ART AFICIONADO

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Anders Erickson Makes an Old Fashioned

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

John Collier

Art Appreciation

John Collier was born on January 27, 1850, into a prominent British family deeply connected to public life. He was the son of Sir Robert Collier, later Lord Monkswell, and grew up in an intellectually active environment.

Collier trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London before continuing his studies in Paris and Munich, where he absorbed European academic traditions. Early in his career, he gravitated toward portraiture, quickly earning recognition for his ability to capture psychological presence alongside physical likeness.

Collier is best known for his restrained realism, clear composition, and controlled use of color. His subjects ranged from leading political and cultural figures to scenes drawn from classical mythology and literature.

Influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite circle—particularly John Everett Millais, whose studio practice he admired—Collier favored strong outlines, even lighting, and calm, deliberate poses. His paintings often balance narrative clarity with emotional distance, allowing viewers to engage intellectually rather than sentimentally. As a writer, he also articulated his views on art practice, contributing to debates on realism and technique.

Among Collier’s most recognized works are Lady Godiva (1897), Lilith (1887), Circe (1885), and Clytemnestra (1882), paintings that combine mythological themes with modern psychological tension. He was also a sought-after portraitist, painting figures such as Charles Darwin and Rudyard Kipling.

Lady Godiva, c. 1898

Lilith, 1887

Clytemnestra after the Murder, 1882

Charles Darwin, 1882

Circe, 1885

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/the-hon-john-collier-101

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp00970/john-collier

https://artuk.org/discover/artists/collier-john-18501934

Monday, January 26, 2026

Body Art: Nelson Montoya - Supergirl

Model: Karen Blanco (@kattyblakeoficial

via Nelson Montoya SK imagen

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Ashe Maree

Modeling Appreciation

Ashe Maree, born on January 25, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, is an American social media personality and cam model. The 5'9" beauty started cam modeling in 2011 and in 2016 she received an XBIZ Award for Live Cam Modeling of the Year.

In interviews, Ashe Maree stresses that camming is "not for everyone," noting that admirers often mistake curated visuals -- her apartment, pets, or aesthetics -- for the full reality of the job. Maree emphasizes the labor behind the scenes: hours of preparation, lighting, and performances in a space she designs to be both calming and professional.

In another interview, she advising aspiring models to choose platforms that match their style -- social, explicit, or a blend -- and to lean into what they already do well rather than copy others. Authenticity, she argues, is the most durable strategy, even if it sounds cliché.

Ashe Maree is equally candid about misconceptions around confidence and appearance. Maree reiterates that her body reflects unresolved gastrointestinal health issues, not a regimen worth emulating, and she cautions viewers against seeking health or body advice from her. On confidence, she admits to anxiety and insecurity, describing her on-camera poise as something she “puts on” because it reads better than visible discomfort. What sustains her, she says, is freedom: control over schedule, content, and the trust of an open-minded audience willing to follow her creative experiments.