe this evolution, Zagaria borrows the words from an
No matter the location, one theme runs through most old song: “Everything old is new again.”
clubs: youth outreach and education. Many clubs’ efforts
on this front are not confined to fine art. “We go out to John Eischeid is a freelance writer based in New York City.
ArtistsNetwork.com 87
Nine weeks in Hawaii
resulted in a body of lesser-
known yet pivotal works in
Georgia O’Keeffe’s oeuvre.
by Holly Davis
Connections to Place
In her letters, O’Keeffe wonders whether
she’s up to the task of painting her
impressions of Hawaii. Such self-doubt
isn’t unusual for artists, who can be their
own worst critics, but in this case,
O’Keeffe’s misgivings stemmed from a
sort of visual disorientation—a discovery
of a whole new kind of beauty.
One of O’Keeffe’s strengths, however,
was her ability to absorb and then convey
a sense of environment. While teaching
at the West Texas State Normal College
(1916–18), she’d created a series of
abstracted landscapes inspired by Palo
Duro Canyon with its red-rock walls. In
the 1920s, she painted the towering edi-
fices of New York City. Her paintings of
the arid landscapes of the Southwest are
among her best known.
Theresa Papanikolas—deputy direc-
tor of art and programs and curator
of European and American Art at the
Honolulu Museum of Art—who curated
the exhibition, points out that although
O’Keeffe was her own person, she was
also part of Stieglitz’s circle of artists, who she says, “were
Unbelievable Beauty very interested in formulating a specifically American
O’Keeffe accepted the commission. In 1939, after a Modernism that was linked with American values.
nine-day voyage, she arrived in Oahu to be feted and enter- O’Keeffe resonates with that in her pursuit of place in
tained by the island’s elite. Her two-month immersion her work, in her constant desire to capture the essence
resulted in 20 paintings, exhibited in 1940 at An American of places that she visited and in which she lived. How she
Place, a gallery owned by Stieglitz. Art critics responded formed a connection with Hawaii enough to paint it—
with enthusiasm. Afterward, O’Keeffe would resume her that’s the really interesting part of the story. She took a
painting of the Southwest. The Hawaii pictures found their couple of weeks just touring around, getting up to speed,
ways to various museums and collectors, eventually fading and finally decided to begin painting. She started with
to a footnote against her more familiar body of work. flowers—something she knew very well.”
Currently, though, the Hawaii paintings are enjoying a
New York City reunion in the exhibition “Georgia O’Keeffe:
Visions of Hawai’i,” on view at the New York Botanical Saying It With Flowers
Garden. The venue offers a unique opportunity to view not At the time of her visit to Hawaii, O’Keeffe had already
only 17 of the Hawaii paintings but also 300 actual plants established a reputation for her oversized depictions of
O’Keeffe saw or might have seen, presented in settings flowers. Her introduction to Hawaii’s blossoms began as
simulating those O’Keeffe would have experienced. soon as she disembarked from the ocean liner, with the
Of course, the scope of the Hawaiian landscape—earth, placement of several leis over her head. This traditional
sky and water—cannot be captured in a botanical garden. welcome was apparently unfamiliar to O’Keeffe, and in her
For a sense of the impact Hawaii had on O’Keeffe, one can letters to Stieglitz, she repeatedly expressed delight over
read the letters she sent to her husband during her the colors and scents of these floral necklaces.
sojourn. There one learns of O’Keeffe’s awe over hardly She often wrote of walking about to look at “things that
believable blooms, rain that “doesn’t seem to make you grow” and marveled at exotic blossoms in shapes that
wet,” “fantastic black lava shapes” and more. At one point seemed improbable. She took it all in with enthusiasm—but
she wrote, “Many things are so beautiful that they don’t as an artist rather than as an environmentalist or botanist;
ArtistsNetwork.com 91
Widened Vision
As O’Keeffe traveled the islands, she expanded her focus
to encompass larger views—landscapes that could so
quickly change from verdant mountains to black lava cliffs,
from ocean vistas to lush vegetation, from wilderness
to cultivated fields of sugarcane, bananas or pineapples.
Besides the subject matter, the most noticeable difference
between the Southwest and the Hawaiian landscapes is the
palette. “The Southwest works are done in more muted
tones, more earth tones,” says Papanikolas. “The Hawaii pic-
tures have been described as having ‘humid colors’—colors
that are bright and highly saturated. Yet both bodies of work
have these beautiful tonalities of blues and grays.”
Black Lava Bridge, Hāna Coast, No. 1 (opposite), with its
uncharacteristic lack of finish, demonstrates O’Keeffe’s push
to capture the essence of a locale. “O’Keeffe uses this very
loose brushwork to replicate the jaggedness of the lava and
the sea foam that’s crashing all around it,” says Papanikolas.
“The evidence of her hand and how she’s attempting to work
through this subject, which is very new to her—capturing
the movement of water—is quite extraordinary.”
ArtistsNetwork.com 93
Pineapple Bud
1939; oil on canvas, 19x16
PRIVATE COLLECTION; © 2018 GEORGIA
O’KEEFFE MUSEUM/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY
(ARS), NEW YORK
ArtistsNetwork.com 95
Artists Magazine recently had the pleasure of visiting Art Division,
a nonprofit arts program in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles.
Founder Dan McCleary has lived in the area for more than 30
years. “It’s a densely populated, incredibly poetic neighborhood
a mile west of Downtown Los Angeles,” he says. The campus
comprises a library, a gallery, a painting studio and a printmaking
studio. Serving young adults aged 18 to 26, the program offers
classes ranging from painting and figure drawing to public
speaking, career coaching and cooking.
ART
DIVISIO
RIGHT The library boasts approximately 10,000 art books, and McCleary describes it as “the heart
and soul of Art Division.” PHOTO: ZEFREY THROWELL
ON
ABOVE
Students film an Art Division promotional video.
PHOTO: ART DIVISION
FAR LEFT
Luis Mateo, a painter, has participated in Art Division’s programs for several years. “In January, he
was our first student to become an exchange student when he traveled to Oaxaca to study
printmaking,” McCleary says. “He’s a wonderful artist and young man.”
PHOTO: ZEFREY THROWELL
NEAR LEFT
Art Division offers a core group of classes including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography,
creative writing and filmmaking. Newer programs include acoustic music performance and career
building.
PHOTO: ZEFREY THROWELL
ArtistsNetwork.com 97
LEFT
(From left to right) Andy Rivera,
Cesar Robelo Lara and Javi
Sebastian stand in the Art Division
gallery. Hanging on the wall below
them are paintings by Luis Mateo (at
left) and Alfredo Alvarado (at right).
Art Division hosts frequent
exhibitions in the gallery, as well as
in off-campus locations. Recently,
work by Art Division students was
seen in the exhibition “Dos
Colectivos” at the USC Fisher
Museum of Art.
PHOTO: ZEFREY THROWELL
BELOW
Juntos (detail)
by Roberto Ortiz; acrylic on canvas
PHOTO: ZEFREY THROWELL
RIGHT
A student works in the Art Division painting studio. PHOTO: ART DIVISION
BELOW
Untitled
by Lauren Belcher; linocut. PHOTO: ART DIVISION
Untitled
by Jessica Cuautle; linocut; PHOTO: ART DIVISION
ArtistsNetwork.com 99
&
present:
2018 Pasadena
November 2-4
Melanie Reim
so much more.
IF YOU LOVE TO DRAW & PAINT, YOU’VE GOTTA JOIN US!
WILLIAM J. O’BRIEN
CHALLENGES THE
B O U N D A R I E S T H AT
H AV E T R A D I T I O N A L LY
S E PA R AT E D F I N E A R T
FROM FUNCTIONAL
C R A F T.
ArtistsNetwork.com 101
Exhibitions, events and other items of interest
DO
NOW
California
RENÉ MAGRITTE:
THE FIFTH SEASON
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF
MODERN ART • 415-357-4000
SFMOMA.ORG • THROUGH
OCTOBER 28
THE FIFTH SEASON, FORETHOUGHT; © CHARLY HERSCOVICI, BRUSSELS/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK
period on view in “René Magritte: The Fifth Season.” palette, and facture,” writes Abigail Solomon-Godeau, in
The 1940s saw significant changes in Magritte’s art as the exhibition’s catalogue. “Whereas previously Magritte
he separated from the Surrealist movement with which he acknowledged only the artistic influence of the Italian
had been closely associated. The years 1943 to 1947 have Surrealist Giorgio de Chirico, the sunlit surrealist works
refer—sometimes quite directly—to late paintings by
TOP Pierre-Auguste Renoir.”
The Fifth In the 1950s, Magritte steered back toward his earlier
Season signature style, but he continued to find new ways to use
by René Magritte painting to question the nature of reality and modern
1943; oil on
canvas life. Many of his paintings from this period made use of
“hypertrophy,” the depiction of objects at jarringly skewed
RIGHT scales—for instance, an apple that takes up an entire room.
Forethought The last decade of Magritte’s career is notable for the artist’s
by René Magritte
1943; oil on
further development of the motif of the bowler-hatted
canvas man, an ambiguous figure who may represent the anonymity
KOONS COLLECTION; of modern life.
MUSÉES ROYAUX DES
BEAUX-ARTS DE
“Magritte’s paintings opened up whole fields of inquiry
BELGIQUE that are still being explored by artists today,” says Caitlin
Haskell, the exhibition’s curator. “My hope is that those
who don’t yet know Magritte will visit and encounter a
painter who inspires them to question their surroundings;
while those who are familiar with his work will be able to
discover new sides of a supremely fascinating artist, who
understood that the insights we find in paintings can
affect how we see the world.”
Illinois
NEW
RADICAL [RE]
CONSTRUCTIONS
SMART MUSEUM OF ART
CHICAGO • 773-702-0200
SMARTMUSEUM.UCHICAGO.EDU
THROUGH DECEMBER 30
ArtistsNetwork.com 103
Catherine Hillis
3. SAADA, THE WIFE OF ABRAHAM BEN CHIMOL, AND PRÉCIADA, ONE OF THEIR DAUGHTERS BY EUGÉNE DELACROIX; 1832; WATERCOLOR OVER GRAPHITE ON WOVE PAPER, 8¾x6⅜; THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK; BEQUEST OF WALTER C. BAKER,
WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP
OCTOBER 10–12, 2018
New York
DELACROIX
Join Catherine at the THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
14 th Annual NEW YORK CITY • 215-535-7710
METMUSEUM.ORG • THROUGH
JANUARY 6, 2019
Wisconsin
WILLIAM J. O’BRIEN:
RELIQUARY
MADISON MUSEUM OF
CONTEMPORARY ART • WISCONSIN
608-257-0158 • MMOCA.ORG
THROUGH NOVEMBER 11
ArtistsNetwork.com 105
SPONSORED CONTENT
Fall Into
Color
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ArtistsNetwork.com 107
Independent
Study
Resources to
inspire + build skills
BY HOLLY DAVIS
WALLPAPER: V&A IMAGES © 2017 VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM LONDON/THAMES & HUDSON; LINE ILLUSTRATIONS © THAMES & HUDSON; LINE ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILIA BUGGINS; SPECTRUM: COURTESY OF THAMES & HUDSON;
Perspective
Demystified
Drawing in perspective
is an elemental skill that
can quickly take your art
to a new level. Mark and
Mary Willenbrink explain
the basics in Perspective
for the Absolute
Beginner: A Clear
and Easy Guide to
Successful Perspective
INSPIRING INTERIORS Drawing (North Light
For centuries interior designers have created palettes that
not only set the mood of a place but also mark it as part of a Books). Step-by-step
certain era. Spectrum: Heritage Patterns and Colors
(Thames & Hudson) examines interior-design palettes from
demonstrations cover
the 15th century to the present. Photos of fabrics and a variety of subjects,
wallpapers, accompanied by color
grids that show the proportion of each including interiors,
color, provide historical reference
material as well as inspiration.
architecture, still lifes and
landscapes. This book is
The Art of Wallpaper (Thames & Hudson) not only
showcases a variety of wallpaper looks but also invites available in both print
the reader to experiment with color variations, complete
the drawing of patterns and create wallpaper designs of and digital formats.
their own. THE ART OF WALLPAPER: COURTESY OF THAMES & HUDSON
Competition Spotlight
Finalist artwork from Artists Magazine’s 2017 Annual Art Competition
Spring Snow
in Russia
oil on canvas,
14x22
CJ Lukacsik
PINE, ARIZONA · CJLUKACSIK.COM
I had always wanted to visit Russia because of my love for the artist
Nicolai Fechin (1881–1955). When I finally got to go, I fell in love with the
countryside; it sang to my heart. On my way home from Russia, my mind
started reeling about how I would convey the scenery on a canvas. I had
already painted it in my mind before the plane landed.
ArtistsNetwork.com 109
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&RSHQKDJHQ'HQPDUNWR1HZ2UOHDQV/$ Sandra Duran Wilson ..........September 16-20
Visit artistsnetwork.com/paint-along
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Lasting impression
Cat
by Ryosuke Kumakura
2017; oil on canvas,
16½x11x1
COURTESY OF PATRON
GALLERY, CHICAGO
With this video series, explore a range of subjects along with gorgeous step-by-step projects packed
full of tips and advice. Explore more inspiration and instruction from Jean Haines and discover many
other instructors at ArtistsNetwork.com.