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

At the Albrecht-Kemper – Part 1

As part of my re-entry into the world of visual art, I recently spent a morning at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum … 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.

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

In a Word…

Recently I read an article about conceptual artist and sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle. She was best known for the … 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

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

Johannes Vermeer: So Much Mystery

One of the artists whose work I’ve studied recently is Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. Little is known of his life, … More

Don’t Laugh

We all know the importance of practicing…but, what shall we practice? That’s always a question, and it’s often answered with … More

If It Isn’t Fine…

Two years ago I posed a question about art — what makes a work a piece of art? With over … More

What Does It Mean to be an Artist?

Anyone can learn the proper techniques to follow in art, but that alone does not make one an artist.

Landscape and the Sublime: The Art of Caspar David Friedrich

Friedrich wanted to capture elements of the sublime, that moment of “connection” that often happens when we contemplate the natural world, that inexpressible feeling of our own spiritual being, our awareness that we are but a part of something greater than our insignificant selves.