Daily Art Fixx

Beatrix Potter: 1866-1943

Wendy Campbell — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:29:38 +0000

Born on July 28, 1866 in South Kensington in London, England, Beatrix Potter is best known for her illustrated children’s books. She was an author, illustrator, mycologist, farmer, and conservationist. Potter came from a wealthy family and although her father was a barrister, he devoted much of his time to his passions of art and photography. He and Beatrix’s mother Helen were socially active associating with many writers, artists, and politicians.

Potter had a lonely childhood and was educated at home by a governess. By the age of eight, she was filling sketchbooks with drawings of animals and plants and her artistic endeavors were encouraged, especially by her father.

In her teens, Potter spent most of her time studying, and painting and sketching. “Although she got her Art Student’s Certificate for drawing, Beatrix reached the age of 21 having had little real education. Like many adult daughters of the rich, she was appointed ‘household supervisor’ – a role that left her with enough time to indulge her interest in the natural sciences.”

In her 20s, Potter developed into a talented naturalist, made studies of plants and animals at the Cromwell Road museums, and learned how to draw with her eye to a microscope. She began to focus more on drawing and painting and began to earn a small income from her illustrations. She had also begun to write illustrated letters to the children of her former governess, Annie Moore. Peter Rabbit was born in a letter she wrote in September 1893 to Annie’s son, Noel.

Six publishers rejected “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” before Potter decided to publish her own edition of the story. Having seen the edition, publisher Frederick Warne decided to publish Peter Rabbit, and within a year had already had to produce six editions to meet demand. “This success marked the start of a life-long relationship between Beatrix and Warne who proposed marriage in 1905. ” Although she accepted him – defying her parents, who saw that being ‘trade’, a publisher was an unthinkable match for their daughter – Norman unexpectedly died less than a month later of a blood disorder.”

Potter continued writing and produced one or two new books each year for the next eight years. In 1909 she met and then befriended a local solicitor, William Heelis. After a period of having to battle her parents’ objections to her relationship Beatrix married William in 1913.

After her marriage, Potter dedicated herself to the role of lady farmer and became an expert in breeding Herdwick sheep. From 1920, and due to failing eyesight, Potter did less and less creative work and her books had to be pieced together from sketches and drawings done years earlier. Her last major work, “The Tale of Little Pig Robinson”, was published in 1930.

In the final part of her life, Potter concentrated on her other passion – conservation which was inspired by her friendship with Canon Rawnsley, one of the founder members of the National Trust. “Her expanding estate, funded by revenue from book sales, gave her the opportunity to fulfil an ambition to preserve not only part of the Lake District’s unique landscape but the area’s traditional farming methods.”

Beatrix Potter died on December 22, 1943. She left 14 farms and over 4,000 acres to the National Trust, land that it still owns and protects against development today.

She wrote and illustrated a total of 28 books, including the 23 Tales, the ‘little books’ that have been translated into more than 35 languages and sold over 100 million copies. Her stories have been retold in various formats including a ballet, films, and in animation.

Sources: V&A Museum, BibliOdyssey

Bruce New: Drawing/Collage

Wendy Campbell — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:09:06 +0000

Today’s images are by American artist Bruce New. Of his drawings and collages New says, “My work is an attempt to document my existence. To leave a visual record of my thoughts, ideas, and fantasies. I currently reside in the wilds of Kentucky, with a bird and our son, on a mountaintop, right next to the sun, where I create my artwork high on butterfly wine.”

To see more, visit BruceNew.com or check out his photostream on Flickr.

Discovered on Escape Into Life

DAF Group Feature: Vol. 15

Wendy Campbell — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:50 +0000

Enjoy your Monday Mixx!

Megan Kimber: Painting

Wendy Campbell — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:30:47 +0000

Born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, Megan Kimber graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1997 with a BFA in Illustration. After living and creating in Orlando, Florida and New York, she then moved to Savannah, Georgia, where she received her MFA in Illustration from The Savannah College of Art and Design. She now resides in Birmingham, Alabama.

Inspired by the color palette of the light at dusk, Kimber depicts psychological portrait studies within environments reminiscent of the Brother’s Grimm Fairy tales. When it comes to her characters, she finds beauty in flaws. Ultimately, her biggest inspiration is nature – animal movements, fossils, colors found in light and shadow, objects worn and atrophied by forces of nature. Costumes, rituals, and anything else symbolic of a specified sacred celebration is what provides her man-made inspiration.

Kimber’s paintings have been exhibited in Birmingham, Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco, Savannah, NY, Orlando, and Providence.

Her illustration work has been published with Lipstick magazine, Yellow Brand Skateboards, an upcoming CD project from Kebbi Williams, and Ancestry Magazine. (bio from Matt Jones Gallery)

To see more of Megan Kimber’s work, visit MeganKimber.com.

Alphonse Mucha: 1860-1939

Wendy Campbell — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:30:06 +0000

Alphonse Maria Mucha was born on July 24, 1860 in Ivančice, Moravia (now Czech Republic) and is known for his prominent role in shaping French Art Nouveau. Mucha loved art as a child but studied on a choral scholarship at the Church of St Peter in Brno, the capital of Moravia. In 1875, Mucha returned to Ivančice where he worked as a court clerk.

After his rejection from the Prague Academy of Fine Arts in 1878, Mucha traveled to Vienna to work as a scene painter for the firm of Kautsky-Brioschi-Burghardt. In 1881, he left Vienna and moved to Mikulov (Czech Republic) where he paintied portraits. It was there that he met Count Khuen Belasi who commissioned him to decorate his castle at Emmahof and where the Count’s brother became his patron, enabling him to study at the Munich Academy of Art in 1885 and at the Acadamie Julian and the Academie Colarossi in Paris from 1887 to 1889.

Between 1890 and 1896, Mucha lived in a studio above Madame Charlotte’s cremerie and began illustrating for the theatre magazine “Le Costume au Theatre”. He met Paul Gauguin (who later shared his studio), and also began working for publisher Armand Colin. In 1894, Mucha designed a poster for actress Sarah Bernhardt for the play “Gismonda” which led to a five year contract to create more posters and stage and costume designs for her as well as designs for magazines, book covers, jewellery and furniture for others.

Mucha’s illustrations are characterized by their mosaic backgrounds and influenced by Byzantine art. In contrast with poster makers of the time, he used paler pastel colours. His romantic female figures wear garments that are decorated with precious gems and are often flamboyantly posed and surrounded by lush flowers.

Mucha moved to a new studio in 1896 at rue du Val-de-Grace and his decorative panels “Les Saisons” were published by the Champenois firm, who he would sign an exclusive contract with around 1897. Between 1897 and 1899, he had several solo exhibitions including shows at the Bodiniere Gallery and the Salon des Cent, in Paris, the Topic Gallery in Prague. As well, Mucha participated in the first exhibition of the Vienna Secession.

From 1904 – 1910 Mucha traveled and lived in America visiting New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philidelphia. While there, he painted society portraits and met Charles Crane, who would later sponsor his work on the Slav Epic project. From 1905 – 1907, he worked on commissions and taught at art schools in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. In June 1906, he married Maruška Chytilová (a former art student in Prague), with whom he had daughter Jaroslava, and son Jiri.

Mucha, Maruška, and their daughter returned to Prague in 1910 where he would spend the next 18 years working on his Slav Epic project – a series of twenty paintings depicting the history of the Slav people. In 1928, the completed series was officially presented to the Czech people and the City of Prague and was shown at the city’s Trade Fair Palace. In 1931, Mucha was commissioned to design a stained glass window for the St. Vitus Cathedral, in Prague, donated by the Slavia Bank.

With the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939, Mucha was one of the first to be arrested by the Gestapo. He was questioned and eventually released, but, having suffered from pneumonia in the Autumn of 1938, his health was weakened by the ordeal. Alphonse Mucha died on July 14, 1939 and is buried at Vysehrad cemetery. Over 100,000 Czechs attended the funeral despite the Nazi ban.

Sources: Mucha Foundation, Mucha Museum, Wikipedia

Eder Muniz: Urban Art

Wendy Campbell — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:35:23 +0000

Currently based in New York, Brazilian urban artist Eder Muniz aka “Calangos de Rua” (Street Chameleon) started his career as an artist many years ago when, as a little boy, he was obsessed with drawing all over the walls of his house. He advanced to spray paint in high school and hit the street of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil as a pichador (tagger). His street art shifted when he began to develop his technique (he never went to art school and is completely self-taught) and his style began to incorporate human figures, animals and abstract and surreal images.

Muniz’s street name – Calangos de Rua represents the multiple genres that he incorporates in his own art – painting anything he gets his hands on – from walls to sneakers, tee-shirts to subways, living room walls to classrooms, glass and his latest canvas – rugs and mats. His style incorporates his indigenous Brazilian roots to produce colorful pieces that come alive through a mix of spray paint, water color, acrylic on paper, canvas and glass.

To see more of Eder Muniz’s work, visit EderMuniz.com or check out his photostream on Flickr.

Discovered on: Wooster Collective, Bio from: Myspace

Edward Hopper: 1882-1967

Wendy Campbell — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:00:58 +0000

Born on July 22, 1882 in Nyack, New York, Edward Hopper is considered to be one of America’s greatest realist painters of the twentieth century.

Hopper studied illustration with the Correspondence School of Illustrating in New York City in 1899 and then at the New York School of Art between 1900 and 1906. He studied painting a year later with William Merrit Chase and then Kenneth Hayes Miller and Robert Henri.

In 1906 Hopper traveled to Paris (visiting London, Haarlem, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels as well) to study works by European artists, educating himself by visiting museums and exhibitions. Upon his return to New York in 1907, he painted and worked several days a week as an illustrator (work he detested) for trade magazines and fiction.

Hopper first exhibited in March 1908, in a group show held in the former Harmonie Club building in New York. He returned to Paris for four months in 1909 and briefly in 1910, where he also visited Spain.

From 1910 Hopper continued to work as an illustrator in New York, but he spent his summers painting in rural New England, in Gloucester and Cape Anne, Massachusetts, and Maine. In 1913 he moved to Washington Square, in the Greenwich Village area of New York City, which remained his permanent base. Hopper’s subject matter was derived from two main sources: first, everyday American life such as restaurants, gas stations, theaters, railroads, and street scenes; and second, seascapes and rural landscapes.

Initially, Hopper was more successful as an illustrator and with his etchings, in both sales and exhibitions. In January 1920 he held his first solo exhibition, of 16 paintings at the Whitney Studio Club but was discouraged by the failure to achieve either sales or critical attention. In 1923, with the encouragement of artist Josephine Verstille Nivison (whom he married in 1924), Hopper began painting in watercolour. In 1924, he had his second solo exhibition at the Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery, which was a critical and commercial success.

From 1930 Edward and Josephine (Jo) began to spend their summers painting in Truro on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where they built a home in 1934. Hopper was an intensely private person and led a somewhat reclusive life, two characteristics that are reflected in his paintings. Images of loneliness and detachment pervade Hopper’s works where he often depicted solitary figures (mostly women) who are often occupied with their own thoughts.

Hopper was very productive through the 1930s and early 1940s, producing many of his most important works. In the late 1940′s however, his health was poor and he underwent several prostate surgeries. Hopper was active again in the 1950s and early 1960s, producing several more major works.

Both the art world and pop culture has been influenced by Hopper’s work. Many artists have cited him as influential, including Willem de Kooning, Jim Dine, and Mark Rothko. His cinematic compositions and use of light and dark made him popular with filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho), Ridley Scott (Blade Runner), and Sam Mendes (New York Movie) to name a few.

Edward Hopper died on May 15, 1967 in his studio in New York City. Jo, who died 10 months later, left their collection of over three thousand works to the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Sources: MOMA, National Gallery of Art, Wikipedia, Artchive (images)

Heidi Taillefer: Painting

Wendy Campbell — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:22:49 +0000

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

2010 Rice Field Art: Inakadate, Japan

Wendy Campbell — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:08:49 +0000

It’s that time of year again. The rice field art of Inakadate and other parts of Japan are now in full colour. This year in Inakadate, two historical figures have been recreated. In the photo above, you see the legendary warrior-monk Benkei on the left and the warrior Ushiwakamaru, a.k.a. Minamoto no Yoshitsune on the right.

Every year, since 1993, Inakadate’s 8000 residents and farmers have worked together to create huge agricultural works of art in their rice paddy fields. Using green, purple and yellow-leafed rice, the “agri-artists” design and plant their rice, precisely plotting out the colours which bring the images to life. As the rice grows, the art becomes apparent from an elevated position, with the best viewing time in July.

Rice field art is catching on in other parts of Japan as well with a variety of artwork including animals, samurai, princesses and popular anime characters.

To see more of this year’s rice field art, visit Pink Tentacle. For last year’s images read DAF’s post here.

Sources: Pink Tentacle,

DAF Group Feature: Vol. 14

Wendy Campbell — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:35 +0000

Your Monday Mixx!