Between the Tides

I admit that my art education is lacking, so I’m rarely surprised when I “meet“ a new artist. It happened … More

American Gothic

A few days ago I wrote a little history about Gothic architecture and art.  Today, I want to re-visit the … More

Gothic Art

Every year as autumn comes around and holidays like Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and All Hallow’s Day grow nearer, … More

The Disturbing Art of Egon Schiele — And Others

I love learning new things, especially “meeting” artists I’m unfamiliar with, discovering their works, and uncovering bits and pieces of … More

More Than Meets the Eye

In the earliest days of my art journey, I wrote about Telling Stories Through Art. It was a fun concept for … More

Frida’s Garden

It’s cold here in the Midwest. Today the temperatures are well below freezing with even colder wind chill factors. It’s not … More

Mary Cassatt’s Good Fight

As a respectable woman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mary Cassatt faced many restrictions.

Impressionist Styles

Characteristics of an Impressionist painting include distinctive brush strokes, vivid colors, ordinary subject matter, candid poses and compositions and most importantly, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities and unusual visual angles.

The Beginnings of Impressionism

Impressionism appeals to us, perhaps, because it allows us to understand art a very personal level. We’re not shown everything but are, instead, given subtle hints.

Bright and Bold

Over the next few weeks, I want to step away from representational painting now and then and just indulge myself in bright, bold colors. I want to splash, splatter, and pour my paints, letting them form their own shapes and designs.

Outside the Lines

Painting outdoors appeals to me in many ways. I love nature, I enjoy hiking, and I’m probably at my happiest when I’m in a woodland setting or at the water’s edge. So, why haven’t I done more plein air painting? Good question.

What Is Art For?

What is art for? We all know that art can certainly be a bit of a mystery.

Emotions in Art

I’ve written a lot about emotions in art. For me, emotion is what draws me to a particular painting when I’m … More

Art, Animals, and Activism

Art is so much more than pretty pictures or even interesting compositions. Art can also be inspiring — in more than the … More

If You Want to Be an Artist…

Following the student art show this weekend, I’ve been thinking a lot about art education and how we learn this marvelous … More

What Did I Get Myself Into Now?

At the very first art club meeting I attended — last year — one member gave a brief talk about composition … More

The Art of Medicine

Weird as it is, I love anatomy. I haven’t done any figure drawing recently since I’ve been focused so much … More

Line and Form

I love browsing through art books at Amazon. Actually, I love browsing through art books anywhere I happen to find … More

The Age of Innocence

When I was growing up, a beautiful framed reproduction of The Age of Innocence hung above my bed. Even as a young … More

The Hierarchy of Art

Until recently, I had no idea that an actual hierarchy existed in the world of art. I found it very interesting and … More