tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89683205954319212492024-03-13T06:21:39.472-04:00Kelly Mann - Fine Art BlogUsing classical oil painting methods, artist Kelly Mann creates works inspired by the 17th and 18th century.Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-76574752720014017812011-10-31T20:05:00.000-04:002011-10-31T20:05:17.036-04:00Fra Bartolomeo | Florentine Renaissance PainterFra Bartolomeo was born in Florence, Italy on<strong> </strong>28 March 1472 and died on 31 October 1517. <br />
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A leading artist of the Italian Renaissance, he initially trained under Cosimo Rosselli, and opened a worshop with a fellow pupil, Mariotto Albertinelli. <br />
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He entered the Dominican Order in 1500, reportedly due to the influence of Savronela's preaching, and from that point on restricted his painting to religious subjects only.<br />
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Fra Bartolomeo's contemporaries included Leonardo, Raphael, and Bellini, and their artistic influences appear in his use of sfumato, composition, and the way he addressed landscapes in his paintings. <br />
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His work is characterized by a reserved approach to the thematic content, and solidly painted forms.<br />
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You can read more about his work and biography at <a href="http://www.enotes.com/oxford-art-encyclopedia/bartolommeo-fra" target="_blank">The Oxford Dictionary of Art</a> and <a href="http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/b/bartolom/fra/index.html" target="_blank">The Web Gallery of Art</a>.<br />
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A few of his monumental works are displayed below:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="396" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bartolom/fra/adoratio.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Adoration of the Christ Child </strong>c. 1499 <br />
Tempera on wood, diameter 89 cm <br />
Galleria Borghese, Rome<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bartolom/fra/prophet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="261" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Prophet Isaiah </strong>c. 1516 <br />
Panel, 168 x 108 cm <br />
Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bartolom/fra/catherin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bartolom/fra/catherin.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Marriage of St Catherine of Siena </strong>1511 <br />
Wood panel, 257 x 228 cm <br />
Musée du Louvre, Paris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-26984589485898171832011-10-29T18:34:00.000-04:002011-10-29T18:34:12.861-04:00<div class="quote"><a href="" name="RobertBrault"></a>First God created time; then God created man that man might, in the course of time, perfect himself; then God decided that He'd better create eternity. (<span style="color: #000044;">Robert Brault</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udpJTjrG6h4/Tqx-1VDBwGI/AAAAAAAAAKc/MnyERvVQ3xk/s1600/vanitas+1650renard_de_saint_andre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udpJTjrG6h4/Tqx-1VDBwGI/AAAAAAAAAKc/MnyERvVQ3xk/s400/vanitas+1650renard_de_saint_andre.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>SIMON RENARD DE SAINT-ANDRÉ</strong> Vanitas c. 1650 Oil on canvas</td></tr>
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-87822522955981374702011-10-25T19:32:00.000-04:002011-10-25T19:32:59.960-04:00You're Going to Get Rejected<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qEkZL5OMw7k/TqdGYkxae-I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/iCJaN6FxhCc/s1600/Wm-Mulredy-The-Sonnet-1839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qEkZL5OMw7k/TqdGYkxae-I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/iCJaN6FxhCc/s200/Wm-Mulredy-The-Sonnet-1839.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Wm. Mulready - The Sonnet - </strong>1839<br />
Oil on canvas, 36 x 31 cm<br />
Victoria and Albert Museum, London</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote"><a href="" name="CathieHarrison"></a><strong>Galleries are going to reject you</strong>, people are going to say insensitive things about your work, critics are going to ignore you and family members are going to plot to steal your painting time but you have to pick yourself up and go back at it. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">(<span style="color: #000044;">Cathie Harrison</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Today I got rejected.</div><div class="quote">Well, I knew I had a slimmer chance of acceptance,</div><div class="quote">but it,s still difficult to read the rejection letter.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>Do you think rejection is a necessary part of an art career?</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-4464058425116438152011-10-24T07:00:00.005-04:002011-10-24T07:00:03.550-04:00The Role of Anxiety in Making Art<strong>Anxiety is the hand maiden of creativity. (<span style="color: #000044;">T. S. Eliot</span>)</strong> <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CgeSN1Zmgk/TqSwEkmJpRI/AAAAAAAAAJI/q4Yj6qYnoC8/s1600/rembrandt+-portrait-of-young-woman-1632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CgeSN1Zmgk/TqSwEkmJpRI/AAAAAAAAAJI/q4Yj6qYnoC8/s320/rembrandt+-portrait-of-young-woman-1632.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>REMBRANDT - </strong>Portrait of a Young Woman<br />
1632- Oil on canvas, 92 x 71 cm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So this week I am taking a painting workshop with my former teacher.<br />
Of course, I am a little anxious about it.<br />
I have prepared all my materials, and packed my bag.<br />
But the anxiety is still there.<br />
I really don't know why, because I have taken classes with him before.<br />
I guess it's just the fear of the unknown.<br />
And, like most artists, I am worried about my skill level.<br />
I am sure everything will turn out well.<br />
But anxiety keeps me focused, alert, and ready to act.<br />
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<em><strong>How does anxiety factor into your work?</strong></em>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-37039892285345749822011-10-23T10:51:00.000-04:002011-10-23T10:51:50.001-04:00Jane Austen on Charm<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJHCptn9wcE/TqQpzV8C8bI/AAAAAAAAAJA/5UrGd9W0_SI/s1600/Cuyp-portrait-of-child-1628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJHCptn9wcE/TqQpzV8C8bI/AAAAAAAAAJA/5UrGd9W0_SI/s320/Cuyp-portrait-of-child-1628.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Cuyp - Portrait of a Child - 1628?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart. <br />
Jane Austen<br />
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</span>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-56371633266083628752011-10-21T19:40:00.000-04:002011-10-21T19:40:22.981-04:00<strong>Never miss a good chance to shut up. (<span style="color: #000044;">Will Rogers</span>)</strong> <br />
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At first thought, this quote seems to refer to conversation between individuals.<br />
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But what if we thought about its meaning in a different way?<br />
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<strong>Don't we also need to "shut up" and listen to ourselves?</strong><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYTtbuLsRLo/TqIChOyTnSI/AAAAAAAAAI4/PxWJrTfeiFA/s1600/rembrandt-minister+and+wife-+1641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYTtbuLsRLo/TqIChOyTnSI/AAAAAAAAAI4/PxWJrTfeiFA/s320/rembrandt-minister+and+wife-+1641.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>REMBRANDT - </strong>The Mennonite Minister Cornelis Claesz. Anslo<br />
in Conversation with his Wife, Aaltje (detail) - 1641 <br />
Oil on canvas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-13231410231610514432011-10-20T20:18:00.001-04:002011-10-20T20:21:41.831-04:00Daily Motivation<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/d/durer/1/05/01veneti.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="297" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albrecht Durer - Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman<br />
1505 - Oil on elm panel, 32.5 x 24.5 cm</td></tr>
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<div class="quote"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="ZigZiglar"></a>People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily. (<span style="color: #000044;">Zig Ziglar</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">What can you come up with as a daily motivator?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-17063712157437648932011-10-19T19:36:00.000-04:002011-10-19T19:36:14.246-04:00Hidden Treasures<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/f/fontanaa/proserpi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="220" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Annibale Fontana </strong>Lidded Goblet<br />
before 1569 <br />
Rock crystal, enamelled gold setting <br />
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna<br />
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The human heart has hidden treasures, / In secret kept, in silence sealed; / The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures, / Whose charms were broken if revealed. <br />
(<span style="color: #000044;">Charlotte Bronte</span>) <br />
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What "treasures" are you hiding, and why?<br />
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Can you express any of these treasures through art, music, writing?Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-80201273417085012522011-10-19T19:12:00.000-04:002011-10-19T19:12:05.576-04:00October NewsletterHere is the freshly released <strong><a href="http://mim.io/aae4d1">October Newsletter</a></strong>!Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-74673080823064047612011-10-14T09:11:00.000-04:002011-10-14T09:11:40.460-04:00How High is Your Learning Curve?<div class="quote"><a href="" name="Yo-YoMa"></a><strong>I don't always have a five-year plan. One thing you must do in life is keep your learning curve as high as possible. (<span style="color: #000044;">Yo-Yo Ma</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Yo-Yo is speaking about challenges, and keep one's skills on a continual quest for improvement.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">What skills do you need to reconsider and improve?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>What learning curve do you need to expand higher?</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Im8M8NnyLE4/Tpg0gABGvII/AAAAAAAAAIw/KqLnGv7MG4o/s1600/Parmigianino-portrait-of-young-woman-1535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Im8M8NnyLE4/Tpg0gABGvII/AAAAAAAAAIw/KqLnGv7MG4o/s400/Parmigianino-portrait-of-young-woman-1535.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PARMIGIANINO - <strong>Portrait of a Young Lady </strong>c. 1535 - Oil on canvas, 139 x 88 cm <br />
Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-11073394375458985792011-10-13T07:00:00.002-04:002011-10-13T07:00:01.017-04:00Art is Risky Business<div class="quote"><a href="" name="JeanHelion"></a><strong>Art is, from any point of view, the greatest of risks. (<span style="color: #000044;">Jean Helion</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Why is it so risky to be an artist?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Is it because, as artists, we wear our hearts on our sleeves?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Is it because we cannot separate ourselves from our work?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Is it because we fear rejection and criticism?</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong><em>But what do we gain if we never put brush to canvas?</em></strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfWBRSxCYkw/TpYv82jj9pI/AAAAAAAAAIo/sKjPEiQspP8/s1600/Copley_watson+and+shark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfWBRSxCYkw/TpYv82jj9pI/AAAAAAAAAIo/sKjPEiQspP8/s400/Copley_watson+and+shark.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> John Singleton Copley - </strong>Brook Watson and the Shark - 1778 <br />
Oil on canvas, 182 x 230 cm - National Gallery of Art, Washington</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-8795412709233767392011-10-12T10:10:00.000-04:002011-10-12T10:10:13.819-04:00<div class="quote"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="WillyWonka"></a>Where is fantasy bred, in the heart or in the head? (<span style="color: #000044;">Willy Wonka</span>) <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/d/domenich/sibyl1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="285" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>DOMENICHINO - </strong>The Cumaean Sibyl - c. 1610 <br />
Oil on canvas - Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-75017667776864768102011-10-11T07:00:00.004-04:002011-10-11T07:00:08.700-04:00In one ear...<strong>-ca. 1385...<br />
<i>Oon ere it herde, at tother out it wente</i>. [trans. in one ear and out the other] (</strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer" title="More Art Quotes by Geoffrey Chaucer"><span style="color: #000044;"><strong>Geoffrey Chaucer</strong></span></a><strong>)</strong> <br />
<br />
The phrase "in one ear and out the other" rings true for parents of teenagers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU6GcQ-LdQo/TpOhIBcrcfI/AAAAAAAAAIg/6NlnbkzZgXY/s1600/Brekelenkam_conversation_1661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU6GcQ-LdQo/TpOhIBcrcfI/AAAAAAAAAIg/6NlnbkzZgXY/s320/Brekelenkam_conversation_1661.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Quiringh van Brekelenkam </strong><br />
<strong> </strong>Confidental Conversation - 1661 <br />
Oil on panel, 47 x 36 cm <br />
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam </td></tr>
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We scold, suggest, hint, and demand, yet the words have no effect on them.<br />
<br />
We want to help them avoid danger, be healthy and have opportunities.<br />
<br />
But we are also susceptible to having words travel through our own heads, in a meaningless torrent.<br />
<br />
<strong>What words might you make more of an effort to listen to?</strong>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-72579880532076180392011-10-10T07:00:00.008-04:002011-10-10T08:13:22.783-04:00A Yogi-ism for Artists<div class="quote"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="YogiBerra"></a><strong>You can observe a lot by just watching. (<span style="color: #000044;">Yogi Berra</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">The other morning I hunted high and low throughout the house for my favorite coffee mug.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">I checked the car, the studio, and the dishwasher.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">As I closed the dishwasher, I looked up at the counter and noticed my freshly washed mug serenely sitting there.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">I had looked, but I did not see.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">As artists, we learn to see, to acutely observe.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">It does not suffice to just "look."</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">My art took a giant leap forward when I was finally able to focus on fully observing my subject.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">To do this, I narrow my field of vision. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">I observe all the details of the one section of the subject.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">The whole is divided into parts.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>What do you need to focus on to really see?</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVGPRY0q5HA/TpJDy2qEnzI/AAAAAAAAAIc/_R4j_x6Pxjo/s1600/Heda_still_life_1635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVGPRY0q5HA/TpJDy2qEnzI/AAAAAAAAAIc/_R4j_x6Pxjo/s400/Heda_still_life_1635.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Willem Claesz Heda </strong>Still-Life with Gilt Goblet 1635 <br />
Oil on panel, 88 x 113 cm <br />
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-13889285167053214962011-10-09T10:29:00.000-04:002011-10-09T10:29:46.348-04:00Art will never exist without...<div class="quote"><a href="" name="PierreBonnard"></a><strong>Art will never be able to exist without nature. (<span style="color: #000044;">Pierre Bonnard</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Let's really stop and think about this.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Without nature, there is no art. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Nature is inherent in almost every piece of art, whether it is the subject matter, the materials, or the emotion conveyed through the artwork.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">It's a gorgeous morning here in New Hampshire.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">The leaves are turning, the sky is a deep cerulean blue, and the grass glistens with the morning dew. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">It's a work of art.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong><em>I hope you enjoy the artful side of nature today.</em></strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MT2f4X-Z9Ew/TpGvZ6mUZuI/AAAAAAAAAIY/0kmBHb4F4aY/s1600/Wilson_1760_Thames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MT2f4X-Z9Ew/TpGvZ6mUZuI/AAAAAAAAAIY/0kmBHb4F4aY/s400/Wilson_1760_Thames.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Richard Wilson </strong>View of Syon House across the Thames near Kew Gardens <br />
c. 1760 Oil on canvas, 104 x 139 cm</td></tr>
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-27990212915004278372011-10-07T07:00:00.003-04:002011-10-07T07:00:01.137-04:00Missed Opportunity<div class="quote"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="ThomasEdison"></a><strong>Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. (<span style="color: #000044;">Thomas Edison</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Hmmm, Edison implies that opportunity is work. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Sometimes it seems as though others get all the "breaks," or opportunities. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">But is that really what is happening? Sometimes, it may be a "lucky break."</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">I think it has more to do with working on a daily basis.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong><em>How have you met your opportunities? Did you have to roll up your sleeves and get to work?</em></strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEVr48i4mU8/To47m8XpnLI/AAAAAAAAAIU/6PqoIFmcneQ/s1600/LaTour_Newborn_1640s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEVr48i4mU8/To47m8XpnLI/AAAAAAAAAIU/6PqoIFmcneQ/s320/LaTour_Newborn_1640s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Georges de La Tour The Newborn </strong>1640s <br />
Oil on canvas, 76 x 91 cm</td></tr>
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-87332626470855057762011-10-06T07:00:00.001-04:002011-10-06T07:00:06.356-04:00Art and Technology | A Tango of Tension<div class="quote"><strong>Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of the human imagination. (<span style="color: #000044;">Daniel Bell</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Art dances with technology in a tango of tension.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Together they can appear as one, unified in a smooth blend of moves.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">But in one quick turn, they pull apart.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Artists have resided along the continuum of technology - some embracing it fully, others decrying its fast and finicky nature.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong><em>How has technology impacted your art?</em></strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/o/oost/elder/studio.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Jacob van, the Elder Oost </strong>The Artist's Studio 1666 <br />
Oil on canvas, 111,5 x 150,5 cm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-73529792666751747912011-10-05T07:00:00.000-04:002011-10-05T07:00:15.317-04:00Beauty and Grace<div class="quote"><a href="" name="ParkBenjamin"></a><strong>Beauty and grace command the world. </strong></div><div class="quote"><strong>(<span style="color: #000044;">Park Benjamin</span>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mNd6voRxUE0/Touf7oUG8AI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/eH5pCXxxQ-g/s1600/Fragonard-young-girl-reading-1770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mNd6voRxUE0/Touf7oUG8AI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/eH5pCXxxQ-g/s200/Fragonard-young-girl-reading-1770.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Jean-Honoré Fragonard </strong><br />
<strong> </strong>A Young Girl Reading<br />
c. 1770 <br />
Oil on canvas, 81 x 65 cm <br />
National Gallery of Art, Washington </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote">Beauty and grace are two traits which rarely appear in their purest form in one individual. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">People who have shown true beauty and grace have captured our hearts and minds. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">They are the legends, the shining stars, the unforgettable. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">They have been poor people, princesses, volunteers and saints, and have commanded our world, and our attention. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">But sometimes, they have been the quiet ones, silent in deed and in voice, yet still full of beauty and grace.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>Whom do you see as full of beauty and true grace?</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-770974752687693772011-10-04T07:00:00.021-04:002011-10-04T07:00:04.957-04:00The St. Francis Mural | A Visual Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbaLY8bjbd0/TooqIiH6E5I/AAAAAAAAAH8/Qlhl8p-m4YY/s1600/Kelly-painting-Villa-mural-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbaLY8bjbd0/TooqIiH6E5I/AAAAAAAAAH8/Qlhl8p-m4YY/s200/Kelly-painting-Villa-mural-sm.jpg" width="200" /></a> <strong> Today is the feast day of </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi"><strong>St. Francis of Assisi</strong></a><strong>, the patron saint of animals, the environment, and Italy.</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div> Francis began his life as Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone, in the year 1181/1182, in the small Italian town of Assisi. He was born into a relatively wealthy family of cloth merchants, and lived a spirited life of luxury and pleasure until about the age of twenty. <br />
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Enlisting as a soldier with the local army, Francis fought in a skirmish with a neighboring city state (a frequent political occurrence during the time period), and was taken captive by the opposing army. Imprisonment, two illnesses, and two dreams or visions effected a change of heart in the young man, who returned to the town of Assisi with a more solemn outlook on life. <br />
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A chance encounter with a leper, and his ability to overcome his own fears and revulsion of the disease, allowed him to physically embrace the leprous man. This was a turning point for Francis, who then entered a life of prayer and service to the poor, renouncing all his worldly wealth and pleasures. <br />
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He went on to become the founder of the Franciscan Order, and The Order of the Poor Clares. He is credited with creating the first live Christmas manger scene, a tradition still performed today. <br />
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Francis' love for nature and animals is legendary and he is often portrayed with images of birds, a wolf or a dog, and other small forest creatures.<br />
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So why am I telling you all about St. Francis? <br />
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<strong>In the summer of 2008, I volunteered my time and talent to paint a mural of St. Francis in the reading room of the children's library at the Villa Augustina School.</strong> The mural covered one entire wall, about 12'hx14'w, and portrayed St. Francis in his native countryside, surrounded by woodland creatures, a wolf, and the tiny church of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porziuncola">Portiuncula</a>. <br />
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Here are some photos of the mural in progress:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJBEzQzabus/TooqGSNRV0I/AAAAAAAAAH4/Z5Nwo0Z3ISY/s1600/Kelly-painting-view-2-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJBEzQzabus/TooqGSNRV0I/AAAAAAAAAH4/Z5Nwo0Z3ISY/s320/Kelly-painting-view-2-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly working on the mural.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbaLY8bjbd0/TooqIiH6E5I/AAAAAAAAAH8/Qlhl8p-m4YY/s1600/Kelly-painting-Villa-mural-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbaLY8bjbd0/TooqIiH6E5I/AAAAAAAAAH8/Qlhl8p-m4YY/s320/Kelly-painting-Villa-mural-sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer view of Kelly painting.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BUv0rItocKo/TooqDJK2xVI/AAAAAAAAAH0/E_EXkprRp1U/s1600/face-in-progress-st-francis-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BUv0rItocKo/TooqDJK2xVI/AAAAAAAAAH0/E_EXkprRp1U/s320/face-in-progress-st-francis-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of face in progress.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3mDVRtx984/TooqBt4KJ9I/AAAAAAAAAHw/7vd2ooi5tv0/s1600/Dove-detail-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3mDVRtx984/TooqBt4KJ9I/AAAAAAAAAHw/7vd2ooi5tv0/s320/Dove-detail-sm.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the dove.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XJAiGBoQ4k/TooqSuvQBrI/AAAAAAAAAII/ZPzGrPlAiq8/s1600/scaffolding-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XJAiGBoQ4k/TooqSuvQBrI/AAAAAAAAAII/ZPzGrPlAiq8/s320/scaffolding-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the scaffolding needed to reach the higher sections.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Mi-UM4QAEI/TooqO3iERQI/AAAAAAAAAIE/hw8hE-pbxdw/s1600/Villa+mural+in+EDGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Mi-UM4QAEI/TooqO3iERQI/AAAAAAAAAIE/hw8hE-pbxdw/s320/Villa+mural+in+EDGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly, and members of the Villa community, with the Franciscan priest who performed the Blessing of the Animals on the feast day mass. Photo courtesy of the Goffstown EDGE.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-73698150409192142482011-10-04T06:50:00.007-04:002011-10-04T06:50:00.492-04:00The Spirituality of Art<div class="quote"><a href="" name="LarryBrullo"></a><strong>First, one seeks to become an artist by training the hand. </strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>Then one finds it is the eye that needs improving.</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote"><strong>Later one learns it is the mind that wants developing,</strong></div><div class="quote"><strong>only to find that the ultimate quest of the artist is in the spirit.</strong></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">(<span style="color: #000044;">Larry Brullo</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div><div class="quote"><em><span style="font-size: large;">How have you experienced the spirituality of art?</span></em></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6hW-h-9UI4/TopOpWvZIQI/AAAAAAAAAIM/mp-TmvMIp6I/s1600/Lotto+-detail-madonna+and+angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a6hW-h-9UI4/TopOpWvZIQI/AAAAAAAAAIM/mp-TmvMIp6I/s400/Lotto+-detail-madonna+and+angels.jpg" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Lorenzo Lotto </strong>Madonna and Child with Saints and an Angel (detail) <br />
1527-28 <br />
Oil on canvas </td></tr>
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-88982035825148482982011-10-03T09:19:00.001-04:002011-10-03T09:22:49.043-04:00Discipline | What's Your Struggle?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBC5VujgdcI/Tom0USpTaYI/AAAAAAAAAHs/CtZcEqKO3hg/s1600/Gentileschi+-self+portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBC5VujgdcI/Tom0USpTaYI/AAAAAAAAAHs/CtZcEqKO3hg/s320/Gentileschi+-self+portrait.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Artemisia Gentileschi </strong><br />
<strong>Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting </strong>1630s<br />
Oil on canvas, 96,5 x 73,7 cm <br />
Royal Collection, Windsor </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="quote"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="MiguelDeCervantes"></a>It is one thing to praise discipline, </div><div class="quote">and another to submit to it. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes" title="More Art Quotes by Miguel De Cervantes"><span style="color: #000044;">Miguel De Cervantes</span></a>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">Every morning I wake up and look at my treadmill. I want to have the self discipline to run on it daily, but I struggle to get up and get on it. Some days, its very easy. Most days, it takes almost herculean effort.</div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">As artists, it's necessary to adhere to self discipline in the studio. Without it, there would be no art, or at least no completed artwork. Thankfully, I am much better at being disciplined in the studio. </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">How have you struggled with self-discipline in the studio or your life?</div><div class="quote"><br />
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</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-34576097668122897102011-10-02T07:33:00.000-04:002011-10-02T07:33:31.708-04:00The Healing Power of Art<div class="quote"><a href="" name="MelanieCircle"></a><strong>I have huge appreciation for the healing power of art. </strong></div><div class="quote"><strong>(</strong><span style="color: #000044;"><strong>Melanie Circle</strong></span><strong>)</strong> </div><div class="quote"><br />
</div><div class="quote">How has art "healed" you?</div><div class="quote"></div><div class="quote"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jTuuq-rE4NU/TohLGMbhFpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/BRkjqDUKHGI/s1600/Steen-dr-visit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jTuuq-rE4NU/TohLGMbhFpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/BRkjqDUKHGI/s320/Steen-dr-visit.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>STEEN, Jan</strong>The Doctor and His Patient c. 1660? <br />
Oil on canvas, 76 x 64 cm <br />
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam</td></tr>
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<div class="quote"></div><div class="quote"><br />
</div>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-28365177470146659632011-09-30T07:00:00.000-04:002011-09-30T07:00:02.562-04:00The Pursuit of Perfection<div class="quote">Forget perfection; only God is perfect. Go for excellence. (<span style="color: #000044;">William Herring</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/c/copley/revere.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="340" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>John Singleton Copley </strong>Paul Revere <br />
1768-70 <br />
Oil on canvas, 87,5 x 71,5 cm <br />
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-30560537113869566582011-09-29T07:00:00.001-04:002011-09-29T10:05:55.580-04:00Jaws of Darkness | Caravaggio in Art and LifeOn this day in 1571, the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio"> Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio</a> was born in Milan, Italy. He would later be referred to as simply, "Caravaggio." <br />
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His short life was a dichotomy of darkness and light, eerily reflected in his use of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro">chiaroscuro</a>, a technique he refined in his paintings. In art, chiaroscuro describes the strong contrast of light and dark, resulting in a bold composition and realistic rendering of objects. Caravaggio took chiaroscuro to new heights in painting, yet his life was marked by a similarly bold contrast of light and dark. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jYNR5q5Mb4M/ToPC1eICevI/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZNGZWkkuTrs/s1600/02peelin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jYNR5q5Mb4M/ToPC1eICevI/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZNGZWkkuTrs/s320/02peelin.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>CARAVAGGIO </strong>Boy Peeling a Fruit <br />
c. 1593<br />
Oil on canvas, 75,5 x 64,4 cm <br />
Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell'Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence</td></tr>
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As a young boy, Caravaggio lost his father to a plague, and his mother died when he was about 13, just as he began a four year apprenticeship to the artist Simone Peterzano. His young adulthood was marred by brawls, outbursts of violent behavior, killing and imprisonment. As he aged, he grew increasingly turbulent, and was imprisoned a second time for a violent incident. The court documents of his trials and proceedings show a troubled and chaotic man, so fearful of his enemies that he slept with his dagger. This was the blackness of his life, the "jaws of darkness" from which he could not escape.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="232" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/c/caravagg/07/44jerome.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>CARAVAGGIO </strong>St Jerome <br />
c. 1606 <br />
Oil on canvas, 112 x 157 cm<br />
Galleria Borghese, Rome</td></tr>
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In stark contrast, his artistic career flourished, although the heightened realism of his paintings often offended his patrons, resulting in some of his works being repainted to suit their modesty. Through the use of chiaroscuro and realism, Caravaggio depicted his human subjects with intense naturalism. His compositions often portray biblical figures experiencing an episode of keen emotional or psychological conflict, or at the precise moment of an event, such as in <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caravaggio_Judith_Beheading_Holofernes.jpg">Judith Beheading Holofernes (1599).</a> </em>He also mastered still life, and genre scenes of musicians and fortune tellers. This was the light of his life, the blinding brightness against the obsidian darkness.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkQpsAdIWFs/ToPEE08zN2I/AAAAAAAAAHk/NGBHNB3VNjw/s1600/11fortu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkQpsAdIWFs/ToPEE08zN2I/AAAAAAAAAHk/NGBHNB3VNjw/s320/11fortu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>CARAVAGGIO </strong>The Fortune Teller <br />
1596-97 <br />
Oil on canvas, 99 x 131 cm <br />
Musée du Louvre, Paris</td></tr>
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Caravaggio's art has greatly influenced other artists such as Vermeer, Rembrandt, La Tour, Delacroix, Courbet and Manet. His art and life have been the subject of recent books and articles, including the latest by <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caravaggio-andrew-graham-dixon/1100232313?ean=9780393081497&itm=3&usri=caravaggio">Andrew Graham-Dixon, <em>Caravaggio</em> -<em><span id="goog_759723223"></span> A Life Sacred and Profa<span id="goog_759723219"></span></em><span id="goog_759723220"></span><em>ne<span id="goog_759723224"></span></em></a>.<br />
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notes:<br />
Article main source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio</a><br />
Secondary source: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caravaggio-andrew-graham-dixon/1100232313?ean=9780393081497&itm=3&usri=caravaggio">Andrew Graham-Dixon, <em>Caravaggio</em> -<em><span id="goog_759723223"></span> A Life Sacred and Profa<span id="goog_759723219"></span></em><span id="goog_759723220"></span><em>ne<span id="goog_759723224"></span></em></a>.<br />
The quote"jaws of darkness" is from Wm. Shakespeare's <em>A Midsummer Night's Dream</em><br />
<em><a href="http://www.wga.hu/">Web Gallery Of Art</a></em>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968320595431921249.post-45224853015693631982011-09-28T09:11:00.000-04:002011-09-28T09:11:22.684-04:00The View from the Summit<div class="quote"><a href="" name="HaroldV.Melchert"></a>Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point. Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing moment; and the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the journey. (<span style="color: #000044;">Harold V. Melchert</span>) </div><div class="quote"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="318" src="http://www.wga.hu/art/f/friedric/3/302fried.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> Caspar David Friedrich </strong>Morning in the Mountains <br />
1822-23 <br />
Oil on canvas, 135 x 170 cm <br />
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kelly Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02583252839718300522noreply@blogger.com0