Archive for October 1, 2013

Artist of the moment…..Jamasie Pitseolak

{ October 1, 2013 @ 9:36 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Jamasie Pitseolak is a contemporary Inuit artist born in Cape Dorset, Nunavut Territory, Canada in the year 1968. Pitseolak is a renown for his carving of non-traditional Inuit items. A very jovial and whimsical carver.

In this clip we see an interview with Jamasie Pitseolak and the National Gallery of Canada:

Both parents were professional carvers.

His grandfather was also an professional artist and photographer.

Though he started out carving the traditional Inuit scenes including hunting and animals, Jamasie switched his subjects to more modern items including motorcycles, shoes, tiolet bowls, Porshe automobiles, and of course the snowmobile.

As a collage enthusiast myself I find that Jamasie has an outstanding technique in that he carves many individuals stones, then assembles them together. A stone collage if you will!

price range information:  Works range from $1000 to $5,000.

Artist of the moment…..Photographer Brett Weston

{ October 1, 2013 @ 9:16 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Brett Weston is a world renown photographer who happens to be the son of one of America’s great visionary photographers Ed Weston. Brett Weston was born in the year 1911 in Los Angeles, California. Brett was one of two sons of the legendary Ed Weston.

In 1925 Brett moved to Mexico to work under his dad.

In this clip we view some works by Ed Weston:

price range information: Works range from $3,000 to $50,000.

In 1926 the family moved back to California.

Brett didn’t have any formal training as an artist. Like the Wyeths or the Ashevaks or the Nyanhongo clans, it was just in their family blood to create art! At the age of seventeen he was a featured artist in an international show of photography.

First museum show was at the age of 21 years old.

The artist worked alongside his father his entire life until he passed away in 1958. Brett enjoyed the company of his father and his father was a stable and lifelong support for the artist. Brett Weston was married four times in his life.

Brett Weston won a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Brett Weston passed away in 1993 at the age of 82 years of age.

In this clip a great montage of works by Brett Weston:

As an artist I love Brett Weston’s eye for capturing abstraction and realism at the same time. For me my favorite series of the artist is his underwater nudes. The lines and abstraction are both at high levels.

Brett Weston is included in prominent collections including the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art and the Honolulu Museum of Art.

D

Artist of the moment……….Qi Baishi

{ October 1, 2013 @ 8:57 pm } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Qi Baishi was a Chinese painter born in Xiangtan, Hunan in the year 1864. Baishi started off his working career at the age of fourteen and decided to become a carpenter. The artist was renown for his work with watercolor. In addition to painting Baishi excelled at carving. The artist came to painting rather late in life. He didn’t know it was possible to be a professional artist when he was a teen.

Baishi received help in painting from two successful regional painters. Baishi became schooled at painting the landscape. Below is an example of a teacher to Qi Baishi who was renowned for his landscape paintings named Shizeng Chen.

shizeng

In addition to painting Qi Baishi also wrote poetry.

He was born to a rather poor family and became interested in painting by seeing a book on the subject.

As far as subjects, the artist was so prolific he painted nearly everything he saw. I don’t know what the words mean that he adds as far as text, but the way they are written is very pleasing to the eye.

In this clip we see a montage of works by Qi Baishi set to relaxing and calming music:

In 1917 the artist relocated to Beijing, China.

Qi Baishi artwork has sold at auction for $65.5 million dollars.

Qi Baishi passed away in 1957 at the age of 93 years old.

When I research auctions I often look at number of lots and also number of dollars sold. Most every time its Warhol and Picasso in the lead but Qi Baishi is right there. In his case we have someone as prolific as Warhol as far as artistic output, but who lived to be nearly one century old!

D

Artist of the moment….Vladimir Cora

{ October 1, 2013 @ 4:15 am } · { Uncategorized }
{ Tags: , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Vladimir Cora is a contemporary artist born in Acaponeta, Nayarit, Mexico in the year 1951.  Cora is a self taught artist and began selling paintings as teenager. Vladimir Cora is known for his painting of the figure with a blend of abstraction and some art deco style works. He was inspired to become a painter after seeing Monet’s Waterlilies. Cora is a painter and sculptor. Some themes of the artist are females, birds, and flowers.

His first love of art was music. Cora wanted to become a famous musician like Carlos Santana, but thankfully for us ended up becoming a visual artist.

The artist was able to work under another world renown painter from Mexico named Rufino Tamayo. Tamayo was influential in Cora’s development, especially in the abstract quality of his figure works. Below a wonderful example of Tamayo’s work. Rufino Tamayo lived from 1899 to 1991.

rufino

Cora is a bird enthusiast and owns his own aviary.

First exhibition was in 1974.

Doesn’t like to fly.

In this clip we view a montage of works by Vladimir Cora. Love the mix of abstraction he includes in his figure work:

The artist is a recluse and doesn’t attend many social events. He enjoys staying at home and working day and night in the studio! The artist lives a very balanced lifestyle exercising, painting, and enjoying life at his own pace. For this reason he has not moved to Europe or even Mexico City to further his international standing.

His father gave him the name Vladimir because he was a huge fan of Vladimir Lenin.

price range information: Sorry none available.

D