tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720084087539855728.post6126143960723006471..comments2023-07-07T06:32:43.264-07:00Comments on Art Matters: To Thine Own Self Be TrueMarilyn Baumanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09221864675491721708noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720084087539855728.post-26770844644908437972012-01-24T06:19:02.352-08:002012-01-24T06:19:02.352-08:00In some ways this painting has characteristics I a...In some ways this painting has characteristics I associate with Van Gogh: an explosive exuberance of color and brush strokes. In another way I am reminded of Cezanne, but a failed Cezanne. The severe tilt of the objects sliding off to the right (facing the painting) are not sufficiently held back by an object or opposite tilting line. For me the work lacks the tension of balance/imbalance that keeps your eye constantly moving in cezanne's still lifes. The pears and the persimmon(?) nesting among the bird of paradise flowers are silly. But maybe it was the artist's design to spoof Cezanne. That said, however, doesn't take away for me the pleasure of looking at this painting (oh yeah - reproduction) over and over and joining in its dance! dmbrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10161630859604294183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720084087539855728.post-14190167244136010472012-01-18T14:14:41.366-08:002012-01-18T14:14:41.366-08:00What I see is that nothing is painted as it was......What I see is that nothing is painted as it was... but was painted as he wanted it to be. You see this in the way the lines curve on places that they should be straight. You see it in what might be described as flashes of light in dark areas. You see it in his color choices... I have an unfair advantage as I was there when he struggled with this work. He and I spent lots of time discussing things... He thought it looked dead and wanted it more alive. I remember the discussion that caused him to move his chair up closer so he could see more reflection in the bottom unit. So my opinions are clouded by memories of our discussions. He did exactly as you described... he painted it his way... not how he had instructed his students during every class. He did not cheat as he might have put it. He had made choices and decisions based on what was impacting him that day. He painted in the moment. He never copied himself or was satisfied to paint how he had... like you said in previous posts... he wasnt sure he could paint any other way than how he did at that moment. He had his "tricks" like using pure colors to add drama... like the pure cerulean blue or his famous Cad Red light that he would flash here and there to give sparkle. I never asked him about these tricks as I just called them, and he only spoke of them occationally, but my guess was they were automatic to him. Like how he spoke or how he walked. It was his way of finishing a sentence.<br /><br />I love the composition. I would say it was a blend of traditions... you could say that there was a decided X running from edge to edge... or even the platform, angel, roof, angel... madonna and child too... Nothing quiet about this... from the hot colors to the sliding diagonal lines... even the eggplant looks like it might roll at any second. It's not Cezanne. It's not Renoir or soutine... it has some of their soul, but no bones there... Even carravaggio is whispering in there...<br /><br />To me this is an excitement... a shiver of tension, a shout of glee... Not in a crowd, but alone.Thomas Del Portenoreply@blogger.com