Tag Archives: painting

Salt Marsh Impressionism

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(Click to enlarge)

The combination of a drizzly day, a long zoom across the marsh, some camera shake, and autumn reeds made this photo turn out like an Impressionistic painting.

Marine Park Salt Marsh

Brooklyn, New York

Frida Kahlo

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Frida Kahlo: The Last Interview And Other Conversations is a new collection of several of Kahlo’s magazine and newspaper interviews. As a bonus, art historian, critic and author Hayden Herrera provides within an excellent introduction to the life and work of the extraordinary Mexican artist and activist. I was happy to interview Hayden for Arts Express.

To listen, click on the triangle or mp3 link above and listen to the interview as broadcast today on WBAI FM radio and Pacifica stations across the country.

Lincoln Gala

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“Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at a Distance of 20 Meters is Transformed into the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln (Homage to Rothko),” 1976 by Salvador Dali.

Gala was Dali’s wife.

Compare the painting hanging on the wall at the Teatro-Museo Dalí to the image in the cellphone. Move the image close to you, then view it far away.

Figueres, Spain

 

Water World

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I was introduced to the Turkish art technique of ebru by a colleague of mine, and some of the results I’ve seen are astonishing. Here is artist Garip Ay, using the paint on water technique to produce, well . . . see for yourself.

Thanks to YouTuber garip ay

Leonardo’s Children

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Some extraordinary examples of street art illusion—the drawings are seemingly three dimensional, but in fact they are all done on a flat street surface with paint and chalk. The illusions depend on the perspective that the camera vantage point enforces, and the projective geometry of anamorphosis.

The realistic nature of the drawings allows passersby to interact with the drawings by posing with them, further reinforcing the three-dimensional illusion.

Thanks to YouTuber Mind Blowing

The Outsider Artist and His Art Outside

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A while ago I had the happy accident of running across an outdoor mural by outsider artist Don Porcella. You can see the previous piece I did about the mural here (along with a photo of it) and read some of the thoughts that arose for me here. I interviewed Don last week for the Arts Express radio program; the show—and the interview—is running this week on 40+ Pacifica radio station affiliates across the country.

You can hear the fascinating conversation I had with Don by clicking the grey triangle above. I’ve also posted above a photo of the Shanghai Woman pipe cleaner sculpture which he talked about in the interview.

To hear the entire one-hour Arts Express broadcast you can click here.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Elephant (Part II)

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TOURISTS MARVEL AT ELEPHANT ARTIST IN THAILAND

A few days ago I posted a fantastic story of an elephant who appeared to be drawing realistic self portraits. You can see the amazing footage here in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Elephant (Part 1).

It seemed too amazing to be true.  With some further investigation it turns out that what occurred is indeed amazing  but not quite what it was purported to be.

Desmond Morris, the zoologist who at one time had a bestseller with a book called The Naked Ape, got curious, so curious in fact that he went to Thailand to see the elephants in action. You see, it turned out that there wasn’t just one elephant with artistic talent, but several; it was becoming something of a cottage industry.

Morris reported his findings some years ago in the British Daily Mail. I’m going to link to the whole article because it is somewhat lengthy but well worth reading: the entire thing.

After you read the article, I hope you do not suffer from disillusionment.  To my mind it is an amazing achievement and says much about the skills of the elephants. Look where the elephant begins each time. How does s/he know with such accuracy? I am still astounded.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Elephant (Part I)

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An elephant that draws. How can that be? Not just abstract blotches we agree to call “art,” but real recognizable drawings of, well, an elephant. A self-portrait of sorts.

Evidence of self-awareness we could never have predicted or is something else going on?

The magician Ricky Jay, besides being a world-class card magician with two Broadway shows to his credit, is also a respected historian of the strange. One of his books is entitled Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women: Unique, Eccentric, and Amazing Entertainers. Therein you will find true accounts of Toby, the Amazing Pig of Knowledge who was able to add numbers; a goose who was able to perform card tricks; Clever Hans, the psychic horse; and a bevy of Singing Mice.

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But to the best of my knowledge, not even Ricky Jay has documented the phenomenon of the artist elephant.

So what is going on here? Other than footage that was sped up from the original, there is no trick photography. Your intrepid reporter will tell you his findings in Part II, later this week…