Archive for May 30, 2013

Artist of the moment…photographer Laurie Simmons….

{ May 30, 2013 @ 4:36 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

One of my favorite photographers is Laurie Simmons. Simmons was born in 1949 in Long Island, New York.

For her collegiate studies she attended the Tyler School of Art located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Early works were similar to her photographic works now as she focused on the interiors of houses.

I love her creative ideas that blend the super creative child in all of us with her creative genius. Her series of items with legs attached includes model houses, guns, and cameras.

Has won a fellowship from the Guggenheim and also the National Endowment for the Arts.

Listed in the Internet Movie Data Base as an actress, producer, and director.

price range information; Many works are priced between $2,000 to $10,000. Some cibachrome works reaching in the $60,000 range. A unique gelatin silver print can reach the low six figures.

Simmons is also renown for working with dolls.

A clip from the PBS series often recommended on this site, the Art21 series.

A great interview with a curator.

Having only seen the artist’s work via computer screen, I imagined the works to be photoshopped but they are in fact small replica doll houses. In this clip we visit Laurie Simmons as she creates some very small furniture sure to be called art!

Based out of New York city.

D

Artist of the moment….Candido Portinari

{ May 30, 2013 @ 4:02 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Candido Portinari was a famous Brazilian painter who had one work sell for more than one million dollars at auction earlier this year. Portinari was born in 1903 in an area near Sao Paulo, Brazil. The painting breaking the one million dollar barrier appears in the gallery above, its the last picture.

In this clip we see a great montage of works by Portinari. Notice how expressive the arms and the feet of the laborers appear. Not weak by any means, rather a strong a powerful force.

He attended the national art school for his native country of Brasil doing very well and earning a scholarship to further his studies overseas in Paris, France.

Briefly entered politics in his home country but had to flee as his Communist party felt the wrath of losing power.

Portinari passed away in 1962 at the age of 58 years old.

In 2007  Sao Paulo Musuem of Art had a theft and one of Portinari’s works and also one of Pablo Picasso’s work’s were stolen. Both were returned undamaged the following year.

 

D

Artist family of the moment…….Davidialuk Amittu and family

{ May 30, 2013 @ 3:16 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Davidialuk Amittu was a very talented Inuit artists working in many mediums. Born in 1910 in the area of Puvirnituq, Quebec, Canada.

Price range information: Very prolific artist in many mediums. Stone works range $1,000 to $12,000.

Our dear friends from Waddingtons of Canada bring us this wonderful bird sculpture by Amittu.

In this clip we see a basket by the Davidialuk Amittu.

Amittu also was well known in his local community as a great storyteller. In days before Ipads and even books, his stories amused many children throughout the his lifetime.

Has two children that are renown artisans named Johnny Amituk and Aisa Amittu, both men. Below is an example of Aisa’s style of art, who producing masterworks at the age of 12 and was seen as an art prodigy. As a child he was of course heavily influenced by his father. Aisa Amittu was born in 1951. His favorite themes are Inuit legends.

Another child was Alasua Amittu. One example below.

aa1

His wife was also an artist named Maina Assappa.

Davidialuk Amittu passed away in 1976.

Gotta love these artistic families. Multiple generations producing art for the world to enjoy for centuries to come. Thanks Canada!

D