Tom Wesselmann

Art Appreciation

American artist Tom Wesselmann is considered by many as a pioneer of Pop Art; although, Wesselmann disliked being included in the movement. Arguably, he felt the label undervalued his creativity.

Wesselmann was born in Cincinnati on February 23, 1931. He attended Cooper Union, a privately funded college known to produce distinguished artists. After graduation, in 1961, he began a series called Great American Nude, a collection of art depicting images of historical figures and landscapes with a patriotic theme.

Later works included experimenting with negative space, the space between objects, between a woman's limbs and breast.

You can read more about his work HERE.

Smoker # 1, 1967

Sources: http://www.thecityreview.com/f01cpw1.html; http://www.artknowledgenews.com/; http://sunnydownsnuff.wordpress.com/tag/tom-wesselmann/; http://angelfloresjr.multiply.com/journal/item/4828; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wesselmann; http://tomwesselmannestate.org/

Jorge Santos

I enjoy looking at artist's creations. I especially enjoy those paintings that look lifelike yet hold that imaginative feeling.

The surreal images portrayed in Jorge Santos paintings are intriguing, such as one that I stumbled upon while thumbing through the essential guide called Book Worm. This Daliesque painting is of a young girl walking on a lonely muddy road in inclement weather confronted with what appears to be a small spider hanging from a Sycamore.

When I googled his name, I came across many other disturbing yet beautiful paintings such one of a beautiful woman laying between metal wheels called Hobo or the dreamlike painting of the Chrysler Building laying over a canyon.

You can see more of Jorge Santos creative works HERE.


Sources: http://www.jorgesantos.com/artscene/santos.htm; http://artistaday.com/?p=6030; http://decoarchitecture.tumblr.com/; the essential guide: Santa Fe & Taos, 2011 - 2012, 22 Edition.

Pisces and Taurus



Pisces and Taurus, May 2012

Irene Kung

Photography Appreciation

I came across a photo of the Chrysler Building in New York City in The Essential Guide art magazine by Irene Kung. 

The Swiss photographer is internationally recognized for her subjective interpretation using a dark technique to illuminate details of her subjects.

You can see more of her work, HERE.

Cavallo 4

Chrysler Building

Teatro Scala, Milano

Sources: The Essential Guide Santa Fe & Taos 2011 - 2012, pg 13; http://milano.corriere.it; http://focusontofilm.com/2011/01/irene-kung/; http://oharadesigngroup.com/2010/10/14/irene-kung/

Irene Kung: Invisible Cities

Under the sea

I figure since I blog about artists, I should enter my son's artwork as well.

May 2012

Hieronymus Bosch

Art Appreciation

Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch is known for his paintings of religious themes using fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and spiritual conflicts.

Although, little is known of the late-Medieval painter, Bosch's work continues to be a subject of interpretation. General consensus, however, is that his artwork was influenced by his religious upbringing.

You can see more of his paintings HERE.

The Stone Operation (c.1488) via Hektoen International

The Garden of Earthly Delights Triptych via Hassan331

Hell (c.1500) via Friends of Art

Sources: http://www.hieronymus-bosch.org/; http://hassan331.tripod.com/Bosch/Garden.htm; Wikipedia

Pants in a 100°F weather

In my younger years, I rarely wore shorts. It was pants, even if the weather reached 100°F, which was quite often in deep South Texas, aka the Rio Grande Valley.

I think it was a cultural thing for men in the Rio Grande Valley to not wear shorts. I don't recall seeing many doing so. I think it's because shorts were meant for women. Not men.

So, if you knew me back then, you'd see me wearing either dark jeans or dark slacks during the hot summer days--364 days in a valley's year.

It wasn't until I met my wife that I learned to wear shorts. Really. I think there was a day during the hot Central Texas summer where she inquired as to why I was wearing black slacks. I didn't have shorts to wear outside the apartment, and I guess we clashed--her in light color shorts, me in dark pants.

The only pair of shorts I could wear, I wouldn't dare. They were short cut off jeans that were passed on to me by a friend of mine who didn't have to worry about not looking good in them. Me wearing them, however, would definitely give people the wrong idea.

Now, it's a different story. I'm in shorts and t-shirts when I am not at work. It doesn't matter if there is a chill in the air. Shorts are my style.