Daily Art Fixx

More great work by Montreal, Canada artist Heidi Taillefer.  To see more of Taillefer’s paintings, visit HeidiTaillefer.com.

Your Monday Mixx!

I came across the work of Toronto artist Julia Hepburn recently at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition.

“Each compartmentalized piece displays a single scene with virtually no context. Viewers are encouraged to use their imaginations in order to develop a narrative explaining the scene. The use of small, doll-sized scenes, not only draws people in physically, but also makes the darker imagery less threatening, permitting the viewer to assign a wide range of moods to the work depending on their personal interpretation. The unnatural size also allows viewers to feel as though they are looking at a world completely separate from their own, where the rules that govern their own lives do not necessarily apply.

Many of the works emphasize our relationship with the natural world; something that, much like innocence, I believe is lost as we grow older. This connection to the natural world is most clearly illustrated in my paintings. The works reflect my desire to re-insert myself into the natural order and often exhibit my tendency to assign human personalities to animals.”

For more about Julia Hepburn, visit JuliaHepburn.Blogspot.com.

“Southern California artist Lola Gil’s dreamlike portraits are packed with imaginative subjects and curious rituals placed in surreal, often ethereal settings.”

“A self-taught painter, Lola takes great care in the unique details of each piece, with a distinct visual evolution from each new body of work she exhibits, displaying them in handpicked antique frames she finds at flea markets.”

Lola’s work is in prominent collections around the world. Her paintings have been exhibited in  numerous galleries and museums including Yves LaRoche, Robert Berman Gallery, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, Dorothy Circus, and Riverside Art Museum.

For more about Lola, visit LolaFineArt.com

Sources: Flavorwire, Flavorpill

The one thing I have discovered, while learning about Rembrandt, is that even among the credible sources, facts and dates about the artist’s life contradict each other.  This is because much of the existing information about Rembrandt originates from a 350 word essay published in 1641 by Jan Orlers’ guidebook to Leiden. Some research supports Orlers’ work while others contradict it. No personal letters remain and from the few professional ones, our knowledge of Rembrandt, one of the world’s most famous artists, remains incomplete.  So, I include in this summary, details that seem to be consistent across texts.

Son of a prosperous miller, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in Leiden on July 15, 1606. He attended Leiden Latin School from 1615-19 and was enrolled at Leiden University in 1620.  He then left the University to study with the Leiden artist Jacob van Swanenburgh.

In 1624 Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam to apprentice with the leading history painter in the Netherlands, Pieter Lastman, whose colourful style and narrative approach would be an influence for Rembrandt throughout his life. Rembrandt returned to Leiden six months later and established his own studio.

Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam permanently in 1631 and partnered with art dealer Hendrick van Uylenburgh to capitalize on the growing market for history paintings and portraits. Rembrandt was interested in stories from the Old and New Testaments and preferred painting realistic emotion and narrative detail. He quickly became one of the most sought after portrait painters (individual and group) in the Netherlands, introducing more animation,  expression and dramatic contrasts of light and dark.  During this time, many students came to the van Uylenburgh Academy to study Rembrandt’s style of painting.

In 1634, Rembrandt married van Uylenburgh’s niece, Saskia. At the height of his career in 1639 he bought a large house on the Sint-Anthonisbreestraat that he borrowed heavily to acquire. The artist also liked to spend money, purchasing art and other objects that were beyond his means, a habit that would eventually catch up with him.

In 1642, Saskia died after the birth and death of three children, leaving Rembrandt to care for their son Titus. Following the complicated end to his common-law relationship with Titus’s nurse, Geertje Dircks, Rembrant met Hendrickje Stoffels who would be his lifelong companion and with whom he had his daughter, Cornelia.

By the late 1640s, Rembrandt was receiving fewer portrait commissions and his failed investments resulted in financial strain for the artist. Rembrandt remained well known, but his vigorous, broad brushwork and glowing palette differed from the prevailing taste in the Netherlands for a smooth, elegant style of painting.

This was also a period filled with personal difficulties, including his declaration of insolvency in 1656 and the sale of his house and collections in 1657 and 1658. Rembrandt moved to a smaller house on the Rozengracht in the Jordaan area of Amsterdam, where he continued fulfilling commissions for portraits and other works.

Beyond painting, Rembrandt created about 300 etchings and drypoints. His work as a printmaker ran alongside his career as a painter. He was a great innovator in this medium, often using traditional materials in unconventional ways. His impact on printmaking is still reflected in etchings produced today.

Rembrandt outlived both Hendrickje, who died in 1663, and Titus, who died in 1668. Rembrandt died on October  4, 1669. With no money for a tombstone, he was buried in an unmarked grave in the Westerkerk, in Amsterdam.

Sources: Getty Museum, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Met Museum, Met Museum(2),Wikipedia, The Teaching Company (DVD) All images from Art Renewal Center