Archive for September 26, 2014

Artist of the moment………Photographer Ralph Steiner

{ September 26, 2014 @ 8:30 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Ralph Steiner was a fantastic American photographer renown for his photography. Ralph Steiner was born in Cleveland, Ohio in the year 1899. Steiner was also a filmmaker and produced works that dealt with water reflections, simple machines, and things most people mast pass by without examining closer.

Steiner attended Dartmouth College where he studied chemistry. After this he found work with a local master photogravure who was based out of Ohio.

Steiner briefly worked in Hollywood, but did not enjoy it and returned to focusing on his growing freelance photography business.

In this clip we view a short from a longer work by Steiner that shows up close views of mechanical objects. The movie was made in the year 1930:

Steiner passed away in 1986 at the age of 87.

Price range information: Works range from $1,000 to $25,000.

What I enjoy most about this artist is his use of shadows. Before the days of photoshop and home editing every thing must have been placed perfectly. In all of his still life arrangements the cast shadows are almost as much fun to look at as the subjects!

 

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Artist of the moment……….John Piper

{ September 26, 2014 @ 12:45 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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John Piper was a British artist renown for his abstract and landscape paintings in addition to designing theater stages and sets. John Piper was born in Epsom, England in the year 1903. The city is within 20 miles of London, England. Piper also worked with stained glass and was an avid printmaker.

A wonderful montage of works by John Piper set to relaxing music:

The artist began collegiate studies hoping to become a lawyer. After failing his law exams and the passing of his father (his father opposed his decision to become an artist)Piper gave art school a try. Piper would attend the Royal College of Art and the Richmond School of Art.

Piper served in World War Two was made an official war officer from the years 1940 to 1942.

The artist had two children who also became artists.

Below is a clip from a documentary featuring John Piper:

John Piper passed away in 1992.

Price range information: Works range from $10,000 to $500,000.

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Artist of the moment……..Bill Plympton

{ September 26, 2014 @ 11:26 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Bill Plympton is among the best and most successful animators on the planet. In some animated movies Plympton drew all of the frames himself, one of few artists to do  this huge task.

Plympton was born in Portland, Oregon in the year 1946. The artist attended Portland State College before transferring to the School of Visual Arts located in New York City.

The artist has been nominated for Emmy and Oscar awards.

 

Here we view a short animated movie style that has become the artist’s trademark. A man imagines what could be in his pool:

To finance his longer movies Plympton will create a comic book version he sells first.

What I enjoy most about this artist is his attitude. I was reading a book about Plympton recently and he stated he turned down the opportunity to work for Walt Disney. Disney sent an expensive lawyer to tell Plympton he would be paid one million dollars for his services. Plympton turned this opportunity down be, cause he wanted the freedom to create as much as he wanted. If he would have signed with Disney, the Disney Corporation would own everything he created.

I found this fascinating because I also recently saw an interview with Stan Lee and he was asked if he was mad about not owning character rights for his characters he had created. Stan Lee said no he wasn’t mad, that was the terms of the contract.

Below a wonderful interview with Bill Plympton talking about his very successful animation career:

Price range information: Sorry none available.

Here we view a wonderful short that explains how Belly Button lint occurs:

And last we view a work featuring musician Kanye West. What a great job Mr. Plympton did on the caricature. Plympton often draws himself in funny situations!:

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