Marc St. Gil

Photography Appreciation

In the 70s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) incentivized photographers to be photojournalists and capture images of environmental concerns. The program was called Documerica, and there's about over 15,000 35mm color slides and black and white negatives and prints at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

One of those photojournalists was Marc St. Gil. I came across his photographs while searching the Flickr Commons.

To be honest, I was looking for a kissing picture for a blog entry I was thinking about writing. The photo I found was that of a couple on the bank of the Frio River kissing. When I opened the photo, I noticed many more pictures taken by St. Gil. I was intrigued.

In addition to his assignment of capturing environmental hazards, St. Gil captured life in a small town, west of San Antonio, Texas.

Below are just a few of my favorites.

Chemical Plant, Corpus Christi, Texas 11/1972 via usnationalarchives

Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant on Far Side of Lake 07/1972 via usnationalarchives

A Resident of Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Ranch Hand Who Works in the Area near Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio 05/1973 via usnationalarchives 

Man Who Prepares Fur Skins for Market in a Buyers' Shed Has Skins Hanging Overhead in Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, 12/1973 via usnationalarchives

Woodrow Wilson, One of Leakey's Local Characters, in His Pickup. He Never Works, But Sits Staring at the River on the Outskirts of Town from 7 A.M. To Sunset 06/1972 via usnationalarchives

Young Woman from San Antonio, Texas, Who Spends Her Vacations in Leakey, Texas, Because She Likes the People and Has Many Friends in the Town. Near San Antonio 12/1973 via usnationalarchives 

One Girl Smokes Pot While Her Friend Watches During an Outing in Cedar Woods near Leakey, Texas. (Taken with Permission) near San Antonio. One of Nine Pictures 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Teenage Couple Embrace on the Bank of the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, Texas, and San Antonio 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Sources: http://www.theseamericans.com/galleries/documerica-project/marc-st-gil/; http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/marc-st-gil-wading-in-water-leakey-texas.html; http://austinist.com/2012/10/10/marc_st_gils_finest_shots_from_his.php#photo-1; http://hunguponretro.blogspot.com/2012/06/documerica-project-photographs-by-marc.html; http://www.lowellmickwhite.com/1/category/marc%20st%20gil/1.html

Randy Pijoan

Art Appreciation

I came across a painting by Randy Pijoan while thumbing through The Essential Guide Santa Fe & Taos titled "Night Crew, Zia Diner."

The realistic painting is of the night crew outside the  mission-style building getting ready for their shift. Zia Diner is a restaurant in Santa Fe known for its comfort food.

Pijoan is known his innovative art genre he calls "Phrasism," which is the capture of people's actions in everyday modern life.

You can see more of his wonderful work HERE.

Night Crew, Zia Diner via The Essential Guide

Adobe Bar Rendezous via dreazine

Festival Girl via riocostillaart

Sources: http://www.randypijoan.com/; http://dreazine.blogspot.com/2010/12/color.html; http://riocostillaart.com/randy-pijoan-painting/; http://www.fourcornersgeotourism.com/content/the-studio-of-randy-pijoan/fca4F58BB1C7758F5063; http://www.mutualart.com/OpenArticle/Visual-poetry/2C6522E86BC33CC9; http://issuu.com/creativeindustri.es/docs/essential-guide-2011-2012; http://www.artilluminator.com/?page_id=12

Boris Mikhailovich Lavrenko

Art Appreciation

Russian realist painter, Boris Mikhailovich Lavrenko was born on May 6, 1920 in Rostov on Don, which is a port city located in Southern Russia.

While serving his country during World War II, he documented the war by sketches and drawings.

Mikhailovich Lavrenko died on June 7, 2001 in St. Petersburg.

Bibi Hatim Mosque, 1961 via Wikipedia

In the Maternity Hospital via iamachild

On the Elbe River, 1968 via Wikipedia

Sources: http://ussrpainting.blogspot.com/2012/06/here-are-some-soviet-era-paintings.html; 
http://iamachild.wordpress.com/category/lavrenko-boris-m/; Wikipedia

Gustav Klimt

Art Appreciation

I came across Gustav Klimt from a book my dad had bought me as a present.

Born on July 14, 1862, the Austrian symbolist painter, Gustav Klimt, was considered a leader of the Viennese Art Nouveau movement. Paintings during this movement had decorative designs incorporated in their images.

You can see more of his wonderful work HERE.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907 via Wikipedia

Judith I (1901) via Wikipedia

The Kiss (1907-08) via Wikipedia

Sources: http://www.gustav-klimt.com/index.jsp; http://www.iklimt.com/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt; http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10673597.htm; Buchholz, Kaeppele, Hille, Stotland, Buhler, ART: A WORLD HISTORY, 2007

Alberto Mielgo

Art Appreciation

A few months ago, I came across a youtube video of a young artist working on a painting of former porn actress, Belladonna. Naturally, this caught my curiosity, and I wanted to learn more about the artist.

Spanish-born, Alberto Mielgo is recognized not only for intimate portraits and nudes, but he is also known for his contributions in comics and animation, such as Tron Uprising, which received an Annie Award in 2013.

You can see more of his paintings HERE. Also, check out pinkman.tv for his animated works.



Gon via hifructose



Belladonna via klimtbalan



Untitled via klimtbalan

Similar Artists:
Jennifer Balkan

Sources: http://www.albertomielgo.com/; http://albertomielgo.blogspot.com/; http://hifructose.com/2010/12/01/alberto-mielgo-the-inspired-life/;
http://motionographer.com/2010/02/24/modern-rebel-alberto-mielgo-pinkman.tv/;
http://klimtbalan.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/alberto-mielgo/;
http://conceptcentral.blogspot.com/2010/04/artist-profile-alberto-mielgo-aka.html


 

Jasper Johns

Art Appreciation

Americans will be celebrating Independence Day this week, and what better way to celebrate the American spirit than with a portrait of Old Glory.

Flag (1960-66) via Wikipedia

This encaustic painting, which was painted in 1954, is by influential contemporary American artist , Jasper Johns. The idea to paint this iconic image came to him in a dream.

Johns, who was born on May 15, 1930 in Augusta, Georgia, primarily worked in painting and printmaking, and is also known for his close relationship with Robert Rauschenberg.

You can read more about the artist HERE.


Sources: 

Miles, Frank J., "Partners in Love & Art," LstyleGstyle Magazine, September / October 2012, Page 27 

http://www.jasper-johns.org/index.jsp 

http://artsnapper.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/jasper-johns-birthday/

John Neil Rodger

Art Appreciation

As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I'm an aesthete who appreciates most types of art.

My personal favorite mediums are oil pastels and ink, and I appreciate impressionism and realism and don't care much for cubism. I enjoy looking at paintings that are realistic or have a somewhat "dream-like" feelings.

I came across John Neil Rodger, a South African-born artist, while researching realism art. Like other realistic artists, his work, which are primarily of farm animals and the female form, captured my attention.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Onagadori Rooster via eldibujante 

 

Appaloosa Stallion via catherinelarose 

Reclining Nude II via conchigliadivenere 

Similar Artists:
Sergey Marshennikov
Spartaco Lombardo



Sources: http://neilrodger.co.za/?m=1; http://conchigliadivenere.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/john-neil-rodger-1941-south-african/; http://filipinofestival.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/john-neil-rodger-south-africa/; http://iamachild.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/john-neil-rodger-1941-south-african/; http://eldibujante.com/?tag=john-neil-rodger; http://catherinelarose.blogspot.com/2012/10/neil-rodger.html; http://www.vgallery.co.za/2000article26/vzine.htm