Jean Pucelle

Art Appreciation

Parisian Gothic manuscript illuminator, Jean Pucelle, is known for the illuminated prayer book called The Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux. The book was created for Jeanne d'Evreux, the third wife of King Charles IV of France.

The illustrations are done in grey tones or "grisailles" and "with touches of blue, red and yellow."





Sextam: Crucifixion/Adoration of the Magi via luciolicinio

Tierce: Christ Carrying the Cross/Annunciation to the Shepherds via luciolicinio

Sources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Pucelle; http://luciolicinio.blogspot.com/2012/06/jean-pucelle.html; http://french-painters.blogspot.com/2012/08/jean-pucelle.html; http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/54.1.2

Sergey Marshennikov

Art Appreciation

If I were wealthy enough to afford a painting, I'd purchase one by Sergey Marshennikov.

Born in 1971 in Ufa, Russia (eighteen hours east of Moscow), Marshennikov is known for his realistic portraits of nude women. His photograph-like paintings not only captures the subject but also the setting, flawlessly.

My personal favorite has be the one of titled Arabian Relaxation, where a woman sits on a bed of sheets smoking a hookah.

You can see more of Marshennikov's beautiful work on his blog HERE.




Blue Roses (2012) via catherinelarose

Arabian Relaxation via conchigliadivenere

No. 109 (2007) via tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica

Sources: http://serge-marshennikov.tumblr.com/;http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2012_08_01_archive.html; http://conchigliadivenere.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/sergey-marshennikov-1971-russian/;
http://danceswithcolors.blogspot.com/2012/06/dwc-nu-artist-sergei-marshennikov.html; http://maherartgallery.blogspot.com/2012/01/serge-marshennikov.html; http://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Sergey-Marshennikov/74694790D846B7C5; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALANgT06Tpg; http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2012/11/inspiration-serge-marshennikov.html; http://catherinelarose.blogspot.com/2012/01/serge-marshennikov.html

Fabián La Rosa

Art Appreciation

Argentinian artist Fabián La Rosa is known for his still lifes and portraits.

Of his paintings, my personal favorite is that a little boy dressed as Zorro standing against the wall next to a child's sketch of Zorro and a taped notebook paper with the letter "Z."

You can see more of his wonderful paintings HERE.




Zorro via iamachild

Pears via arteinformado

Untitled via conchigliadivenere

Sources: http://www.zurbarangaleria.com.ar/expos/larosa/larosa.html; http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2010/08/fabian-la-rosa-argentina.html; http://iamachild.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/fabian-la-rosa-1970-argentine/; http://masquenoticiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/nueva-muestra-en-coleccion-alvear-de.html; http://www.arteinformado.com/Eventos/60397/fabian-la-rosa/

 

Tracey Lane

Art Appreciation

Tracey Lane is an American artist known for her textured paintings of birds, horses, flowers, and trees.

She captures her subjects in their natural state, but presents her subject while distorting the background in order to make it the focus of the painting.

Of her paintings, I personally like those she does of birds.

You can see her wonderful paintings HERE.

Waiting via artfan24

Rose Colored via artfan24

Come to Me via southwestart

Sources: http://traceylane.com/; http://www.pryorfineart.com/; http://artfan24.blogspot.com/2012/12/tracey-lane.html; http://codaparkcity.com/artists/tracey-lane/

The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary

Music Appreciation

Twenty eight years ago, English hard rock band, The Cult, released "She Sells Sanctuary," a song about "finding solitude in a woman's arms."

Many of us, who have heard the song, probably associate it with something memorable. Take my coworker, for example. He remembers listening to "She Sells Sanctuary" driving through the desert from El Paso to Austin, Texas.

I remember appreciating the song from a mix tape a college student from my dad's class had left at the house. I didn't dare but listen to it with my Sony Walkman; growing up in a conservative house, I thought I was going to hell.

I do remember watching the music video late at night on MTV, and thinking, "that girl is pretty." It probably took me another ten years to figure out the girl was actually Ian Astbury, the lead singer of The Cult.

Watching the music video now, I'm able to appreciate it more and even catch things I didn't notice before. For example, is Ian Astbury dressed as English political icon Guy Fawkes?

MORE THE CULT: http://photographywritingandmore.blogspot.com/2012/05/cult-love-removal-machine.html

Sources: 

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-cults-ian-astbury-talks-about-songs-ignoring-t,79785/; Wikipedia

13th Game of the Season

Continued

Only three games left in the season.

On Saturday, my son's little league team, the Yankees, played against an evenly matched team, the Astros. Both teams played hard, and in the end, both teams tied at 5.

My son performed quit well. He did have a hit, but was tagged out while advancing to third. While playing second base, he caught a pop fly and tagged a runner.

His stats so far:

Game 1: AB: 2 H: 2 R: 0 RBI: 2
Game 2: AB: 3 H: 2 R: 1 RBI: 0
Game 3: AB: 2 H: 1 R: 0 RBI: 0
Game 4: AB: 3 H: 2 R: 0 RBI: 1
Game 5: AB: 4 H: 3 R: 1 RBI: 2
Game 6: AB: 2 H: 0 R: 0 RBI: 0
Game 7: AB: 3 H: 3 R: 3 RBI: 4
Game 8: AB: 3 H: 2 R: 1 RBI: 0
Game 9: AB: 3 H: 1 R: 1 RBI: 1
Game 10: AB: 3 H: 2 R: 2 RBI: 3
Game 11: AB: 3 H: 1 R: 1 RBI: 0
Game 12: AB: 3 H: 1 R: 1 RBI: 0
Game 13: AB: 3 H:1 R: 0 RBI: 0
Total: AB: 37 H: 21 R: 11 RBI: 13

F. Scott Hess

Art Appreciation

By now, many of you know I enjoy realist painters; especially, if they incorporate a touch of surrealism in their work.

While surfing the art blogs, I came across F. Scott Hess' Floodplain. The painting depicts a woman giving birth in isolation in the pre-dawn hours. On a blanket over muddy ground, she sits in pain as she pulls her baby out of her.

F. Scott Hess was born in Baltimore in 1955. He is known for his realistic paintings that have been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. His paintings tell stories, and some of them can be a bit frightening or disturbing.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Sudden Storm (1987) via iamachild

Dark Horse (2011) via artweek

Floodplain (1999) via ultramassa

The Colonel's Daughter (2006) via artodyssey1

Similar Artists: Jorge Santos

Sources: 

http://www.openmuseum.org/museum/show/46; http://www.koplindelrio.com/content/f-scott-hess; http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/10/f.html; http://artweek.la/issue/december-19-26-2011-double/article/f-scott-hess-in-transit1