Steven J. Levin

Art Appreciation

There is something that caught my attention to American artist Steven J. Levin's paintings. Perhaps its the Mad Men-esque paintings of figurative and still life.

Influenced by Jan Vermeer and Edward Hopper, Levin is known for using light and form and a palette that is bold with colors.

You can see more of his work HERE.

29 Hats via ohbythewayblog

Two Bartenders via ohbythewayblog

Nude via artistsnetwork

Sources:

http://stevenjlevin.com/
http://www.classicalrealism.com/art/Masters/Levin/index.htm
http://johnpence.com/visuals/painters/levin/index.htm
http://artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=839
http://linesandcolors.com/2013/03/20/steven-j-levin/
http://www.askart.com/artist/Steven_J_Levin/113825/Steven_J_Levin.aspx
http://ohbythewayblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/beauty-art_7159.html
http://alrartblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/steven-j-levin.html
http://guerraypaz-carlos.blogspot.com/2012/02/el-retablo-de-maese-pedro-es-un-obra-de.html
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/medium/oil/steven-j-levin

Joyce Tenneson

Photography Appreciation

American fine art photographer Joyce Tenneson is known for the style of photography that brings out the inner person. As she explains in an interview, "I want to allow others to reveal and celebrate aspects of themselves that are usually hidden." Her work has been featured on several publications such as TIME, Life, and Esquire.

You can see more of her work HERE.

Contortionist via nixonphoto

Sheryl and Sef via forum.znyata

Suzanne and Snake via forum.znyata

Sources:

http://www.tenneson.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Tenneson
http://www.photographywest.com/pages/tenneson_bio.html
http://www.dowlingwalsh.com/represented-artists/joyce-tenneson/
http://www.yankeemagazine.com/art-reviews/joyce-tenneson-photographys-golden-girl
http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/photographers/conversations/joyce-tenneson/
http://pdngallery.com/legends/tenneson/bio.html
https://nixonphoto.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/friday-inspiration-joyce-tenneson/
http://laedge.blogspot.com/2010/03/joyce-tenneson.html
http://www.verycoolphotoblog.com/2012/11/20/by-joyce-tenneson/
http://forum.znyata.com/viewtopic.php?p=40157&highlight=miroslav

Alain Aslan

Art Appreciation

Alain Aslan was a French artist known for his contributions to pin-ups. Of his profession, he once said, "I paint and sculpt 'woman' the most beautiful subject ever given to artists, because it is inexhaustible and eternal..."

You can see more of his art HERE.

September 1976 via mimiberlinblog

April 1972 via mimiberlinblog

Sources:

http://www.aaslan.com/english/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aslan_%28artist%29
https://mimiberlinblog.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/pin-up-illustrations-by-alain-aslan/
http://fashionartdaily.blogspot.com/2012/10/pin-ups-vs-pin-ups.html#.VQ732I7F-So
http://constellation-funk.tumblr.com/post/69310335433/artforadults-more-alain-aslan-born-alain

The Beatles - Ticket to Ride

Music Appreciation

Fifty years ago today (May 22, 2015), The Beatles' Ticket to Ride went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart. The song appeared in The Beatles' Help! album, which was released on April 19, 1965 in the U.S. The song was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. 

via YouTube: The Beatles


Sources:

http://www.thisdayinmusic.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticket_to_Ride

Charles E. Williams

Art Appreciation

There is something romantic about ocean waves that I'm not quite able to capture by camera. The white spume always comes out blurry in my pictures.

Perhaps the best way to capture the foam of waves is by a painting, such as those by Charles E. Williams. The American contemporary realist painter is best recognized for his oil paintings of ocean waves. As explained in his biography, "...each painting captures his reflection of human emotions in response to and in sync with the natural environment."

You can see more of his work HERE.

Absence (2011) via 

Foam (2012) via 

Renewal (2012) via 

Sources:

http://cewpaintings.format.com/
http://reduxstudios.org/artists/charles-e-williams/
http://cewpaintings.blogspot.com/
http://www.robertlangestudios.com/charles-williams/
http://www.bluecanvas.com/cewpaintings
https://www.facebook.com/charles.williams.71216?fref=ts

Richard Avedon

Photography Appreciation

American photographer Richard Avedon is known for his contributions to fashion photography. At a young age, he began taking photos with a Kodak Box Brownie. Eventually, he became the fashion photographer for fashion publications such as Junior Bazaar, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Life. He is best recognized for having his models in movement.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Bob Dylan (1965) via blog.needsupply

Willem de Kooning (1969) via guessthelighting

The Kennedys (1961) via blog.needsupply

Sources:

http://www.avedonfoundation.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Avedon
http://www.biography.com/people/richard-avedon-9193034
http://www.gagosian.com/artists/richard-avedon
http://www.vogue.com/tag/photographer/richard-avedon/
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/02/obituaries/02avedon.html?_r=0
http://blog.needsupply.com/2013/10/13/richard-avedon/
http://blog.jelanieshop.com/photography/photographer-richard-avedon/
https://chloe328.wordpress.com/tag/richard-avedon/
https://mestadelsbilder.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/richard-avedon-photography/
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/gallery/kennedyportraits/

Las Vegas

Photos taken March 28, 2015 using the iPhone 5S.

Saturno Buttò

Art Appreciation

It's probably the mystic eroticism of the paintings by Venetian painter Saturno Buttò that caught my attention. To be honest, I don't look for these types of paintings, but the realism of his haunting images that contains an uneasy reference to medical tools captured my interest.

You can view more of his paintings HERE.

Salmi Penitenziali (2003) via artodyssey1

Posture di decadenza (2010) via tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica

Sources:

http://www.saturnobutto.com/
http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2011/09/saturno-butto-1957-italy.html
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/08/saturno-butto-saturno-butto-was-born-in.html
http://www.justart-e.com/saturno-butto.html
http://locus-animae.blogspot.com/2011/06/saturno-butto-torna-locus-animae.html
http://f-se.blogspot.com/2008/09/f-se-o-mundo-da-saturno-butto.html
http://vicevirtue.tumblr.com/post/3858386046

Eadweard Muybridge

Photography Appreciation

Eadweard Muybridge is best recognized for this contribution to motion pictures with an invention of a device called the zoopraxiscope.The early device allowed images taken by multiple cameras and imprinted onto rotating glass disks to be projected.

In the 1870s, the English photographer was asked by the Governor of California to prove his theory that a galloping horse's hooves were off the ground at the same time during a running stride. With the aide of his multi-camera setup and his zoopraxiscope, Muybridge proved the theory.

You can read more about Muybridge HERE and view more of his work HERE.

via animationhistory

via coffmanlr

Sources:

http://www.muybridge.org/
http://www.eadweardmuybridge.co.uk/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/399928/Eadweard-Muybridge
http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=4192
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadweard_Muybridge
http://americanhistory.si.edu/muybridge/
http://www.biography.com/people/eadweard-muybridge-9419513
https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=39117
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/sep/04/eadweard-muybridge-exhibition-rebecca-solnit
http://www.williamreesecompany.com/shop/reeseco/WRCAM43656.html
http://animationhistory.blogspot.com/2006/05/eadweard-muybridge.html
http://coffmanlr.umwblogs.org/2012/11/13/eadweard-muybridge-gif/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/angelameiquan/muybridge-photographs-reinvented-as-animated-gifs-70fn

When bouffants were hot!

I came across an article in Austin Way by ESPN/Longhorn producer Ande Wall regarding a Sports Illustrated story of the 1960s Texas Track Club known for their bouffants.

To be honest, it was the track star Janis Rinehart who caught my attention. As reported in the article, the beautiful blonde won the 100-meter dash at the Texas Relays in 1963 and 1966.

You can read the original SI article HERE and Ande Wall's report HERE.

via m0iety

Sources:

http://www.si.com/vault/1964/04/20/612942/flamin-mamies-bouffant-belles
http://austinway.com/culture-post/how-the-bouffant-belles-changed-womens-sports
http://m0iety.tumblr.com/post/100541485417/flamin-mamies-bouffant-belles-was-a-texas-track
http://stag2.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2012/10/frivolities-and-trophies-exhibition-at-musee-du-quai-branly.html

Ian Shults

Art Appreciation

Austin local artist, Ian Shults is known for his nostalgic acrylic paintings of vintage paperback-like scenes of debauchery and social transgression.

You can view more of Ian Shults' paintings HERE and read a great interview by the Austin Chronicle HERE.

The Lying Game (2010) via modaustin

Sources:

http://www.ianshults.com/
http://www.wallyworkmangallery.com/ian_shults.lasso
http://www.eigmaui.com/ian%20shults.html
http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2015-04-17/ian-shults-sex-drugs-and-leave-me-alone/
http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2010-07-23/1059923/
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/person/ian-shults
http://www.modaustin.net/ianshultz.html
http://www.emptykingdom.com/featured/empty-kingdom-interview-ian-shults/
https://twitter.com/ianshultsart

Sally Mann

Photography Appreciation

American photographer Sally Mann is known for her powerful images of childhood, sexuality and death. Many of her images have provoked controversy among the religious right; however, admirers have embraced her work for its honesty and innocence of childhood.

Explaining her work, Mann stated best, "I didn't expect the controversy over the pictures of my children. I was just a mother photographing her children as they were growing up. I was exploring different subjects with them."

You can see more of her work HERE.

Candy Cigarette (1989) via nasher

Sources:

http://sallymann.com/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/362473/Sally-Mann
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Mann
http://www.gagosian.com/artists/sally-mann
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/sally-mann
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/magazine/the-cost-of-sally-manns-exposure.html?_r=0
http://aperture.org/shop/books/sally-mann-immediate-family-book
http://nasher.duke.edu/2013/02/work-of-the-week-candy-cigarette-by-sally-mann/
http://samisiickboy.blogspot.com/2011/11/imagelabwk5.html
http://linka-lebedeva.livejournal.com/180978.html?thread=2922482
http://fotografiska.eu/en/utstallningar/utstallning/a-matter-of-time/