A Look at Sculptor David Smith

We are into the last week of June and that means that this week will be Budding Artists last children's art workshop at the London Farmer's Market. We love our space and hope to return in the fall. If you haven't had a chance to attend previous art workshops, this weekend is a must! Workshops are held Saturdays at 10:30am and 1pm, running 90 minutes of fun and creativity. Children learn about the featured artist, discover a little art history, and get the chance to create some take-home artwork in the style of said artist. The kids always leave happy and you parents get a break for 90 minutes to do whatever you need or want to do! Register today! And as far as next year goes, you will certainly be the first to hear about what we have planned for the 2012/2013 Budding Artists schedule!

September might seem like an awfully long wait to keep your kids interested in art though. If you are worried about how to keep your children entertained this summer, note that Budding Artists will be hosting two week-long summer art camps this year. Back by popular demand, Maria Calleja and Nancy Clarke will be inspiring your children to reach to the stars with their artistic endeavours. Barb McGill will also be joining the Budding Artists team to add a little musical inspiration to the weeks. The summer camps run the weeks of July 23-27 and August 27-31, 2012, between the hours 9am-4pm. This year the camps will be held at the Wesley Knox Church at 91 Askin St., so contact Budding Artists today to secure your child's spot.

Ah, but we haven't mentioned who our featured master artist will be for this weekend's Children's Art Workshop yet! I will keep you in the dark no longer. This week, sculptor David Smith will grace your children with his influence, as they discover his many metal works. A man of little formal training, he still managed to climb his way to the top of the art world and is now considered one the most important sculptors of his generation. And it all began on March 9th, 1906 in Decatur, Indiana.

Reclining Figure - 1933

Smith entered the world with nothing earth-shattering to inspire his artistic creativity. His mother was a teacher and his father managed a telephone company, while on the side fashioned himself an amateur inventor. He moved with his family to Ohio in 1921, where he graduated from high school. He attended Ohio University in 1924-25, but dropped out of the University of Notre Dame the following year after only two weeks, due to the lack of any art classes. He spent the summer working at the Studebaker automobile factory, getting exposed to the materials that he would ultimately come to use most during his later artistic career. That career got its foothold when he moved to New York in 1926.

Head - 1938

Where art had always held an interest for Smith, it wasn't until he settled into life in New York that he was able to fully explore this medium. He became a member of the Art Students League of New York, where he met his soon to be wife Dorothy Dehner. He studied painting and drawing from artists John Sloan and Jan Matulka. It was through these painters that he was introduced to the artwork of Julio González, Willem de Kooning, Mondrian, Kandinsky and most notably, Picasso. While he never received any formalized education in sculpting, Smith absorbed all that he was taught and took the leap to realize that the only difference between sculpture and painting was the third dimension. It was this leap that he now took, when he began to forge sculptures out of metal and other found materials.

Hudson River Landscape - 1951

In 1929, Smith and his wife bought a run-down farm in Bolton Landing. A small art community there had enchanted them and by 1932, Smith had bought a forge and anvil for the studio at their summer home. Around the same time, he began renting out a space in a Brooklyn welding shop (Terminal Iron Works), where he began creating relief plaques and increasingly abstract sculptures. In 1938, he was honoured with his first one-man show of his drawings and sculptures at Marian Willard's East River Gallery. By 1940, he had tired of the New York art scene, so permanently relocated to Bolton Landing and renamed his studio after the welding shop he had left behind. Ironically, it was at this time that his artwork began to receive more notice, as he had a travelling exhibit featured by the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The outbreak of World War II found him neglecting his new found art though, as he took a job welding at the American Locomotive Company.

Cubi XVIII, Cubi XVII, Cubi XIX - 1963-64

With the war over, Smith had an outpouring of creativity. He took the skills he had learned welding, and devoted himself full-time to his art. His stint at teaching with the Sarah Lawrence College gained him the further respect he desired. That was followed by the Guggenheim awarding him two Fellowships, which meant that he could financially continue to focus whole-heartedly on his artwork.

During the '50s, with his increased recognition and financial means, his artwork began to grow in scale. He experimented with new drawing techniques and began to construct numbered series that continued til the end of his life. Sadly, his was a life cut short, as he died in a car accident in 1965. Over his 59 years though, he managed to create a new style of art through his metal- work that took Cubism and Surrealism to a new height. Never before had any American artists created work like his, but that legacy did not die with him (Artist Anthony Caro was directly influenced by Smith's work). In fact, exhibitions of his work are still on display around the world. And of course Budding Artists will be resurrecting him this weekend as well at our last children's art workshop of this session. Please join us!

Spotlight on Alexander Calder

How about a spotlight on an artist with a slightly different take on art? Let's take a look at Alexander Calder and his claim to fame; his sculptures and mobiles. He was born in Lawnton, Pennsylvania on July 22, 1898 to artistic parents; his father was a sculptor and mother a painter. With parents like that, it is no wonder that young Calder ended up falling into the art world himself. And that he did from a young age. From the age of eight, he was always provided with a workshop in the family home. He rewarded this encouragement by presenting his parents with his first sculpture in 1909. A 3-D brass dog and duck was their Christmas present that year.

Despite his early interest in art, Calder originally decided to go into engineering. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology and spent the next few years dabbling in various jobs related to the field. It wasn't until 1923 that he decided to return to the world of art. He moved to New York and enrolled in the Arts Student League. In 1926, he took his interest in art a step further and moved to Paris, where he enrolled in the Académie de la Grand Chaumière. It was there that he began to further develop his skills and tinker with kinetic art. One of his earliest experiments with kinetic art was in his creation of his Cirque Calder (inspired from a two-week stint spent researching the Ringling Brother Circus for the National Police Gazette in 1925), which he designed and performed for people throughout France and the US, as seen here.

Lobster Trap & Fish Tail - 1939

While Paris was good to Calder, introducing him to the likes of Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Arp, Fernand Léger, Piet Mondrian and his future wife, Louisa James, he decided to return to the United States in 1933. He brought back with him his "mobiles" and continued to show them, but he also began to experiment with larger outdoor sculptures. While they would eventually turn into more significant pieces, these first sculptures were nicknamed "stabiles", to differentiate them from the mobiles that could gently twist in a puff of air. 

Man - 1967

As Calder's artwork got bigger, so too did his scope of work. He designed jewellery, toys, tapestries, made drawings, paintings and eventually was commissioned to create several public sculptures around the world (like "Man", that was commissioned for Expo in Montreal, QC, 1967). His pieces were often a monotone of colour (mostly black, but with occasional reds and other primary colours) and certainly abstract in nature, but by the time he died in 1976, they were sought after the world over. The Whitney Museum has one of his largest collections of works, but MOMA in New York, Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and of course the Calder Foundation all have permanent exhibits from this master artist.

While Budding Artists cannot boast to have any of his stabiles or mobiles, we are honouring Alexander Calder's life and works this Saturday, June 23, 2012 during the weekly children's art workshop at the London Farmer's Market. Register your kids today and bring the world of kinetic art alive for them in 90 minutes of fun and adventure through the eyes of this master artist. Workshops are held at 10:30am and 1pm, with the cost of materials included in the price. They will thrill at the experience of creating their very own kinetic art and you will too, when you see that spark of creativity come alive. See you Saturday!

Regional Art in Our Backyard: A Look at Greg Curnoe

Self-Portrait - 1992

We have travelled the world, unearthing Master Artists from all corners of it, but today we look no further than our own back yard for the next installment of our Budding Artists Children's Art Workshops. Our featured Master Artist for Saturday May 12th, 2012 will be none other than London, Ontario's very own Greg Curnoe. At 10:30am and 1pm at the London Farmer's Market, Budding Artists will gather children round to explore this local artist, who made his community and its influence on his art, a priority in his life. This lesson, as well as a few other artistic ones, will be explored in 90 minutes of fun and games, art technique, and a little local history as well.

Have you heard of Greg Curnoe? Keep reading to learn a little more about this interesting, local artist!

Greg Curnoe was born in London, Ontario on November 19, 1936. Local Londoners won't find it surprising to hear that he attended Beal High School, which is well known across Canada for its Arts Department. Curnoe followed this up with a short session at Doon School of Art in Kitchener, ON. He then attended the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, ON from 1957-1960, before returning to his hometown.

View of Victoria Hospital,
Second Series - 1969-1971

After leaving the OCA behind, Curnoe moved back to London. He had a passion for art, but this passion was rooted in what he termed Regionalism; which is the belief that Art can and should be found at a local level. He did not believe that it was necessary to move to a big city centre in order to achieve a measure of fame. And he consequently set about to prove that. Along with Tony Urquhart, Murray Favro and Jack Chambers, they established a local art scene that began to turn some heads. This was highlighted by his co-founding of the magazine "Region" in 1961, which ran for nine years, followed  by the establishment of the "Region Gallery" in 1962. By 1973, he had helped to establish the Forest City Gallery as well, which still serves the London and area arts scene. Curnoe even had a voice in the creating of Canadian Artists' Representation (CARFAC) in 1968.

Nice Day, Bad News - 1986

Along with his conviction that art need not be based on a movement, Curnoe also believed that it did not have to fall into a set perimeter of style. He painted the everyday objects that inhabited his world, whether it be the written word, a portrait of his wife or one of his hand-built bicycles. As Curnoe was an avid cyclist, this last object repeated itself frequently amongst his artwork.

Yellow Mariposa

Sadly, his love of bicycles also signalled his demise. While on a group ride in St. Thomas in 1992, a distracted driver plowed into the pack of cyclists.  Several riders were knocked down, with Curnoe numbering one of them. He subsequently died of his injuries, leaving the London area with one less local artist. Even worse was the loss of his strident voice for the artistic community. This week, Budding Artists remembers Greg Curnoe and celebrates all that he did for Canadian art and the Canadian art scene.

Spotlight on Diego Rivera

Diego Rivera was born December 8, 1886 in Guanajato, Mexico. The son of school teachers, education was highly valued in his family. While attending Catholic school, he enrolled in the art program at the Academy of San Carlos. He originally attended evening classes there, but his aptitude for the arts was apparent and he became a full-time student two years later, in 1898. Rivera's first public exhibition of his work was held in 1906, which attracted enough attention that by 1907, the Governor of the State of Veracruz had sponsored Rivera to continue his studies in Europe.

Head of a Breton Woman - 1910

Rivera arrived in Europe during a time of great change in the art world. He originally studied with Eduardo Chicharra in Spain, then continued on to Paris, France. It was here that he embraced the up and coming artists of the day, including such notables as Amedeo Modigliani, Moise Kisling, Chaim Soutine, Max Jacob and gallery owner Leopold Zborowski. The Montparnasse district was full of Cubist influences, from the likes of Picasso and Georges Braque and Rivera soon found those influences affecting his own work. By 1917, the artwork of Cezanne also left an impression on Rivera and his artwork now showed signs of Post-Impressionism as well.

Creation (mural) 1922

While Europe left a huge mark on Rivera's art, his heart still belonged to Mexico and he returned to it in 1921. He had spent the past 14 years travelling throughout Spain, France and Italy, but with a more mature style, he found the need to reconnect with his home country and all that it offered. One of those things offered was the chance to leave a lasting public image via murals. At the time the government was pushing for education, equality and a recognition of their culture, which Rivera was perfect for. "Creation" was his first mural, but was just the beginning of his work with this medium, which was further showcased when he joined the Revolutionary Union of Technical Workers, Painters and Sculptors. He followed that up by joining the Mexican Communist Party later that year.

El Vendedor De Alcatraces

His association with the Communist Party was not an easy one though. Rivera was vocal in his political beliefs and often attacked the church and clergy, making him a controversial figure. Despite that, he was invited to visit Russia in 1927. After spending nine months there, he was asked to leave and left with very little to show for his time spent, aside from a few paintings and much disillusionment on both sides about the other parties. Non-plussed, Rivera continued to paint, this time embracing another land and culture, that of the United States.

Section of Detroit Industry - 1933

In 1930, Rivera arrived in San Francisco with his new wife Frida Khalo. The architect Timothy L. Pflueger had heard about Rivera from Ralph Stackpole and subsequently had encouraged him to paint for him in the USA. This proved a successful venture for Rivera and he painted many murals, including "Detroit Industry" at the Detroit Institute of Arts. He spent three years in the US, then returned to Mexico, after furors over his political beliefs. He returned once more in 1940, again by request of Pflueger, this time to paint for the Golden Gate International Exposition.

Over the span of Rivera's lifetime, he created many murals and many more controversies. He had many affairs, often torrid in nature, but his love for Khalo was the one constant at the end of his life. His relations with the Communist Party waxed and waned, but shortly before his death he was allowed to re-establish ties to the party. His beliefs affronted many, but his skill impressed more. And Budding Artists recognizes everything that he accomplished and will be featuring him in this weekend's Master Series Children's Art Workshop. So pack up your kids and ship them off to the London Farmer's Market on Saturday May 5th at 10:30am or 1pm, where they will enjoy 90 minutes of creativity, art history and fun with Budding Artists and famed Mexican artist Diego Rivera. A perfect activity for them to celebrate art and Cinco de Mayo too!

A Point About Georges Seurat

"Some say they see poetry in my paintings; I see only science." ~ Georges Seurat

Shall we get straight to the point today? We are talking about Georges Seurat. He was a French painter. He was born on December 2, 1859 and he revolutionized the art scene with his new fangled approach to art called Pointillism. In his short 31 years on the planet, he painted over 60 canvases, filled many sketchbooks full of drawings and was instrumental in ushering in Neo-Impressionism. Sadly, he passed away March 29, 1891, but left behind some of the most impressive examples of artwork that exemplified his interest in colour, linear movement, and indeed the science behind art as a whole.

Bathers at Asnières

So what exactly is pointillism and how did Seurat introduce it to the world? While Seurat was encouraged to pursue his artistic interests via relatives, and attended the École des Beaux-Arts from 1878-1879, it wasn't until he struck out on his own that his art blossomed. He discovered the Impressionist painters of the day and realized that he did not have to be limited by rigid academic dictates. It was at this point that he began studying colour, light and began experimenting with tiny brush strokes that evoked a bigger picture when looked at from afar.

The Gardener

In fact, the more that Seurat studied the science behind vision and colour, the more he developed his own style. He used tiny dots of colour, to form his paintings and in such a way added immense depth to his canvases. By 1884, he helped to found the Société des Artistes Indépendants, with artists such as Maximilien Luce and Paul Signac. Signac was to become a good friend of Seurat's and ultimately followed in his artistic footsteps. By the time the two artists exhibited their work in Brussels in 1887, alongside other artists who were also using a pointillist style, they decided to form a new group and called themselves Neo-Impressionists.

Young Woman Powdering Herself

While Seurat continued to paint, disagreements between members of the newly formed Neo-Impressionist movement soon found him withdrawing from the formal group. He met Madeleine Knobloch in 1889 and became smitten with the young, simple woman (who is the model for Young Woman Powdering Herself). The two had a child together, but Seurat suddenly became ill shortly thereafter. He left an unfinished painting ("Circus"), as his last piece before his death. His infant son died shortly thereafter, probably of the same illness (unproven, but quite possibly their deaths due to diptheria). What was not lost though, was a new style of painting that influenced the likes artists to come, such as Van Gogh, Gauguin and Lautrec.

Budding Artists hopes to influence a whole new generation of artists this Saturday April 21st at the London Farmer's Market during our weekly children's art workshop. Georges Seurat will be our Master Artist to explore, as children learn a little art history, have a lot of fun and get to bring home their very own Seurat-inspired artwork made by themselves. Workshops are held at 10:30am and 1pm and run for 90 minutes, so register today to make sure your child gets to enjoy artwork with a point.

I offer you a moment to enjoy and explore one of Seurat's most famous paintings "La Grande Jatte", set to music. Can you remember what movie this famous picture was featured in and who got lost in the little girls face?

Impressions of Claude Monet

Inviting meadows, serene ponds and idle women relaxing in reverie are all images that were caught by the deft hand and delicate impressions from one of France's most renowned painters, Claude Monet. Born in Paris, France on November 14, 1840, Monet was destined to become a Master Painter. By the age of five, his family moved to Le Havre, where he began to show interest in the arts. While his father encouraged the young Monet to go into business, his mother supported his artistic endeavors, so by the time he entered secondary school he was already well versed in drawing caricatures of his fellow students and teachers. With lessons in drawing, from Jacques-Françoise Ochard, his skills further developed, setting him firmly on the path of the life of an artist.

The Rock Needle
And The Porte D Aval 

Always preferring to be outdoors, when the young artist met Eugène Boudin in 1856/7 it proved to be providential. Boudin encouraged Monet to paint outdoors or "en plein air", and this style of painting stayed with him throughout his life. Boudin also introduced the use of oils into Monet's repertoire and soon landscapes began to appear in his paintings as well. While the death of his mother devastated the young Monet in 1857, it also propelled him forward in his career. Shortly thereafter, he moved back to Paris and met the likes of Édouard Manet and Camille Pissarro, both of which were to become friends and influencers of his art.

Impression Sunrise

Between 1861-2, Monet joined the military and served in Algiers. Due to poor health, he was discharged from service and returned to Paris, where he began studying under Charles Gleyre. It was during this time that he met Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Frederic Bazille, fellow painters that would prove to bring a new style of painting to the art world. With rapid brush strokes and a focus on lighting, which could often only be achieved by painting outdoors, these influential artists were to become the founders of the Impressionistic movement.

Camille aka
The Woman in a Green Dress

Long before the world hailed Monet as a Master Artist, he faced many struggles. While he gained a measure of fame when he had a few pieces selected by the Salons in Paris, a lack of financial stability and depression threatened to erase this budding artist. In 1870, he married Camille Doncieux, who had been a long-time model for many of his portraits. The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war forced the newlyweds to flee to England, then the Netherlands, before returning to France in 1871. While his connections in the Impressionist movement grew, the health of his wife failed, and in 1879, Camille died of tuberculosis.

Water Lilies - 1905

Monet was devastated by his wife's death, and vowed to never again live in poverty. He threw himself into his work, entering the most productive phase of his life. He continued to paint en pein air and created magnificent landscapes and still lifes of everything from haystacks to water lilies, some of which today are now worth into the millions of dollars. He made Vétheuil home for a number of years, until he discovered Giverny. It was in Giverny where he finally bought himself a property that allowed him the luxury of painting to his heart's content in his very own gardens long into his years. Despite failing health and vision, this prolific artist painted up to his death on December 5, 1926.

On Saturday April 14, at the London Farmer's Market, you too can be swept away by the light of this Impressionist painter. Claude Monet will be the featured Master Artist in the first session of Budding Artists third Master Series Art Workshops for children. Register your child now for either the 10:30 am or 1pm workshop and expect them to have fun exploring art history, games and of course artistry, as they create their own masterpiece to take home with them. See you then!

The Subject I Know Best: Frida Kahlo

Meet Frida Kahlo, born July 6th, 1907 in Coyoacán, Mexico. This Mexican artist is well known for her surrealist paintings, but most especially for her self-portraits. Plagued by troubles throughout her life, she still managed to paint 143 paintings of which 55 of those were self-portraits. As she was often bed-ridden, she was

"...the subject I know best",

hence finding herself so often among her portrayals. What was it about her life that led to her inward eye though? Let's take a look...

Self Portrait -1926

Kahlo was a young girl at the start of the Mexican revolution (began 1910) and as such, was often exposed to the violence that occurred outside her door. The "Blue House", her childhood home and residence later in life, may have protected her from some of the ills of war, but it could not protect her from illness, and at the age of six she developed polio. While she survived, Kahlo was to bear the scars of her illness in the form of a thin and stunted right leg. She learned to cover up this deformity, but tragedy was to strike again. On September 17, 1925 Kahlo was in a serious bus accident that left her bedridden for upwards of a year recovering from multiple injuries, that included a fractured spine and collarbone, broken ribs and pelvis, as well as multiple injuries to her right leg and foot. Sadly, her uterus was also damaged in the accident, meaning that at the age of 18, she was humbled by the knowledge that she would never have the opportunity to bear children.

What the Water Gave Me

As doctors questioned whether Kahlo would live, she herself refused to give up. She underwent over 30 surgeries, but took the time while she was recovering to delve into a new talent, that of painting. With her dreams of medical school behind her, she refocused on her artistic endeavours and began to paint portraits of herself, family and various friends. The colour and form were derived from her Mexican roots, but the style was all her own.

Self Portrait - 1940

It was via her budding artistic career that she met Diego Rivera, a well-known local muralist. Despite their difference in size (he was 300lb and she a mere 98lb) and age (he was 20 years her senior), they found themselves quickly entwined and by 1929 they were married, despite her mother's disapproval. While their original interest in art and communism drew them together, their differences made for a volatile union. Both of them had extra-marital affairs (Kahlo with both men and women), that brought them to divorce each other in 1939. It would seem that the old adage of "can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em" was in evidence for this couple though and they remarried again in 1940.

The Love Embrace of the Universe,
the Earth (Mexico), Me,
and Senor Xolotl

Throughout her pain-riddled life, Kahlo turned to the easel to help her through the turbulence. Her personality was large and flamboyent, as was so often portrayed on her canvases. She drew on images from her Mexican culture, as seen in the variety of monkeys, birds and brightly coloured flowers that graced her paintings. Often enough, her brooding eyes were the first draw for the viewer though. While she had various showings of her work in the USA and Europe, it wasn't until 1953 that she had her first exhibition of her work in her native land. While time would bring more fame to this spunky Mexican artist, her life was cut short by her death on July 13, 1954.

This weekend, Kahlo's fame lives on as Budding Artists features her in their Children's Art Workshop at the Western Fair Farmer's Market. Register your child today for either the 10am or 1pm 90-minute workshop, so that they can explore her style while creating artwork all their own. See you then!

A Portrait of Giuseppe Arcimboldo

From the mind of a master, comes the fruits of his labours. And the books, flowers, roots and whatever other appropriate objects that captured the essence of the portraits painted by Giuseppe Arcimboldo. This imaginative painter was born in Milan in 1527 and was highly popular in his day. While falling out of favour during later art periods, Budding Artists revives this Italian Painter today in our newest look at a Master Artist for our weekend Art Workshops for Children at the London Farmer's Market in the Western Fair District. If you haven't brought your children by for one of the fun and educational workshops at either 10am or 1pm, perhaps 90 minutes of fruit-filled art history and creation,  inspired by Arcimboldo, will be just the thing!

Air

While the name Arcimboldo might not immediately ring a bell, his artwork surely does. This gifted painter lived during the High Renaissance period and was admired by his peers and royalty alike. He was the son of Biagio Arcimboldo, who was also an artist in his own right. Like his father before him, he began his career in stained glass, but it was Arcimbolodo's portraits that caught the eye of the courts that would support him for most of his life.

Winter

After studying under Leonardo Da Vinci, in 1562 Arcimboldo was called to the Royal Courts by Emperor Ferdinand I. His position as court portraitist became questionable when Ferdinand  died shortly thereafter, but the following emperor, Maximilian II, admired his caricatures as well and kept him on. He became an important royal architect, engineer, and stage designer for the many gala events that he oversaw, in which he designed costumes, props and other decor items like hydralic machines. His skill was so appreciated that when Rudolf II took over from his father Maximilian in 1576, he was again kept on in this position.

Vegetables

And what was it that kept Arcimboldo in the employ of the Royal Courts of Vienna, and then Prague, for over 25 years? Undoubtedly, it was his unique and spirited style of portraiture. Arcimboldo created bold oil paintings of court figures and other personages, that when viewed up close could be recognized as depictions of fruits, vegetables, animals, and a variety of other items. The theme of the painting dictated the objects that it was created from. For example, his series on the Four Elements drew images appropriate for each one; ie. "Air" is made up of a variety of birds that form a face. Likewise, his series on the Four Seasons used images that could be found during that season; ie. "Winter" contains tree roots and bare branches. He also utilized the art of optical illusions, like in the portrait of a bowl of vegetables, that when turned upside down, can be recognized as the picture of a man.

Vertumnus

With a long and illustrious royal career behind him, in 1587 Arcimboldo was finally allowed to return to his native Milan. Despite no longer being officially employed by emperor Rudolf II, in 1591 he painted perhaps his most famous portrait "Vertumnus" and dedicated it to him. The portrait was appreciated as much then, as it is now and was to be his last known painting. On July 11th, 1593, Arcimboldo died at home in Milan. While many of his paintings were lost to the world after the Thirty Years' War, enough of them remained to influence the likes of Joos de Momper, Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte and of course Salvador Dali.

This week, Budding Artists hopes that we can tempt you to be influenced by the artwork of Giuseppe Arcimboldo too! Contact us today to register your child for our Children's Art Workshop on March 31st!

Dale Chihuly: A Glass Sculpture Master

Budding Artists has a treat in store for the kids this week! We will be featuring glass sculptor Dale Chihuly this weekend at our Master's Series Children's Art workshop at the London Farmer's Market on Saturday, March 24th at 10am and 1pm. This extraordinary artist has captured the interest of not only the glass blowing community, but also a vast market of crafters and artisans worldwide.

Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington on September 20th, 1941. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design from the University of Washington in 1965, then went on to study sculpture with Harvey Littleton at the University of Wisconsin. By 1968, he had received the Fulbright Fellowship, which allowed him to study glass blowing in Venice, Italy and to further attain his Master of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. These were significant milestones in a career that was about to explode.

In 1969, Chihuly developed the Glass Department at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he subsequently taught until 1983. He also took his interest and the skills that he had learned along the way and opened the Pilchuck Glass School near Stanwood, Washington in 1971, with the help of John and Anne Hauberg. It was there that he further developed the art of team glass blowing on larger scale pieces, that would stand him in good stead in the years to come.

Persian Chandelier 

Working with a team became a career-saving move after Chihuly was in a serious accident in 1976 that resulted in the lose of sight in his left eye. He had to relinquish the chief glassblower position, but this left him with more time to develop his forms and the various series that he created. Over the years, those series included his Seaform, Macchia, Persian, Venetian and Ikebana series, but he was known to return to certain series at later points.

Float Triptych Drawing 

A bodysurfing injury in 1979 meant that he had to step away from the gaffer position entirely, but he relished the role of supervisor, director and problem solver in a way that he hadn't anticipated. It was at this point that he also began drawing to illustrate how he wanted his pieces to turn out.

The apparent physical setbacks did not slow Chihuly down in the least. Over the years he has had exhibitions all over the world, both indoors and out. Museums across the United States and Canada hold permanent collections of his work, as well as museums in England, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. He has received eleven honorary doctorates, as well as numerous awards. And he hasn't slowed down one bit, with ongoing exhibitions across the US, new exhibitions planned for later this year, as well as the exciting grand opening of the Chihuly Garden and Glass this coming Spring in Seattle, Washington.

To truly appreciate the breadth and depth of Chihuly's skill though, you need to see it. The following video gives a better idea of the scope of his work, as well as words from this Master Artist himself. Enjoy and don't forget to register your children for the Budding Artists Kids Workshop this weekend!


 

Spotlight on Georgia O'Keeffe

Sun Prairie,Wisconsin can be proud to claim this week's Master Artist as their daughter by birthright. We are talking of course about the talented American artist Georgia O'Keeffe, who was born there on November 15th, 1887. Daughter of a dairy farmer, she decided that the artist's life was the one for her. Art training she received from a local watercolour artist when she was ten only fueled that dream and after graduating from high school, she enrolled at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which she attended from 1905-1905. She continued her studies in New York City, as a member of the Art Students League in 1907, but by 1908 gave up on the idea of a career as an artist.

Drawing XIII - 1915

For the next four years O'Keeffe worked as a commercial artist in Chicago, never once touching a paint brush. It wasn't until 1912, when she took a summer art class where she was introduced to the stylings of Arthur Wesley Dow, that her interest in painting returned. This was followed by a move to Amarillo, Texas to work as an art teacher. She taught in Texas for two years, then relocated to New York City to attend Columbia Teacher's College. When she completed teacher's college, she moved to south Carolina to work at Columbia College and during that time period worked on some charcoal sketches. The choice to mail them to a friend in New York was to alter the course of her life forever more.

Green Lines and Pink 1919

When O'Keeffe's drawings left her hands, with the help of her friend, they found their way into Alfred Stieglitz's famous "291" gallery. While O'Keeffe was very much aware of Stieglitz's gallery and reputation, she was not made aware that her drawings were on display prior to their showing. Originally upset, she spoke to Stieglitz herself and then agreed to let the pictures remain. This was to mark the beginning of a relationship that would see them married by 1924.

Red Canna - 1923

While Stieglitz was a generous fan, regularly displaying O'Keeffe's paintings at his gallery, it was her continuing skill and paintings that merited all the attention that she begot. She experimented in abstracts with charcoal and watercolours, developing an eye that captured New York's landscapes in a vivid way. She also painted many of her now famous large flower pieces that took the art scene by storm.

Horse's Skull with White Rose - 1931

Needing to find a new backdrop to draw inspiration from, O'Keeffe travelled to New Mexico in 1929. She was immediately enchanted with the wide open spaces, bright sun and bleached bones that seemed to be scattered everywhere. Her artistic muse came alive once again, this time set off by the rugged surrounding mountains that she returned to every year for upwards of six months at a time to escape to solitude and her paintbrush. Her canvases bear witness to her love of the New Mexican landscape, as bones, rocks, trees and the sky dominated her work throughout this time.

Pelvis I (Pelvis with Blue) - 1944

With the death of Stieglitz in 1946, O'Keeffe permanently made New Mexico her home. Known for her solitary ways, she continued to paint, with a series on pelvic pictures during the 40s.  Another transformation to her work came when she began her world travels from the 50s-70s. She became fascinated with the view outside her airplane window and captured it in several large series, both proportionally and in number of works. As she neared her 80s, O'Keeffe's eyesight began to fail her, which in turn affected her artistic output. With the encouragement  of Juan Hamilton, she re-entered the art scene briefly creating pottery and a few more paintings with assistance. On March 6th, 1986, O'Keeffe died at the age of 98.

On Saturday March 3rd, Budding Artists will take an indepth look at Georgia O'Keeffe and the legacy that she left behind in her over 900 paintings that she created. The children's art workshop will feature games, art history and an opportunity to create an O'Keeffe-inspired masterpiece of your child's own. Workshops are held at 10am and 1pm at the Western Fair District in the London Farmer's Market. Sign your child up today, so they don't miss out on the fun!

Spotlight on Paul Klee

Who was Paul Klee? A man, an artist, an independent legend in his own time. He was born December 18th, 1879 in Münchenbuchsee near Bern, Switzerland. Well versed in musical training from both of his musically inclined parents, Klee was an accomplished violinist, but during his teen years his interest veered towards the visual arts. In 1898, he enrolled at The Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany and spent three years studying art there. During this early period, Klee created mostly etchings, pen-and-ink drawings as well as a number of caricatures. He was the first to admit though that the use of colour was something that he struggled with.

Woman & Animal - 1904

In 1906, Klee married and settled into the Munich suburbs where an avant-garde community thrived. While his pianist wife earned an income for them, Klee tended house and took care of their son, while working on his art on the side. He continued to create etchings and had his first exhibition in Bern in 1910. A turning point in his artistic career came when he met Kandinsky in 1911. This meeting was to begin a lifelong friendship for Klee and an important source of encouragement and support for his artistry. He also met Robert Delaunay in 1912, who introduced Klee to a different take on colour with his vibrant usage of it.

Hammamet with Its Mosque - 1914 

It wasn't until Klee ventured to Tunisia in 1914 that he finally had an awakening in his exploration of colour. The light of the African nation helped him to embrace hues and tones in a way that he had never been able to grasp before. It also marked a break with his previous landscapes, as from this point forward, Klee explored the world of abstract art in a way that was all his own. He painted with an eye to the fantastic, in subjects that often had whims of fancy, personal interpretations and more often than not, a nod to his musical upbringing.

Ad Parnassum - 1932

While World War I reduced the output of Klee's artwork, it by no means ended his career. When he wasn't painting aircraft, he managed to create lithographs and his paintings sold well enough to make quite a name for himself. It was no surprise then, when he began teaching at the Bauhaus (a school dedicated to architecture, industrial design and arts & crafts) in 1920. He taught bookbinding, metal art, weaving, and wrote essays regarding colour theory during his ten years at this new-age school. He further taught at the Dusseldorf Academy from 1931-33, but the rise of the Nazi regime put an end to his time in Germany. He returned to Switzerland, but 1933 also marked the beginning of his battle with scleroderma, the disease that would eventually take his life.

Red Waistcoat -1938

Over his lifetime, Klee was influenced by Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism and of course Abstract artwork. What he accomplished surpassed all of these movements in a style all his own. His dry sense of humour and childlike perspective were evident in the more than 10,000 paintings that he created before his death on June 29th, 1940. The political climates that he lived through shaped not only his world, but also his canvases. The music that filled his soul could likewise be seen in his creations, as well as the influence of poetry, dreams and more. As far as mediums went, he explored oils, pastels, watercolours, ink, etchings and used materials such as burlap, muslin, gauze, fabric, wallpaper, cardboard, metal foil and even canvas. You could often see a mixture of these mediums, styles or materials encompassed in a single piece of artwork.

Click here for a one line drawing art idea inspired by Paul Klee.