Tag Archives: day of the artist

Harnessing My Creative…Spirits? Demons?

365 Muthagrabbin' Paintings...isn't that enough for now???

365 Muthagrabbin’ Paintings…isn’t that enough for now???

While walking the dogs yesterday and listening to Maron’s interview with Adam Goldberg, Maron made a comment about Goldberg having so many ideas.  Later the conversation turned to the topic of anxiety (in Maron’s interviews, it frequently does).  It didn’t linger on that topic, but my mind did.  Whenever anxiety is brought up, my ears perk up and I feel drawn to listening because I suffer from it as well.  It always makes me feel better when people explain that their anxiety is a result of being abundantly creative.  In many ways this is very true for me.

I’ve noticed that the past few days I’ve been suffering from a bit of anxiety…which isn’t really that rare, I’ve been suffering from it since I was 6 years old.  My brain is constantly active.  “What about this?  What leads to that?

Wakey Wakey...there's so much to do! Maybe you can start on a new book and never finish it!

Wakey Wakey…there’s so much to do! Maybe you can start on a new book and never finish it!

What can I do about this?  There’s not enough time in a lifetime to do everything I want to do!”  Then that leads to…”I don’t feel good.  Why don’t I feel good?  I must be sick.  Maybe I’m dying.  We all die.  When am I going to die?  Maybe tomorrow?  Oh shit, I haven’t done everything I need to do.”

The words in my brain are much more complex and in moments, much more dark.  People have told me (and I have also told others) there isn’t a reason to really freak out unless someone is pointing a gun to your head or if there’s a tiger in the room (metaphorically speaking).  Well, my brain is so imaginative that I can literally manifest that tiger into my reality.  When my mother passed away in March of 2013, it was a catalyst that drove me into a phase of spiraling anxiety.  After initial denial, I sought therapy which is helping immensely.

Maybe I'll learn the sitar this year? On top of that, maybe I'll record a sitar song everyday! Yeah, that sounds not stressful at all!

Maybe I’ll learn the sitar this year? On top of that, maybe I’ll record a sitar song everyday! Yeah, that sounds not stressful at all!

Don’t get me wrong, even with my anxiety, I’m a functioning human.  But I don’t like where it takes me.  It’s a scary place where one feels they have completely lost control…physically and mentally.

Back to yesterday.  I started thinking to myself…”I need to harness all this energy, my creative spirits (demons at times)…but how exactly?”  When will I feel like I’m doing enough creatively?  Being productive to the point of satisfaction?  I paint, draw, write novels, sew monsters and puppets, do a puppet show, perform improv with a great group of people, take classes, write music, play piano/mandolin/guitar/etc., sing, write poetry, make films…etcetera etcetera!

Maybe I haven’t found the exact thing…the specific art that is effective in harnessing this energy?  I just finished painting 365 fucking paintings a few days ago and I’m still thinking, What next???  My creativity is feeding itself.  Sometimes I feel that inspiration is a wonderful blessing, but it can also be a curse.  Sometimes I just

The tiger in my mind...beautiful and freaking scary.

The tiger in my mind…beautiful and freaking scary.

want to sit there, bored, eating my sandwich and watching stupid TV starring teenage werewolves or super heroes without my brain being somewhere else…thinking about the next “project”.  I’m not really complaining.  It’s just very interesting that something like this could be a problem.  Loving too many things.

I’m so lucky that I have the time to even muse something like this.  I am so lucky to have so many talented, supportive, like-minded friends and family.  I’m so lucky to live in such a diverse, creative, artistic area which to share my creativity in.

But still the anxiety lingers…waiting to pounce like a tiger in the shadows.

There has to be a way.  A way to tame that beast, eliminate the fear and learn to love it for what it is.

One day I will find it.

Best,

Linda

The Best Gifts!

A book from Gerard

A book from Gerard

Throughout this past year as I paid humble tribute to many great artists, a few of them have reached out to me and sent me original pieces of their beautiful artwork.

Gerard Sendrey not only gifted me with his art, but we also became friends and he has written an article about me in Creation Franche’s Publication which is due to come out in a few days.  You can visit the website here.

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My tribute on top…then three Gerard sent me.

You can watch a documentary on Gerard here (it comes in two parts) and please visit my blog page here if you haven’t already.  He’s such a wonderful artist and man.

I’ve also received original work from Pierre Silvin, who happens to be Gerard’s son!  His artwork is so special and so hard to mimic since I wasn’t sure of the materials, but even when I received the actual art in the mail, I couldn’t quite figure it out.  His pieces have a kind of luminescence and beauty that can’t be emulated.  Please visit my blog on him here if you haven’t seen his work!  It’s lovely.

Pierre Silvin Original with a nice note

Pierre Silvin Original with a nice note

Today I received 7 pieces and a nice note from Sophie Orlicki who I also paid tribute to!  I squealed when I saw the package because I had a feeling it was going to be artwork.  Her pieces are so beautiful in person and I cannot wait to get them framed like I did with Gerard and Pierre’s work.  Please visit my blog page for her here.

I never expected to receive such thoughtful and wonderful gifts let alone the artist themselves contacting me.  I am honored to have paid them tribute and honored that they reached out to give their

Today's gift from Sophie Orlicki. So beautiful in person.

Today’s gift from Sophie Orlicki. So beautiful in person.

appreciation and thanks.  It makes me feel very special and makes me understand why I did this project in the first place.  I hope I inspired you all and I want to thank you again for your support!

This is only the beginning!  I am in the process of organizing all my pieces.  Readying everything to take quality photos for the book I’m designing that’ll hopefully be on sale on amazon.  And most of all figuring out the logistics of having an art show with all 365 pieces before sending them out to all that have reserved a piece.  These artists will be getting some Linda Patricia Cleary artwork in the mail soon!

Gerard's work framed and in my house!

Gerard’s work framed and in my house!

Whatever has not been reserved, gets sold at the show etc. will be available online after the show is over.  BUT, if you’d like to reserve one in advance, please message me or “like” me on Facebook, find the painting you want and put your name in the comments to reserve it.  That’s where I am keeping track of everything.  Here’s the Facebook page for Day of the Artist.

Love,

Linda

The End AND The Beginning!

Jackson Pollock Day!

Jackson Pollock Day!

First of all, I woke up this morning thinking, “Well, better get to painting!” then I remembered that I was done, finished, complete and I had zero paintings left to do with this particular challenge.  I felt a rush of relief, then sadness and then confusion.  This project had infused itself into my life and I’m pretty sure there are elements of it that I will never rid myself of.

I learned so much this past year.  Yes, I learned technical aspects of art, TONS of art history, was introduced to new materials, styles and movements.  I’ve painted paintings I would’ve never thought of or wanted to paint (I said YES!).  I’ve painted some of my best work and some of my not so great work.  I accepted failure graciously and also moved on instead of lingering on that failure.

One of the biggest things I realized was how much I enjoy just the process of “doing”.  This challenge forced me to just “do” and not worry about the result.  And boy wouldn’t it be great to live the rest of my life like that?  Live for just now and not worry about the past or present.  Well, this project was an exercise in that for sure.  I had gotten the question, “How are you doing this?” from so many people and the only answer I could give was, “I just do it.”

This project started out as a personal challenge.  I never imagined how many people it would inspire and

Early on the the project...seems like yesterday!

Early on the the project…seems like yesterday!

affect.  I am so glad it did and I am so happy I decided to share it, declare it to all my friends.  I think that in doing so it gave me the motivation and a slight amount of pressure to make sure I did it every single day.

I also made new friends through this challenge.  People who followed and commented on my blog, relatives of some of the artists that I paid tribute to (writing me to tell me that they appreciated my tribute to their grandfather, uncles, grandmothers etc.) and even some artists themselves like Gerard Sendrey, Pierre Silvin, Sophie Orlicki, Anne Billon (Ruzena), John “CRASH” Matos and Matt Sesow.  Gerard Sendrey writes me regularly and we have become friends.  He and his son Pierre Silvin have both sent me their own personal artwork in thanks to my tribute.  Gerard has also written an article about my project/art in a French publication that will be published in a few days!  I was also interviewed by Scott Lefebvre who is a writer and maintains his own blog where he interviews interesting people.

So like I said, so much has come from this idea that I had for this insane project.

That one time (and the last time) I painted with my mouth...

That one time (and the last time) I painted with my mouth…

I am going to continue to paint (of course!) and I have many ideas for series of paintings.  I’ll be putting all this experience into larger pieces and I’m going to continue to promote my own art and live my life in the mind frame that I’ve adopted while engaging in this challenge.  My experience has grown and so have I as a person.

I hope I don’t sound too bold when I say that I am damned proud of myself but I also cannot believe that I actually did it.  I hope that this project has inspired you and that people keep on discovering it and it continues to inspire people to challenge themselves, enjoy the process of creating and just “do”.

Keep creating, start creating in whatever shape, form, sound or action you feel.  Don’t worry about people liking it, it being a masterpiece or making money.  Do it because it makes you happy and you are learning something from it.

I want to end this blog with some kind words I received (or people posted about my project).

My friend Rohan had this to say…(He expressed my project in a way that I couldn’t have…and of course it made me cry)

I’m not one to promote other people’s stuff too often on Facebook, but today I would like to profess my sincere admiration for Linda Cleary. When I first met her, now 8 or so years ago I was

Buried in art

Buried in art

immediately impressed by her unashamed, unpretentious, and very hard-working creativity. She has always been writing books, painting pictures, making music and acting the whole time I have known her, and unlike so many other folks I know, almost every project is followed through and finished. Those who know me personally will be aware how prolific (and unedited) I am, but Linda puts me to shame. Last year, on Jan 1st, she embarked on a massive, and deeply un-egotistical project – to paint a painting per day, for a year, each one a sincere homage, either stylistically, emotionally, or conceptually, to an artist she admires, some famous, some personal friends, some just worthy of her admiration; a different artist each day for a year. Believe me, having watched the project progress, this is not an exercise in “look what I can do” so much as a genuine pilgrimage through the styles and visions she admires and have influenced her along the way. As the project progressed her blog began

Last day!

Last day!

to attract interest, and in some cases, artists she had paid homage to to got personally in touch to express appreciation (and send her pressies). All of this with no intention of making money or becoming famous. Just because that is one of many things that art is about. Yesterday she posted her final, 365th painting of the series. So today I applaud Linda Cleary, and recommend you go and take a look at her Day of the Artist.

My friend Clay posted this:

Today is the last day of my very good friend Linda Cleary’s incredible project. She has created a painting every day, each honoring a different artist, for the past year. When she first told me of her plans to do it, I didn’t believe there was any way a person could be so committed to pull that off. Today however, will be her 365th installment in the series. I highly encourage you to check out some of the work on her facebook page and at dayoftheartist.com, where she also includes a short bio of each artist for each day. I’m so incredibly proud of her and she inspires me so much every day. I’m also crazy excited to say that I will be partnering with her for next year’s project. More info on that soon, but wish us luck. In the meantime, check out her stuff and tell her how awesome / insane she is pulling this whole thing off.

I am honored and humbled for those posts!  SO many of you have written me, commented and told me in

Whew! This is just a portion of the paintings...there's about 50 hanging and a whole other stack of the 3-D paintings that can't stack.

Whew! This is just a portion of the paintings…there’s about 50 hanging and a whole other stack of the 3-D paintings that can’t stack.

person how inspiring this project was to you and every word means so much.  Thank you to you all for your support, encouragement and inspiration.  I love you all!

P.S.  I could keep writing and writing about every single thing I learned from this project, but I’m saving that for my doctoral thesis.  Does that even make sense?  Sorry, I don’t have a Ph. D. 😉

Best,

Linda

Day 365- Bob Ross- Happy Accidents

Well, it’s finally Day 365 and I’ve been anticipating and slightly dreading this day all year!  I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel when this project was finally complete.  I’m ecstatic, tired, shocked, humbled and proud…just to name a few emotions!  I still have to plan an art show, organize my pieces…repaint the Lisa Frank tribute since that’s the sole painting I gave away before completing the project. Now please join me in honoring Bob Ross today!

Bob Ross

Bob Ross

Night Light- Bob Ross

Night Light- Bob Ross

Robert Norman “Bob” Ross (October 29, 1942 – July 4, 1995) was an American painter, art instructor, and television host.  He was best known as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that aired on PBS in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Bob Ross was born on October 29, 1942 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ross was raised in Orlando, Florida. Ross had a half brother Jim, whom he mentioned in passing on his show.

While working as a carpenter with his father, Ross lost his left index

Mountain Blossoms- Bob Ross

Mountain Blossoms- Bob Ross

finger. It did not affect the way he held his palette while painting.

Ross enlisted in the United States Air Force at age 17. The Air Force transferred him to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, where he first saw the snow and mountains that later became recurring themes in his artwork. He developed his quick-painting technique to create art for sale in brief daily work breaks. Having held military positions that required him to be, in his own words, “mean” and “tough,” “the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being late to work,” Ross decided that if he ever moved on from the military, he would never scream again.

Blue Moon- Bob Ross

Blue Moon- Bob Ross

During Ross’ stay in Alaska, he worked as a bartender part-time, when he discovered a TV show that was called The Magic World of Oil Painting, hosted by a German painter, named Bill Alexander.

After studying with Bill Alexander, Ross discovered that he was soon able to earn more from selling his work than from his Air Force position. Ross then retired from the Air Force after 20 years of service with the rank of Master Sergeant and became famous worldwide hosting The Joy of Painting, with the help of Annette & Walter Kowalski.

Before the show was launched, Bob would try to promote the painting technique but with little interest. He also had to find a way to cut back on spending, so he decided to have his hair permed, just so he could save money on haircuts. The perm hairstyle was not comfortable for Bob, but ultimately became an iconic feature of the painter.

Ross used the wet-on-wet oil painting technique, in which the painter continues adding paint on top of still-wet paint rather than waiting a lengthy amount of time to allow each layer of paint to dry. From the beginning, the

Bob Ross

Bob Ross

program kept the selection of tools and colors simple so that viewers wouldn’t have to make large investments in expensive equipment.

Ross frequently recommended odorless paint thinner (aka odorless mineral spirits) for brush cleaning. Combining the painting method with the use of one- and two-inch brushes as well as painting knives allowed Ross to paint trees, water, clouds, and mountains in a matter of seconds. Each painting would start with simple strokes that appeared to be nothing more than colored smudges. As he added more and more strokes, the blotches transformed into intricate landscapes. Ross dedicated the first episode of the second season of The Joy of Painting to William Alexander, explaining that “years ago, Bill taught me this fantastic [wet-on-wet] technique, and I feel as though he gave me a precious gift, and I’d like to share that gift with you [the viewer]”. He estimated having painted between 25,000 and 30,000 paintings in his life.

Bob Ross

Bob Ross

Ross noted that the landscapes he painted—typically mountains, lakes, snow, and log cabin scenes—were strongly influenced by his years living in Alaska, where he was stationed for the majority of his Air Force career. He repeatedly stated on the show his belief that everyone had inherent artistic talent and could become an accomplished artist given time, practice, and encouragement, and to this end was often fond of saying, “We don’t make mistakes; we just have happy accidents.”

Ross was well known for other catch phrases he used while painting as he crafted the ever-so-popular saying: “happy little trees.” In most episodes of The Joy of Painting, he noted that one of his favorite parts of painting was cleaning the brush, specifically his method of drying off a brush, which he had dipped in odorless thinner, by striking it against the thinner can and easel. He would smile and often laugh aloud as he “beat the devil out of it.” He also used a palette that had been lightly sanded down, which was necessary to avoid catching the reflections of strong studio lighting. At the end of each episode, Ross was best known for saying, “so from all of us here, I’d like to wish you happy painting, and God bless, my friend.”

When asked about his laid-back approach to painting and calm and contented demeanor, he once commented: “I got a letter from somebody here a while back, and they said, ‘Bob, everything in your world seems to be

Camp Fire- Bob Ross

Camp Fire- Bob Ross

happy.’ That’s for sure. That’s why I paint. It’s because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it. Shoot, if you want bad stuff, watch the news.”

Ross had two sons, Bob and Steven, with his first wife, Lynda Brown. Steven occasionally appeared on The Joy of Painting and became a Bob Ross–certified instructor. The last episode of Season 1 was a question-and-answer forum in which Steven read a series of general “how-to” questions sent in by viewers during the season, and Bob answered them one at a time, technique by technique, until he had completed an entire painting. Ross and Lynda’s marriage ended in divorce in 1981.

Bob Ross

Bob Ross

Ross and his second wife, Jane, had one son, Morgan, who is also an accomplished painter. In 1993, Jane died from cancer, and Ross would not remarry.

Ross was diagnosed with lymphoma in the early 1990s, forcing his retirement; The Joy of Painting’s final episode aired on May 17, 1994. He died at the age of 52 on July 4, 1995. His remains are interred at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida.

Biography is from wikipedia.

I decided to honor Bob Ross for the last piece and I also decided to finally do an oil piece.  I decided that aspect because I wanted to actually paint along with an episode of his TV show and wanted to have the proper materials.  Alas, I didn’t get “firm” enough oil paints and didn’t prep (as well) or wait for the paint to get a little dryer before jumping right in.  I was just a little too excited so it didn’t turn out exactly the way I wanted (not as soft looking), BUT also I do like the piece because it came out a little better than I expected and I have to give my self a little slack for working with oils for the first time in years!  Bob Ross definitely eliminated my anxiety while I painted.  He definitely knows how to put joy in painting!

I will be posting another blog with more of my thoughts about this project and what it has meant to me.  I’ll also continue using this blog for featuring my future paintings and artwork!  I do hope you’ll continue to visit and say hello!  Thank you all for your support, encouragement and kind words throughout this insane challenge.  It’s been wonderful, stressful, challenging and they’re were definitely days where painting a piece was the last thing I felt like doing, but I persevered and learned so much about motivation and sheer will!  Now off to walk the dogs, finally listen to that Serial podcast, eat a sandwich and possibly fall into some sort of hibernation state.  HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!

Love,

Linda

Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross Linda Cleary 2014 Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross
Linda Cleary 2014
Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross Linda Cleary 2014 Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View
Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross
Linda Cleary 2014
Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross Linda Cleary 2014 Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross
Linda Cleary 2014
Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross Linda Cleary 2014 Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross
Linda Cleary 2014
Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross Linda Cleary 2014 Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Wish I Was There- Tribute to Bob Ross
Linda Cleary 2014
Oil, Acrylic on Canvas

 

 

 

 

Day 364- Karli Donna Young- Detach This Part

It’s Day 364 and I’m so happy and excited to do a tribute in honor of my very best friend who happens to be a great artist as well.  I’m so lucky to live with her and see her art everyday AND see her create her art.  Please join me in honoring Karli Donna Young today!

Karli Donna Young

Karli Donna Young

1921- Karli Donna Young

1921- Karli Donna Young

In the beginning there was Me, Carley Young, born and raised in a small town just outside of Vancouver, Canada. Growing up I loved horror movies, Stephen King novels, cartoons and making stuff out of other stuff (a gift from my mother, a crafty person in her own right).

I was an only child early on and spent lots of time pretending I lived inside of a John Bellairs book. I started painting in high school, but it didn’t really stick.

Me Me Me- Karli Donna Young

Me Me Me- Karli Donna Young

I couldn’t focus on just one thing. I tried sewing and knitting, photography and writing poetry. Again, nothing really stuck. I wanted to do too many things all at once. That’s still kinda true.

My mom says, lovingly, that I am like a lump of coal….there is a diamond in there somewhere, I just need to apply the appropriate pressure and time. I think she’s right.

Detach This Part- Karli Donna Young

Detach This Part- Karli Donna Young

I don’t want to be ONE thing. I want to be ALL the things. A painter, a quilter, a photographer and a ukulele superstar. I want to build furniture and sew dresses, paint signs and tap dance.

It’s hard to say why I make art, or why I make art the way that I do. I think I like to make things that are aesthetically pleasing to me or things that tap into

That Dream I had that One Time- Karli Donna Young

That Dream I had that One Time- Karli Donna Young

my own sense of nostalgia. I am in love with my childhood and all the magic that it holds for me.

I think that love comes through in all the things that I do, artistic or otherwise. I guess I just like to stand back once a project is complete, point and say “I MADE THAT”. I like the sense of accomplishment.

Drippy Painting- Karli Donna Young

Drippy Painting- Karli Donna Young

Oh, and I like to put glitter on everything.

I currently live on top of a big hill in El Cerrito, CA. where I ride bikes, make art, play ukulele and pretend I live inside a John Bellairs book.

~

Yay! I had so much fun doing today’s penultimate piece.  Glitter and great colors.  How lucky was I to be able to ask the artist herself throughout my creation any questions I had while creating my piece?  She also accompanied me to the art store to buy supplies this morning!  Including some oils for tomorrow’s Bob Ross tribute!  The FINAL painting!  I will see you then…on Day 365!  Woweeeee!

Best,

Linda

Follow Me...- Tribute to Karli Donna Young Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Follow Me…- Tribute to Karli Donna Young
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Side-View Follow Me...- Tribute to Karli Donna Young Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Side-View
Follow Me…- Tribute to Karli Donna Young
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Follow Me...- Tribute to Karli Donna Young Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Follow Me…- Tribute to Karli Donna Young
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Follow Me...- Tribute to Karli Donna Young Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Follow Me…- Tribute to Karli Donna Young
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Follow Me...- Tribute to Karli Donna Young Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Follow Me…- Tribute to Karli Donna Young
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic, Ink, Glitter on Canvas

 

Day 363- Aubrey Beardsley- The Beautifully Grotesque

It’s Day 363 and after today I only have 2 more left!  I can hardly believe it.  I’m sad and also excited to work on my other passions…my challenge for next year will be writing every day and hopefully finishing/submitting my books and short stories out into the world. 🙂  Also organizing an art show and designing a book of this project.  It’s going to be hard work, but it’s worth it.  I love today’s artist so please join me in honoring Aubrey Beardsley today!

Aubrey Beardsley

Aubrey Beardsley

The Climax - Aubrey Beardsley

The Climax – Aubrey Beardsley

Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (21 August 1872 – 16 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His drawings in black ink, influenced by the style of Japanese woodcuts, emphasized the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the Aesthetic movement which also included Oscar Wilde and James A. McNeill Whistler. Beardsley’s contribution to the development of the Art Nouveau and poster styles was significant, despite the brevity of his career before his early death from tuberculosis.

Beardsley was born in Brighton, England, on 21 August 1872, and christened on 24 October 1872. His father, Vincent Paul Beardsley (1839–1909), was the son of a tradesman; Vincent had no trade himself, however, and instead relied

The Dancer's Reward- Aubrey Beardsley

The Dancer’s Reward- Aubrey Beardsley

on a private income from an inheritance that he received from his maternal grandfather when he was twenty-one years of age. Vincent’s wife, Ellen Agnus Pitt (1846–1932), was the daughter of Surgeon-Major William Pitt of the Indian Army.

Lucians Strange Creatures - Aubrey Beardsley

Lucians Strange Creatures – Aubrey Beardsley

The Pitts were a well-established and respected family in Brighton, and Beardsley’s mother married a man of lesser social status than might have been expected. Soon after their wedding, Vincent was obliged to sell some of his property in order to settle a claim for his “breach of promise” from another woman who claimed that he had promised to marry her. At the time of his birth, Beardsley’s family, which included his sister Mabel who was one year older, were living in Ellen’s familial home at 12 Buckingham Road.

In 1883 his family settled in London, and in the following year he appeared in public as an “infant musical phenomenon”, playing at several concerts with his sister.  In January 1885 he began to attend Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School, where he would spend the next four years. His first poems, drawings and cartoons appeared in print in “Past and Present”, the school’s magazine. In 1888 he obtained a post in an architect’s office, and afterwards

Birth from the Calf of the Leg- Aubrey Beardsley

Birth from the Calf of the Leg- Aubrey Beardsley

one in the Guardian Life and Fire Insurance Company. In 1891, under the advice of Sir Edward Burne-Jones and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, he took up art as a profession. In 1892 he attended the classes at the Westminster School of Art, then under Professor Fred Brown.

In 1892, Beardsley travelled to Paris, where he discovered the poster art of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and the Parisian fashion for Japanese prints, both of which would be major influences on his own style. Beardsley’s first commission was Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory (1893), which he illustrated for the publishing house J. M. Dent and Company.

His six years of major creative output can be divided into several periods, identified by the form of his signature. In the early period his work is mostly unsigned. During 1891 and 1892 he progressed to using his initials, A.V.B. In mid-1892, the period of Le Morte d’Arthur and The Bon Mots he used a Japanese-influenced mark which became progressively more graceful, sometimes accompanied by A.B. in block capitals.

Dragon Illustration- Aubrey Beardsley

Dragon Illustration- Aubrey Beardsley

He co-founded The Yellow Book with American writer Henry Harland, and for the first four editions he served as Art Editor and produced the cover designs and many illustrations for the magazine. He was also closely aligned with Aestheticism, the British counterpart of Decadence and Symbolism. Most of his images are done in ink, and feature large dark areas contrasted with large blank ones, and areas of fine detail contrasted with areas with none at all.

Beardsley was the most controversial artist of the Art Nouveau era, renowned for his dark and perverse images and grotesque erotica, which were the main themes of his later work. His illustrations were in black and white, against a white background. Some of his drawings, inspired by Japanese shunga artwork, featured enormous genitalia. His most famous erotic illustrations concerned themes of history and mythology; these include his

Aubrey Beardsley

Aubrey Beardsley

illustrations for a privately printed edition of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, and his drawings for Oscar Wilde’s play Salome, which eventually premiered in Paris in 1896. Other major illustration projects included an 1896 edition of The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope, and the collection A Book of Fifty Drawings by Aubrey Beardsley (1897).

He also produced extensive illustrations for books and magazines (e.g. for a deluxe edition of Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur) and worked for magazines such as The Studio and The Savoy, of which he was a co-founder. As a cofounder of The Savoy, Beardsley was able to pursue his writing as well as illustration, and a number of his writings, including Under the Hill (a story based on the Tannhäuser legend) and “The Ballad of a Barber” appeared in the magazine.

Aubrey Beardsley - Design for chapter heading from Le Morte Darthur, 1893

Aubrey Beardsley – Design for chapter heading from Le Morte Darthur, 1893

Beardsley was a caricaturist and did some political cartoons, mirroring Wilde’s irreverent wit in art. Beardsley’s work reflected the decadence of his era and his influence was enormous, clearly visible in the work of the French Symbolists, the Poster art Movement of the 1890s and the work of many later-period Art Nouveau artists such as Pape and Clarke.

Beardsley was a public as well as private eccentric. He said, “I have one aim—the grotesque. If I am not grotesque I am nothing.” Wilde said he had “a face like a silver hatchet, and grass green hair.” Beardsley was meticulous about his attire: dove-grey suits, hats, ties; yellow gloves. He would appear at his publisher’s in a morning coat and patent leather pumps.

Although Beardsley was associated with the homosexual clique that included Oscar Wilde and other English aesthetes, the details of his sexuality remain in question. He was generally regarded as asexual. Speculation about his sexuality include rumours of an incestuous relationship with his elder sister, Mabel, who

Illustrations to Lysistrata- Aubrey Beardsley

Illustrations to Lysistrata- Aubrey Beardsley

may have become pregnant by her brother and miscarried. During his entire career, Beardsley had recurrent attacks of the disease that would end it. He suffered frequent lung hemorrhages and was often unable to work or leave his home.

Beardsley converted to Roman Catholicism in March 1897, and subsequently begged his publisher, Leonard Smithers, to “destroy all copies of Lysistrata and bad drawings… by all that is holy all obscene drawings.” Smithers ignored Beardsley’s wishes, and actually continued to sell reproductions as well as forgeries of Beardsley’s work.

Aubrey Beardsley

Aubrey Beardsley

In 1897 deteriorating health prompted his move to the French Riviera, where he died a year later on 16 March 1898 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Menton, France, attended by his mother and sister. He was 25 years of age and the cause of death was tuberculosis. Following a Requiem Mass in Menton Cathedral the following day, his remains were interred in the adjacent cemetery.

Biography is from wikipedia.

I hope you enjoy my piece for today!  I will see you tomorrow on Day 364…which will be my penultimate painting and one done in tribute to my best friend!  Then it’s Bob Ross time!

Best,

Linda

Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Side-View Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Side-View
Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Self-Portrait- Tribute to Aubrey Beardsley
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic and Pen on Canvas

Day 362- Michael Kupperman- Serious Absurdity

It’s Day 362 and I was super excited and a little nervous about doing a piece for today’s artist.  He’s one of my comic heroes and also a friend.  He’s accomplished so much the past years and I’m honored to honor him today.

Snake N' Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret- Michael Kupperman (My Bible for years...)

Snake N’ Bacon’s Cartoon Cabaret- Michael Kupperman (My Bible for years…)

I discovered his comic book, Snake N’ Bacon’s Cartoon Cabaret years ago and since then it’s changed my life and I can safely say a few people I know as well.

Funky Obsessed Robot- Michael Kupperman (First comic I read by him!)

Funky Obsessed Robot- Michael Kupperman (First comic I read by him!)

When I first read his comics I couldn’t believe that I had found something that embodied my sense of humor and absurdity so well.  I mentioned it and included a link to buy his book on my website years ago and shortly received an email from him.

At first I didn’t believe it was really him and he told me to check for his comic in The New Yorker in two weeks time.  I did and boy was my face red. We kept in touch via email and phone calls for quite a while and became friends.  To this day I’ve never met him in person and I don’t keep in touch with him as much, but I still consider him one of my favorite illustrators and authors.  I highly recommend everything he does to anyone who likes to laugh.  Please join me in honoring Michael Kupperman today!

 

 

 

Self-Portrait- Michael Kupperman

Self-Portrait- Michael Kupperman

My name is Michael Kupperman. I’m a comic artist, illustrator, and writer who lives in New York City. I’m the

Pagus- Michael Kupperman

Pagus- Michael Kupperman

author of three books of comics: Snake’N’Bacon’s Cartoon Cabaret, Tales Designed to Thrizzle Volume 1, and Tales Designed to Thrizzle Volume 2.

Twain and Einstein- Michael Kupperman

Twain and Einstein- Michael Kupperman

I also wrote and illustrated the humorous book Mark Twain’s Autobiography 1910-2010. Some of my work has been translated into animation, and I sometimes perform, occasionally dressed as Mark Twain.  I also enjoy reading my work in front of audiences. I also collect old books and magazines, and visit flea markets whenever possible. I hope you enjoy looking around my website.

Above is from his website.

Michael Kupperman, also known by the pseudonym P. Revess, is an American cartoonist and illustrator.

Snake N' Bacon- Michael Kupperman

Snake N’ Bacon- Michael Kupperman

He created the comic strips Up All Night and Found in the Street, and has written scripts for DC Comics. His work often dwells in surrealism and absurdity “played as seriously as possible.”

Tales Designed to Thrizzle #6 Cover- Michael Kupperman

Tales Designed to Thrizzle #6 Cover- Michael Kupperman

His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, LA Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Screw, Fortune, The Independent on Sunday, Libération, Nickelodeon Magazine, The Believer, and Heavy Metal, as well as in comics anthologiessuch as Hotwire, Snake Eyes, Zero Zero, Hyena, Hodags and Hodaddies, Blood Orange, Rosetta, 106U, and Legal Action Comics. He has also worked on many books and projects for McSweeney’s.

Kupperman spent part of his childhood in England. Later on, back in the United States, his parents became professors at the University of Connecticut. His father is Joel J. Kupperman, the most famous of the original 1940s Quiz Kids. When Michael was young, between ages ten and twelve, he was fascinated with editorial cartoons, particularly the work of Pat Oliphant. As a young man, Kupperman did a political strip for the Washington City Paper.

HarperCollins published Kupperman’s book, Snake ‘n’ Bacon’s Cartoon Cabaret, in 2000. Parts of his work

Toilet Training Costumes- Michael Kupperman

Toilet Training Costumes- Michael Kupperman

were animated later that year for the Comedy Central show TV Funhouse, produced by Robert Smigel and Dino Stamatopoulos. In 2005, he started a comic book series called Tales Designed To Thrizzle, published by Fantagraphics. Currently Kupperman is writing sketches for a new comedy series starring Peter Serafinowicz, and he created a one-off pilot called Snake ‘N’ Bacon for the Adult Swim Network.

Biography above is from wikipedia.

I hope you enjoy my tribute today.  Twain and Einstein are some of my favorite characters…it was VERY difficult to choose what I wanted to do.  Honestly, I think that’s why I put this tribute off for so long.  At this point, I can’t really put off the last of the artists, so while I was researching his art and reading his comics last night I fell upon a drawing of Twain that he did and had the idea for this piece.  I pretty much recreated that drawing and was going to just have me kissing Twain when I pictured Einstein in the background…then all the pieces fell together.  I really wanted to capture his artistic style and humor.  Although I’m sure I couldn’t completely capture his humor.  He is a genius.  Enjoy and I’ll see you tomorrow on Day 363…only 3 left!  Eek.

Best,

Linda

Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View
Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Choosing Twain- Tribute to Michael Kupperman
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Day 361- Yuko Shimizu- Living Her Childhood Dream

It’s Day 361 and I had so much fun creating today’s piece.  It took a large portion of the day, but I think it was worth it.  I didn’t use the same materials that the artist uses so it was a bit challenging, but I still think it turned out all right.  Please join me in honoring Yuko Shimizu…one of my new favorite artists!

Yuko Shimizu

Yuko Shimizu

Melancholy of Mechagirl book cover- Yuko Shimizu

Melancholy of Mechagirl book cover- Yuko Shimizu

YUKO SHIMIZU (清水裕子) is a Japanese illustrator based in New York City and instructor at School of Visual Arts.  Newsweek Japan has chosen Yuko as one of “100 Japanese People The World Respects（世界が尊敬する日本人100)” in 2009. Her first self-titled monograph was released world-wide from German publisher Gestalten in 2011. The first childrens book Barbed Wire Baseball (written by Marissa Moss) came out from Abrams in April, 2013.

You may have seen her work on The Gap T-shirts, Pepsi cans,  VISA billboards, Microsoft and Target ads, as well as on the book covers of Penguin, Scholastic, DC Comics, and on the pages of NY Times, Time, Rolling Stone, New Yorker and  in many other publications over last ten years.

But illustration is actually Yuko’s second career.  Although art has always been

Narayama Cover- Yuko Shimizu

Narayama Cover- Yuko Shimizu

her passion, she had initially chosen a more practical path of studying advertising and marketing at Waseda University and took a job in corporate PR in Tokyo. It never quite made her happy. At age 22, she was in mid-life crisis.

SCRUBS magazine Swimming in Fear- Yuko Shimizu

SCRUBS magazine Swimming in Fear- Yuko Shimizu

Yuko ended up working the corporate job for 11 years, so she could figure out what she really wanted in life, as well as to save up just enough to play a biggest gamble of her life: She moved to New York City in 1999, where she briefly spent her childhood, to study art for the first time. Yuko graduated with MFA from SVA’s Illustration as Visual Essay Program in 2003 and  has been illustrating since.  She has also been teaching the next generation of talents at the alma mater.

She works at her studio in midtown Manhattan, and fulfills her passion of world travel by giving lectures and

Now Hear CD cover- Yuko Shimizu

Now Hear CD cover- Yuko Shimizu

workshops around the world and various cities in the US. She has not gotten into mid-life crisis since she has became an artist.

Please do not mix her up with another Yuko Shimizu. This Yuko did NOT create Hello Kitty.

Above bio is from her website www.yukoart.com.

Shimizu was born in Tokyo, Japan, and grew up mostly in Kanagawa Prefecture though she and her family spent four years in Westchester County, New York, during her teenage years.

The Unwritten #50 Unwritten Fables 1 of 5- Yuko Shimizu

The Unwritten #50 Unwritten Fables 1 of 5- Yuko Shimizu

She graduated from Waseda University’s School of Commerce in 1988 as valedictorian and soon began her first job in the corporate PR department of one of Tokyo’s largest sogo shoshas.

Eleven years later, she resigned and moved to New York City to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an artist. She set out to earn a second bachelor’s degree, this time in illustration at the School of Visual Arts. However, after finishing her sophomore year, she was accepted into the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program. She graduated in May 2003.

Shimizu began getting editorial illustration work soon after she completed her master’s degree, at first occasional assignments from the Village Voice and the New York Times, and soon after semi-regular ones for The New Yorker and Financial Times magazine. Now, she counts numerous well-known publications, publishing houses, and brands as clients.

In 2008, Shimizu illustrated P. Craig Russell’s comic book adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman: The Dream Hunters, her first cover illustrations for Vertigo (DC Comics). She continued her relationship with the

Yuko x GoodSon T shirts project- Yuko Shimizu

Yuko x GoodSon T shirts project- Yuko Shimizu

imprint in 2009 when she began creating cover art for their ongoing comic book series The Unwritten, by Mike Carey (writer). The series was nominated for Eisner Awards in the Best Cover Artist category in 2011 and 2012.

In 2009, Shimizu collaborated with The Gap‘s AIDS charity line Product RED to create five limited-edition T-shirts (two for men, three for women) for the North American market. They quickly sold out both online and in stores.

Under the auspices of the Robin Hood Foundation and Pentagram’s charitable L!brary Initiative, Shimizu collaborated with graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister on an 11-panel mural for P.S. 96 in the Bronx. The project was showcased in the New York Times and in the commemorative book L!brary (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010).

Shimizu’s other notable works include her children’s book Barbed Wire Baseball (written by Marissa Moss, Abrams Books) to be published in Spring 2013 and her 2008 London billboards for Tiger Beer.

Above is from wikipedia.  All art is from artist’s website…link above.

I hope you enjoy today’s piece…I still can’t believe there’s only a handful of paintings left.  Whew.  I will see you tomorrow on Day 362.

Best,

Linda

セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View
セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1 セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1
セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2 セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2
セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3 セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3
セルフポートレート- Tribute to Yuko Shimizu
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Day 360- Marcel Duchamp- You Cannot Define Art

It’s Day 360 and now I actually have 5 left to go.  I’ve been putting off today’s artist for a long time because he’s one of my favorites, but I was so nervous about tackling his style.  I’m glad that I waited until the tail end of my project because I feel like I’ve learned/experienced enough to mildly pull it off.  Please join me in honoring Marcel Duchamp today.

Marcel Duchamp

Marcel Duchamp

 

Marcel Duchamp, French  (July 28, 1887- October 2, 1968)

“You cannot define electricity. The same can be said of art. It is a kind of inner current in a human being, or something which needs no definition.”

Chess Players- Marcel Duchamp

Chess Players- Marcel Duchamp

Few artists can boast having changed the course of art history in the way that Marcel Duchamp did. Having assimilated the lessons of Cubism and Futurism, whose joint influence may be felt in his early paintings, he spearheaded the American Dada movement together with his friends and collaborators Picabia and Man Ray. By challenging the very notion of what is art, his first readymades sent shock waves across the art world that can still be felt today.

Duchamp’s ongoing preoccupation with the mechanisms of desire and human sexuality as well as his fondness for wordplay aligns his work with that of Surrealists, although he steadfastly refused to be affiliated with any specific artistic movement per se. In his insistence that art should be driven by ideas above all, Duchamp is generally considered to be the father of Conceptual art.
His refusal to follow a conventional artistic path, matched only by a horror of repetition which accounts for the

Parva Domus, Magna Quies - Marcel Duchamp

Parva Domus, Magna Quies – Marcel Duchamp

relatively small number of works Duchamp produced in the span of his short career, ultimately led to his withdrawal from the art world. In later years, Duchamp famously spent his time playing chess, even as he labored away in secret at his last enigmatic masterpiece, which was only unveiled after his death in 1968.

Coined by Duchamp, the term “readymade” came to designate mass-produced everyday objects taken out of their usual context and promoted to the status of artworks by the mere choice of the artist. A performative act as much as a stylistic category, the readymade had far-reaching implications for what can legitimately be considered an object of art.
Nude Descending a Staircase- Marcel Duchamp

Nude Descending a Staircase- Marcel Duchamp

Duchamp rejected purely visual or what he dubbed “retinal pleasure,” deeming it to be facile, in favor of more intellectual, concept-driven approaches to art-making and, for that matter, viewing. He remained committed, however, to the study of perspective and optics which underpins his experiments with kinetic devices, reflecting an ongoing concern with the representation of motion and machines common to Futurist and Surrealist artists at the time.

A taste for jokes, tongue-in-cheek wit and subversive humor, rife with sexual innuendoes, characterizes Duchamp’s work and makes for much of its enjoyment. He fashioned puns out of everyday expressions which he conveyed through visual

King and Queen surrounded by swift nudes - Marcel Duchamp

King and Queen surrounded by swift nudes – Marcel Duchamp

means. The linguistic dimension of his work in particular paved the way for Conceptual art.

Marcel Duchamp was raised in Normandy, in a family of artists. His father was mayor of Blainville and his mother raised their seven children and painted landscapes depicting the French countryside. Family time was spent playing chess, reading, painting, and playing music.
Fountain 1917, replica 1964 Marcel Duchamp 1887-1968 Purchased with assistance from the Friends of the Tate Gallery 1999

Fountain 1917, replica 1964 Marcel Duchamp 1887-1968 Purchased with assistance from the Friends of the Tate Gallery 1999

One of Marcel’s earliest artworks, Landscape at Blainville (1902), painted at age fifteen, reflected his family’s love of Claude Monet. Marcel was close to his two older brothers, and in 1904, after both had left home to become artists, he joined them in Paris to study painting at Académie Julian. His brother, Jacques Villon, supported him during his studies, and Marcel earned some income by working as a cartoonist. Duchamp’s early drawings evince his ongoing interest in visual and verbal puns.

After he withdrew from the art world, Duchamp remained a passive, if influential, presence in New York avant-garde circles until he was rediscovered in the 1950s by Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. Duchamp’s insistence that art should be an expression of the mind rather than the eye or the hand spoke to Minimalists and Conceptual artists alike.
It ushered in a new era summed up by Joseph Kosuth’s claim that “all art (after Duchamp) is conceptual (in

Yvonne and Magdeleine Torn in Tatters- Marcel Duchamp

Yvonne and Magdeleine Torn in Tatters- Marcel Duchamp

nature) because art only exists conceptually.” The seminal concept of the mass-produced readymade was eagerly seized upon not only by Andy Warhol and other Pop artists who claimed Duchamp as their founding father but also, owing to its performative aspects, by Fluxus, Arte Povera and Performance artists.

Portrait of Chess Players- Marcel Duchamp

Portrait of Chess Players- Marcel Duchamp

Duchamp’s radical critique of art institutions made him a cult figure for generations of artists who, like him, refused to go down the path of a conventional, commercial artistic career.

Though his work was admired for its wide-ranging use of artistic materials and mediums, it is the theoretical thrust of Duchamp’s eclectic but relatively limited output that accounts for his growing impact on successive waves of twentieth-century avant-garde movements and individual artists who openly acknowledged his influence.

On his attitude about art: “It is paradoxical. It is almost schizophrenic. On one side I worked from a very

Portrait of Dulcinea- Marcel Duchamp

Portrait of Dulcinea- Marcel Duchamp

intellectual form of activity, and on the other de-deifying everything by more materialistic thoughts.”

On the readymade: “The readymade is the consequence of the refusal which made me say: There are so many people who make pictures with their hands, that one should end up not using the hand.”

On chess: “I am still a victim of chess. It has all the beauty of art, and much more. It cannot be commercialized. Chess is much purer than art in its social position.”

Biography is from The Art Story website.

I hope you enjoy my tribute to the great Marcel Duchamp today.  I had a surprisingly relaxing time creating it today!  I wanted to incorporate his love for chess.  I will see you tomorrow on Day 361…I’m going to try and have a relaxing rest of the day now. 🙂

Best,

Linda

Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Side-View Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Side-View
Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Strategy- Tribute to Marcel Duchamp
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic & Crackle paint on Canvas

Day 359- Paul Duhem- Locked Doors

It’s Day 359 and it’s Christmas Day!  Merry Christmas to you all.  I had a great time doing today’s piece and now I have to cook a bunch of food for my husband, brother and myself and try to have a nice relaxing day.  Please join me in honoring Paul Duhem today!  I wanted to honor his style, but also honor today’s holiday. 🙂

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem was born in Blandain, Belgium. He left school at 14 and worked as a farmhand for various agricultural concerns. During the Second World War he went to Germany, where he laid rails for the railways. Going to France at the end of the war, he was arrested for his collaboration with the Germans. But not being in full possession of all his faculties, he was transferred from prison to a psychiatric hospital before being employed as a labourer in farms in the region.

In 1977 he was admitted to a home where he did horticulture. Twelve years later, at the age of 70, Paul Duhem started to draw within the framework of a

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

workshop. He devoted himself to this activity, continuing until he died.

The human figure is a recurrent motif in his compositions. He drew the same face, which can be interpreted as a self-portrait, over and over again in an obsessive manner, declining it in series, introducing subtle variations in shape, rhythm and color.

Biography above is from Art Brut.com’s website.

Paul Duhem had been institutionalized for more than 40 years and was well into his seventies when he established a grueling quota for himself. He made up his mind that he wanted to produce six artworks a day, every day, for the remainder

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

of his life. Each morning after taking breakfast at a hospital for mental patients in southern Belgium, he brought out his crayons and jars of paint and crayons and, in the three or four hours before lunch, produced three new drawings. Then, in the hours between lunch time and dinner, he turned out three more works. Duhem’s subjects mostly took just two forms — a sad-eyed homme whom everybody understood to be Paul himself, and also the locked doors that he encountered everywhere in the mental institution.

Duhem was born in Blandain, a farming region. Because his parents were too poor to care for all their children, he was mostly

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

raised by grandparents. He attended school until his fourteenth year, and then left to work on a farm. Duhem was serving in the Belgium Army during World War II when, after being wounded and suffering shell shock, he was taken captive and held for two years in a German concentration camp.

Duhem finally resumed the life of a farmhand, but the war and prison years had taken a toll on his mentalstability. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, he was admitted to a mental institution in 1977. Because of his years as a farm worker, Duhem was given assignments as a gardener and groundskeeper at the institution.

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

In 1990, after beginning to show fragility of health, he was retired as a day worker. Soon after, he started producing colored drawings, at first turning out works with a variety of subjects, including birds, floral still-lifes and windmills, and then gradually limited his art to his own visage and the locked doors. He was 81 when he died in the summer of 1999.

Duhem’s work is widely admired art brut enthusiasts today, and is to be found

Paul Duhem

Paul Duhem

in nearly every significant museum collection of art brut in Europe. A large Paul Duhem museum show was presented in Brussels in 2001. The show then traveled to museums in France and The Netherlands.

Biography is from Dean Jensen Gallery’s website.
I hope you enjoy my piece today!  I had a great time painting it.  I will see you tomorrow on Day 360.  Then only 5 paintings left.  I can hardly believe it.
Best,
Linda
Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Side-View
Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1 Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 1
Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2 Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 2
Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3 Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem Linda Cleary 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

Close-Up 3
Santa- Tribute to Paul Duhem
Linda Cleary 2014
Acrylic on Canvas