Today is Day 45 and I’m having yet another grumpy day.  I am having such a hard time focusing on anything…packing, picking out paint colors (for my house and my paintings!).  I keep staring at my finished piece and wishing I had more time and there’s also a part of me that wants to start over…but I have to get packing so I can’t.  Not sure if I’m nay or yay on it, but let’s still pay tribute to Norman Bluhm today!

Norman Bluhm (March 28, 1921-February 3, 1999), was an American painter classified as an abstract expressionist, and as an action painter.

He was born on March 28, 1921 in Chicago, Illinois. He studied under Mies van der

Rohe at the then Armour (now Illinois) Institute of Technology.  After service in World War II with the USAAF he decided not to resume his architectural studies. Rather he studied art at the Academia de Belle Arte, Florence, Italy and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. From 1948 until 1956 he lived in Paris. He had numerous friends in art, literature, and other creative fields.

Among his close acquaintances were Joan Mitchell, Sam Francis, Jean-Paul Riopelle, Zao Wou-ki

and others. He was married to Claude Souvrain until 1956. He returned to the United States in 1956. He married Carolyn Ogle in 1961. They lived in New York City until 1969 with their two children, David and Nina. From 1970 to 1980 they lived in Millbrook, New York. From 1980 to 1987 they lived in East Hampton, New York. Thereafter, they lived in East Wallingford, Vermont until Bluhm’s death on February 3, 1999.

Bluhm’s work has been critically praised and his works are in the collections of

many major museums. His work changed throughout his career while retaining certain elements (brush strokes, use of color and line, etc.) that to the discerning viewer are obvious.

Unlike some artists of note he continually challenged himself to reach new areas

and artistic achievements based on his profound knowledge of art and art history, use of the human figure, color, and a passion for life. Among his more noted work are a series of poem paintings done with his good friend the poet Frank O’Hara. Shortly before Bluhm died, in 1999, Art in America editor Raphael Rubinstein predicted that this body of work would be as important to the 21st century as Cézanne’s later output was to the 20th.

Biography is from wikipedia.

Learn more about Norman Bluhm at his website.

I’m hoping my piece captured his spirit!  I did have fun while I painted (as usual)

despite my looming grumpiness.  I wish I didn’t have that feeling of, “get this over with”, but I got it done, had an experience and now it’s time to get packing and then move onto day 46!  Happy Valentines Day to you all and see you tomorrow.  Hopefully I’m a bit more sunnier! xoxo, Linda