Artists You Like

[Critical]

Along that line I prefer Gustav Klimt, as I love his use of color and the geometrics that contrast with the realistic human forms...

You know, I never liked Klimt's work until I saw it in person. I was at the Neue Gallery in NYC and saw his portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer. I was blown away. For me at least, his work really needs to be seen in person. .

MRD - I LOVE Johns! I even named my cat Jasper! That's the great thing about art - sometimes you connect with it and sometimes you don't. A painting can affect different people in a completely different way and that's okay.

I will say that, sometimes, modern (pre-1950) and contemporary (post-1950) art requires more from the viewer. An 18th century painting of flowers is easy to visually "understand" for most people. Contemporary art often makes you "work for it" because it was often about the process and not just the finished product. I find looking at Old Master-style paintings to be very relaxing, but a trip to MoMA wears me out! I love modern and contemporary art, but it does require more effort.

[queenb]

You know, I never liked Klimt's work until I saw it in person. I was at the Neue Gallery in NYC and saw his portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer. I was blown away. For me at least, his work really needs to be seen in person. .

Yes, it looks much better 'in real life', and I had a hard time even finding a picture on the net that had even passable color on it--nevermind they don't look great so teensy. I think that's true of most art, though, other than small sketches or simple drawings--the scale, color, or texture is just not the same no matter how expensive the book. (Sorry, my art school years were decades
ago, and I don't really feel as comfortable with art jargon as I used to, so have to use everyday terminology that I hope folks can actually understand!)

I will say that, sometimes, modern (pre-1950) and contemporary (post-1950) art requires more from the viewer. An 18th century painting of flowers is easy to visually "understand" for most people. Contemporary art often makes you "work for it" because it was often about the process and not just the finished product. I find looking at Old Master-style paintings to be very relaxing, but a trip to MoMA wears me out! I love modern and contemporary art, but it does require more effort.

I think it's also due to the fact that it's much easier to appreciate things that are figurative, and don't deal so much with strictly emotional issues. (Obviously, the Old Masters did incorporate emotional qualities in their work, but it's shown with facial expressions, atmospheric effects, etc.)

My biggest gripe is that when people see modern art, the first thing they say is "my kid could do that". I remember in a first year color class, I chose a piece by Martial Raysse (whose colors I love!) to try to copy, and you would be surprised at how hard it is to reproduce. It wasn't this one, but almost the same only a really neat red composition that I can't find, Made in Japan In Martialcolor.

Martial Raysse, Made in Japan. La Grande odalisque, 1964


I have never been to MOMA, but really want to go. I no longer hang out with anyone who would like it, and the idea of a trip to NYC alone seems kind of not as fun, but will do it eventually, I am sure. I'd go to the Metropolitan as well while there of course.

[Critical]

My biggest gripe is that when people see modern art, the first thing they say is "my kid could do that". I remember in a first year color class, I chose a piece by Martial Raysse (whose colors I love!) to try to copy, and you would be surprised at how hard it is to reproduce. It wasn't this one, but almost the same only a really neat red composition that I can't find, Made in Japan In Martialcolor.

I HATE hearing that! When I was at MoMA NY, in the more contemporary galleries, some guy was making cracks like that loudly. I kept my mouth shut, but really wanted to let him have it. You're right - it's not as easy as it looks!

I have never been to MOMA, but really want to go. I no longer hang out with anyone who would like it, and the idea of a trip to NYC alone seems kind of not as fun, but will do it eventually, I am sure. I'd go to the Metropolitan as well while there of course.

I've only been to the one in NYC once, but I'm fairly close to MoMA San Francisco, which also has a pretty good collection. Still, NY's collection is like a "who's who" of modern art. Around every corner I found something that made me say "Oh my God!" It was like my modern art textbook in person! The Met is spectacular too. You'd need a week (or at least I would!) to see it all. I spent part of two days there and felt like I spent most of the time passing through 10 galleries to see the work in one! There are lots of great museums and galleries in NYC. It was like heaven!

One of my favorites right now is Hung Liu. She's one of the many Chinese artists who came out of the cultural revolution in China. I think she teaches at Mills College in the Bay Area now. I saw a video of her painting in a class a few years ago and became really interested in her work. My favorite pieces are her portraits of Chinese "comfort women."

[MRD]

Another reason I like the Rubens is that there is a lot of hidden meaning in those big cartoons that you have to look for. I think that the Meeting of Abraham is so powerful for me because the men in it have such defined muscles and rippling flesh, that they look as if they could leap off the canvas. As a very frustrated artist, I know how hard any art is to create as I can't draw a stick figure, so that's why I admire Rubens so much as he studied the human form in such detail to get is so accurate in his paintings.

My dad took me to the Ringling from the time I was a child, so it may be that my first exposure to art was the old Masters and that may be why I have a hard time with modern art now. It's not that I dislike all of it, I don't. But I do have a hard time understanding some of it. And I have spent some time in Italy where you see nothing BUT old masters. I guess when your earliest exposure is to Da Vinci and Michaleangelo and Rubens, it can form your basis for later likes. Had my dad been a big Picasso fan, maybe I'd like modern art more. Who knows.

But again, art is subjective and we all like different things for different reasons. I dont' think it makes any of us have more or less taste than the next person because of the kind of art we like. It's just like music, we all like different music too. I know, I've been in the music thread.

Critical, come to Greenville, SC and you will see a LOT Of Johns work. I did like some of it. Some of it I didn't. I liked the Wyeths better. But for a small art museum, they have some very nice works and they have a very large collection of Jasper Johns.

[misskitty]

One of my favorite artists is Lucy the Elephant at our Valley Zoo. She is an asian elephant who is 31 years old.

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Lucy was brought to the zoo almost 30 years ago from an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka. About 15 years ago, zoo staff introduced her to painting as an enrichment activity.

She began with tempera paints on construction paper taped to the floor or wall. But an elephant-grade easel was eventually built to raise the canvas to her eye level. She now paints with acrylic on canvas and completes about 25 works a year.

Her paintings fetch as much as $1,500 and hang in private galleries as far away as England. The money goes to the Valley Zoo, as well as elephant conservation, but Krasnow is adamant that the primary goal is to enrich Lucy's life, not ours.

Lucy is able to pick brushes on her own with her nimble trunk. When she's in a particularly upbeat mood, she will flick, slash and stroke at the entire canvas. Other days, she will dab at one corner or another.

"She does what she wants," says Krasnow. "It's her painting."

Other artist elephants in the world -- yes, there are others -- tend to be limited by up-and-down brush strokes. Lucy uses a wide variety of trunk motions. Her signature move is a checkmark-like stroke.

Lucy also has other days -- playful, diva days -- when she paints everything and everyone but the canvas.

Lucy understands human language. She nods her head in agreement. She shakes her head in disagreement. She not only gives hugs -- she rests her head gently on the recipient -- but signals her affection with a gentle purring.

[Rattus]

Hmmmm, favourite artists, eh? Well, my tastes have changed from early childhood, when my favourite artist was Bosch, to my teenage years, when my favourite artist was Dali, to today's apparently more conservative tastes. My current favourites, in no particular order, are: Vermeer (his use of colour and light is astounding), Edward Hopper (though I would happily never see any version of Nighthawks ever again), Alex Colville (I always feel that something is happening off the edge of the canvas), Maxfield Parrish (saw a show of his work on my fortieth birthday - loved it) and Ferdinand Hodler (missed his show in Toronto some years back - gah! I would rather have seen his work than the Barnes Exhibit, which I saw a month prior to the Hodler exhibit.)

[MRD]

Love the Lucy paintings. I saw a Jack Russell do art on tv not long ago. I think its cool that they understand and want to do this.

Of course, I like the Lucy paintings as I'm partial to that name.

Speaking of, my daughter is really taking off in her artistic talent. She's finally gotten brave enough to do oils and has done a nude that is fantastic. I have some of her work from the last 3-4 years framed and hung up and you can really see a progression.

So I should add her to my list of favorite artists.

[misskitty]

... Maxfield Parrish..

I have always liked him too. I have a calendar of his.

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myrosiedog: I'm so glad that your daughter is one of your favorite artsist! She has a great supporter!

[misskitty]

I decided to include Jewellry Designs here.
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You probably know I love Hello Kitty, and I think that Charmmy Kitty is one of the sweetest designs as well.

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I also like BabyPhat by Kimora Lee Simmons

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and now Tarina Tarantino Kitty stuff as well. My Gosh, their prices are amazing! I guess using real diamonds adds to that.

[misskitty]