Make the Time: Alma Thomas at the Tang Museum

Alma Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 73¾” × 158½” × 2½”, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., Photo by Cliff via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. Alma Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 73¾” × 158½” × 2½”, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., Photo by Cliff via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

“Do the trees near your house play music? Do the flowers in your neighborhood sing and dance?” asked African-American artist Alma Thomas (1891-1978). She perceived a vibrancy and vitality in her garden and she captured the inspiring performances on her … Continue reading →

Happy Birthday Abraham Bloemaert

Abraham Bloemaert, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612, 113" x 90.2", The Louvre Museum, Paris, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Abraham Bloemaert, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612, 113

Abraham Bloemaert (Dec. 25, 1564 – Jan. 27, 1651), the Dutch painter and printmaker living in Utrecht, was born on Christmas Day. A devout Catholic living in the Netherlands, Bloemaert had a thriving business creating religious works of art for the few Catholic churches … Continue reading →

Just a Second: Shiviti

Shiviti Amulet; Taddana, Morocco; 19th Century, The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Berkley, CA, Photo via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License Shiviti Amulet; Taddana, Morocco; 19th Century, The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Berkley, CA, Photo via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License

A shiviti is a representation of a candlestick that is used for the meditation of God’s name in the Jewish religion. A shiviti displays the name of God above the Temple seven-branch candelabrum. Shiviti is the first word in the Hebrew … Continue reading →

Make the Time: The Art Story

Mark Rothko, No. 13 (White, Red on Yellow), 1958, oil on canvas, 95 1/4 × 81 3/8 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Mark Rothko, No. 13 (White, Red on Yellow), 1958, oil on canvas, 95 1/4 × 81 3/8 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

There is a terrific website that has basic information about modern and contemporary art. The Art Story (www.theartstory.org) has helpful details about artists, movements, and art criticism. It also has a few timelines to assist in putting these art movements in … Continue reading →

Just a Second: Schiacciato

Donatello, St. George and the Dragon , c. 1416, marble, 15.25" x 47.25", Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, photo via Wikimedia Commons. Donatello, St. George and the Dragon , c. 1416, marble, 15.25

Schiacciato is the Italian word for “flattened.” In the history of art, it describes a very low relief sculpture, for example those created by the Italian Renaissance sculptor, Donatello.

Make the Time: Archibald J. Motley, Jr. at The Whitney

Archibald J. Motley Jr., ‘Blues,’ 1929, oil on canvas, 36 × 42 inches, Collection of Mara Motley M.D., and Valerie Gerrard Browne, Image courtesy of the Chicago History Museum, Chicago, Illinois. © Valerie Gerrard Browne. Archibald J. Motley Jr., ‘Blues,’ 1929, oil on canvas, 36 × 42 inches, Collection of Mara Motley M.D., and Valerie Gerrard Browne, Image courtesy of the Chicago History Museum, Chicago, Illinois. © Valerie Gerrard Browne.

A retrospective exhibition of the work of Archibald J. Motley, Jr. now is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Motley was one of the first black artists to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where … Continue reading →

Just a Second: Mihrab

Mihrab (prayer niche), Iran, Isfahan, Ilkhanid period (1206–1353), mosaic of polychrome–glazed cut tiles on stonepaste body; set into mortar; 135 1/16 x 113 11/16 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo via The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mihrab (prayer niche), Iran, Isfahan, Ilkhanid period (1206–1353), mosaic of polychrome–glazed cut tiles on stonepaste body; set into mortar; 135 1/16 x 113 11/16 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo via The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Mihrab (noun) A mihrab is a niche in an Islamic mosque that indicates the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca toward which all Muslims should face when they pray.

Eva Hesse Moved On

Eva Hesse, Repetition Nineteen III, 1968, fiberglass and polyester resin, nineteen units, Each 19 to 20 1/4" x 11 to 12 3/4" in diameter, MoMA, New York. Eva Hesse, Repetition Nineteen III, 1968, fiberglass and polyester resin, nineteen units, Each 19 to 20 1/4

Eva Hesse, the German-born American artist, had only a ten-year career before her death of a brain tumor at age 34 in 1970, but she made an indelible mark in the art world as a Postminimalist. The artist cut her … Continue reading →

Make the Time: Kehinde Wiley in Fort Worth

Kehinde Wiley, Shantavia Beale, c. 2012, oil on canvas, Photo by Garrett Ziegler via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License. Kehinde Wiley, Ms. Waldorf Astor, c. 2012, oil on linen, Photo by Garrett Ziegler via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.

From September 20, 2015 – January 10, 2016, a selection of artworks from Kehinde Wiley‘s 14-year career will be on view at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Wiley is best known for his contemporary twist on Old Master portraiture, … Continue reading →

Just a Second: Aquamanile

German Aquamanile in the Form of a Dragon, c. 1200, copper alloy, 8 3/8 x 4 3/8 x 7 3/16 in., The Cloisters Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo via The Metropolitan Museum of Art. German Aquamanile in the Form of a Dragon, c. 1200, copper alloy, 8 3/8 x 4 3/8 x 7 3/16 in., The Cloisters Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo via The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

An aquamanile is a vessel that holds water used for washing hands in both religious and secular contexts. Typically, the vessel is animal-shaped and has religious symbolism. During the Middle Ages, priests often used them to wash their hands before Mass. This aquamanile … Continue reading →