Dead Mother by Egon Schiele

Egon Schiele (June 12, 1890 – October 31, 1918) painted Dead Mother in 1910 in Czech Republic.

Let me step back a few moments.

Schiele – as many artists tend to do – lived an alternate type of lifestyle as he explored. For example, when he was younger and his fascination in trains grew, his father (who was the train master in Tullen) was so disturbed by his representation of them that he had to burn his sketch books.

At 16 he was accepted into Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Arts and Crafts) in Vienna (1906), to which he was encouraged by the instructors a year after to go to the more formal and traditional academy, Akademie der Bildenden Künste. It is without a doubt that the conservative styles of both academies frustrated Schiele, which ultimately led him to leave 3 years later. Schiele founded the group Neukunstgruppe (“New Art Group”) with other dissatisfied students shortly after leaving Akademie der Bildenden Künste.

Around this time, Schiele found Gustav Klimt (an alumni of Kunstgewerbeschule), who happily took interest in Schiele, encouraging him by purchasing his work, trading his work for Schiele’s, and also arranging exhibits and models for the younger artist. It was at this time that Schiele met Walburga (Wally) Neuzil, a young lady who would be the model for many of his future works and partner for some time. Around 1911 they were chased out of Český Krumlov (Krumau) in southern Bohemia (Czech Republic) – the birthplace of Schiele’s mother – because the residents strongly disapproved of their lifestyle, not to mention their employment of the town’s teenage girls as models (allegedly).

In 1912 Schiele was arrested for seducing a young girl below the age of consent. Hundreds of his drawings were seized because they were considered pornographic, but the charges of seduction and abduction were dropped. However, during the trial, the judge burned one of the offending drawings over a candle flame.

It is tragic to learn that the Spanish flu pandemic (which took 20,000,000 lives in Europe) took Schiele’s pregnant wife of 4 years (not Wally), and Schiele himself 3 days afterwards at the age of 28.

Dead Mother

It is interesting to note that Dead Mother is part of the Expressionist movement, a symbolic painting that clearly has influence by psychoanalysis. Austrian neurologist and founding father of psychoanalysis, Freud (May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939), was becoming very eminent in theology, and as a result, all society. This reasoning process, and identification led to some very astounding revelations in many genres of expression, particularly in art.

It is almost too easy to identify certain aspects of Schiele’s life with this painting. His eldest sister died at the age of 10, when Shiele was just 3 years old. His father died in 1904, when he was 14, and his mother had lost a child at birth and also had a stillborn. To further complicate things, his mother married his fathers brother-in-law (this fact seems odd).

Morbid is the word, dark and tortured.

Photo source: commons.wikimedia.org

Photo source: commons.wikimedia.org

Sources:

Book Review | Linchpin by Seth Godin

Seth Godin is what you might call a motivator. You may also call him an identifier. I’d say he is also a wise man, who’s done a lot of research on an alternative method of thought.

He talks about shifting away from being a cog in the wheel, a productive yet zombie-like member of the assembly line, in to the realm of artistry; in short, becoming a Linchpin.

Seth Godin - Linchpin

A very suiting title for this book, and to be perfectly honest, a great read. 5 stars, thumbs, whatever…

“What will make a Linchpin is not a shortcut. It’s the understanding of which hard work is worth doing. The only thing that separates great artists from the mediocre ones is their ability to push through the dip. Some people decide that their art is important that they out to overcome the resistance they face in doing their work. Those people become Linchpins.”

To understand this as Seth would like you to – aside from reading the book – the reader must be aware of two things. The first is that Godin describes how “art is the intentional act of using your humanity to create a change in another person.” Not just the artist with a paintbrush or camera, but the person with the willingness to put in the effort. The second is that this book is not about creating the next best thing, it’s about becoming indispensable; becoming a Linchpin.

To cheat Godin out of a book sale (in all likelihood it will make you want to read the entire book multiple times) he’s described what makes you indispensable:

  • provide a unique interface between members of the organization,
  • delivering unique creativity,
  • managing a situation or organization of great complexity,
  • leading customers,
  • inspiring staff,
  • providing deep domain knowledge,
  • possessing a unique talent.

Rest assured, if you think you know what all these points mean – and that you possess (some of) them – and/or you believe even just one of these qualities does indeed make the artist valuable, this book will be worth your read.

I would highly suggest taking notes of every single point Seth Godin makes that sticks out to you.

If you have read this book, I’d love to hear some points you’ve taken from this book that have changed your life.

 


California Artist by Robert (Bob) Arneson

Robert Arneson was born in Benicia, California in 1930. He received his MFA in 1958 at California College of the Arts: Oakland, California. In his early employed life he was a cartoonist for a local newspaper. He was a professor of ceramics in the Art department at UC Davis for 40 years.

It’s safe to say Robert Arneson was a Californian Artist.

In the 60s, as a lot of radical artistic movements were explored, Arneson developed a new movement in art called the Funk Movement. For Arneson, this meant pushing away traditional ideals for ceramics, in that they must be utilitarian or decorative. This led Arneson into non-functional ceramics like portraits with feeling, humanity, and humor… almost whimsical.

Arneson was influenced by many artists in California and abroad with radical and blunt ideals. This included writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Thomas Pynchon, Tom Robbins and William Burroughs, or artists like Peter Voulkos.

California Artist was created in 1982, and is stoneware with glazes measuring 68 1/4 in. x 27 1/2 in. x 20 1/4 in. It currently sits in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). It was a mocking response to an art critic from New York who felt Arneson was too easily pleased with his own jokes. The critic was not impressed by the cultural life of the Californian artist.

It is interesting to note that if one peers into the eyes of California Artist, they can see into the empty head of the stoneware.

California Artist by Robert Arneson | Source: http://www.snappysan.com/2012/02/mr-arneson/

California Artist by Robert Arneson | Source: Richard Pelletier

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José Parlá

José Parlá is an artist. He’s a painter with a vision, deep history of roots art, a new age sculptor, and most definitely an abstractionist.

His work has appeared around the world in exhibitions in London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Paris.

José works with lines that stretch out from the edge of space, swirling around amidst chaos and frequency.

He studied painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, and The New World School of the Arts in Miami, and lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

Photo source: José Parlá | www.joseparla.com

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Dinosaurs by Bret Taylor

Photo source: Bret Taylor | http://howyadoingraphics.com/shows/dinosaurs/

 

Bret Taylor of Howyadoin Graphics hosted his third solo show [see the last one I attended] [with the help of his agent] called Dinosaurs. If you ask me, the show was a success, but that’s not my duty to define. Most of his works sold out immediately before I arrived there, the place was filled with many admiring fans, and he was a happy camper.

It was held in a Cambie and 4th Ave artist space that fit the atmosphere perfectly. One of my favorite pieces was his Velociraptor, which ironically was one of the 3 pieces that hadn’t sold by the time I got there. He has a very interesting way of keeping the background very prominent, while pulling attention into the foreground, the main attraction of the work.

Will you be at Bret’s next event? I hope you head to his website to make sure you don’t miss his next one! If not for the fun time, go for the to support the art!

Photo source: Ned Tobin | www.nedtobin.com

 

Photo source: Ned Tobin | www.nedtobin.com

 

Photo source: Ned Tobin | www.nedtobin.com

 

Photo source: Ned Tobin | www.nedtobin.com

 

For the full set of images, head to Ned Tobin’s fotoblog.

Game Lapse by Jaybo Monk

Jaybo Monk is a man whom you meet and never forget. His honesty and sincerity is what makes his art so pure, so essential.

There have been many late nights where I’ve debated the purpose of art with him; Jaybo always has the romantic stance that art should be created to express what must be expressed. Everything is just secondary.

It’s easy to see this in his work. It’s also easy to see into his minds eye with his work.

Recently, on 16.08.2012 Jaybo created some of the most extraordinary pieces of art I’ve had the pleasure to look at for a solo show at Rook & Raven Gallery / London. They explore white space and shapes with an emphasis on the olympics.I perticularily love how he manages to create a surreal exposé  of the lustful imagination mixed with wild beasts… and the muscle structure.

How do you like them?

Photo source: Jaybo Monk | http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151826326030476.486571.40186475475&type=1

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Artist Review: Ashley Joncas

Ashley Joncas is an artist, photographer, editor, fashionista, model, blogger, and overall, badass creative soul. We like Ashley.

Ashley is 20 years old, and I enjoy the web she spins on her blog, her words are mesmerizing.

What I find is the best how her images are frequently washed out a bit, and almost always in black and white, or very damn close to it. Her style is very alley cat style, meow meow foxy with Ramones bangs. It’s a good dig.

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

Photo Credit: Ashley Joncas

 

For more of her style, more of her photographs, more of her, head over to her blog: Purely Couture and More. (ps. it’s a good idea to do that).

 

 

Bret Taylor Solo Art Show

Last night Bret Taylor opened his solo exhibit at The Tipper . It is a neat little spot on Kingsway and Victoria in East Vancouver for a show, where part of a restaurant in the front is booths, and the back opens up in a nice big room for a small band or an art show! Bret was lucky enough to have the lovely Tess McCann host his show for him, take the stress off his hands, and look lovely while doing it!

Bret’s work is pretty interesting, this series he has made really brilliant backgrounds that are topped with what looks like a half cm of clear coat which he then does his white on. It’s a pretty cool thing to look at. Continue Reading →

Artist Review: Jaybo Monk

 

You get pieces of art that are pretty close replications of real life, evoke a sense of 3D, and really give a feeling of something that you can see happening. Well, Jaybo Monk touches briefly, in little corners of his paintings on these elements, fits together pieces that really make sense on their own, but what I find are his strongest suits are that he pushes the freak into what one would feel is quite natural and ordinary; freakishly and radically awesome.

It really is works of art like this that inspire me. Where does it come from? Where has it spilled forth from? What was on your mind? How did you get those strokes? How did you blend there? Did you create this from space? Those are just the first few that come from looking at the above photograph. Lord only knows how many more would come if I could actually behold one of them in front of me.

From what I’ve read, Jaybo is from a strong graffiti background, he grew up in France, but ran away from home to settle in Germany, Berlin to be exact. His biography on Circle Culture will take you into more detail, but its very interesting to hear how he has shaped the scene of that area from the ground, grass roots up.

A friend just told me, because I was lamenting about how far away my art is from this, that to get to the point where my art speaks like this, it takes many many hours, days, years of work. I optimistically put the fear of never getting to this point out of my mind and push on. Another friend once told me that if I spend to much time looking at all the other works out there, I’ll become overwhelmed with how much there is and start getting dizzy. I think that’s how I’m feeling right now. This is just such an amazing body of work Jaybo has.

Just wow. You know? wow. Shading, contortion, vivid body parts mixed with spaces of plain white. Ease and confusion. Words just keep flowing. Comprehension doesn’t follow suit. I found a great interview done by Remi Rough at Graffuturism, where I got the final picture of Jaybo from. But the interview does reach some interestingly quirky points, but mainly showcases some of Jaybo’s brilliant works. Maybe you’ve seen some of them before? Maybe it’s just in your dreams…

Also, the mixture of materials that he uses. To me, it looks like theres oils, water colors, pens, and spray paint? It is just confusing to me. Amazingly confusing. So much does it speak that its confusing.

I hope this opens up new doors for you as it has me, finding or learning of such style, such works just inspires me to the point of utter madness, a circling spiraling into madness that I can’t stop smiling about until I’m upside down and…

What do you think about Jaybo?

 

Here are a few videos to watch Jaybo’s process from Urban Art Core

This one is from Urban Art Core as well