April 2017
By Donald Kolberg, Arts Bookmarks Editor
Monthly link highlights to online resources and websites that seem informative and inspiring for artists or art enthusiasts. Most are free. Suggestions are welcomed.
7 Paths, A Group Show
April is an exciting month for me. The anniversary Spring edition of my e-zine, MM&S, was just published. And here’s a blurb from the catalog of a group show, 7 Paths, that I’m participating in this month, at the Casements in Ormond Beach Florida:
“From realism to abstraction, from sculpture to wood carving and from folk art to fine art, this group has it all. These professional artists have come together to form a supportive, intellectual oasis for conversation and discussion that is open, honest and not tethered by the kind of rules you find in traditional guilds and associations. Known as ‘The Art Group’ and defined by enjoyment not dues, these artists meet weekly, sit together and have grown for four years without bylaws or procedures to hamper their lively conversations and continued growth. The Art Group meets weekly at local restaurants and is open to anyone interested in engaging conversation about art and whatever!”
CITY, A Secret Sculpture
Imagine a sculpture eighty feet high and over a mile long. Now imagine that it sits next to that top-secret Air Force base, Area 51. This secret sculpture called City is the work of Michael Heizer, started in 1972 and constructed of just dirt, rocks, and concrete. “His incredible creation has remained so accurate to his original plans that they’re less than 1/16th of an inch off of his initial designs. After tens of millions of dollars and 40 years of work, Heizer says that his piece is meant to stand the test of time…even if humanity doesn’t.” Although not open to the public, this work, which is the size of Washington, DC’s National Mall, is planned to be finished by 2020. You can get more of the story and see some pictures of the site from roadtrippers.com.
A Color-Mixing Guide
I’m not big on paid subscription sites to learn how to paint, and this is not an endorsement of this site but…Phil Davies’s site, Art Tutor, provides some great free resources for watercolor artists. And even though I don’t paint in this medium, his free color-mixing guide is a very useful download for any artist.
Harold Garde, an American Abstractionist
This month I’m taking the time to introduce you to an American Abstractionist who continues to capture the interest and excitement of young painters. Harold Garde, who is now in his mid-nineties, still paints nearly every day. Through his career, he experienced various transformations as an artist—throughout the 1960s and ’70s, he alternated between the abstract and the figurative, but it was in the ’80s when he began to experiment with more cubic, structured, rather than rounded shapes. Later, he came upon the medium Strappo: “Scraping clean the glass plate he uses as a palette, the artist became intrigued with the thick skin of acrylic paint lifted by his palette knife. The skin retained the texture and gesture of the paint, and yet its surface was slick and smooth…A cross between monotype and painting, the discovery of the Strappo technique gave Garde access to what he considers the best qualities of each, and it did not take him long to realize the rich potential of the medium. Soon he was incorporating Strappo rectangles into larger painted canvases where they add another layer of texture and association to the works.”
Recently the University of Wyoming acquired a number of Garde’s works: “We are so pleased to see a strong selection of Harold’s work come to the University of Wyoming Art Museum,” says Susan Moldenhauer, director and chief curator at the UW Art Museum. “The work strengthens our collection of American art, particularly in the Abstract Expressionist genre, and is important to our advancing work in academic engagement with UW faculty and students.” The Orlando Museum of Art has also acquired an abstract work from the artist. Art Port, representatives of the master painter and Florida resident Harold Garde, announced the Harold Garde Scholarship to the University of Florida in recognition of his lifelong dedication to visual arts. There are even a number of movies about the artist created by Dale Schierholt, who has filmed artists such as Ai Weiwei, Robert Indiana and Charles Arnoldi. Take the time to explore his website, and if you’re ever in the New Smyrna area, I’m sure he’ll invite you in for lunch.
WonderStreet
Every once in a while a site will post a review of a comparison of different mediums. This month I’m taking a look at a UK site, WonderStreet, that has compared twenty-nine well-known brands of oil paint. Their source is a variety of consumer review sites and thousands of artists. WonderStreet, an amalgam of everything from arts and crafts to outdoor furniture, may not be for every artist, but the oil-paint comparisons are excellent and the lists of pro’s and con’s enlightening. While you are at it, check out their listing of the top nineteen acrylic paints. The information is again presented with strong research and accurate findings.
Remember, if you have a site you’d like me to bookmark, you can reach me at dkolberg@thewoventalepress.net
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