Art Reflection – Constable John Constable (1776-1837) was an English landscape artist. He painted in the Romantic tradition and gave us some of the most popular and valuable pieces of British art, though as with many artists, he was not financially successful during his lifetime. In his landscapes, he included breathtaking skies. To perfect these he did 100 sketches en plein …

Art Reflection – Gauguin Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) spent some of his career as an Impressionist, painting en plein air and abstracting his works with the effect of light on color. He later became dissatisfied with this approach and moved into other abstractions. Our work today is an example of his Synthetism abstraction. Here he did not paint natural views but gave …

Art Reflection – Baumann Grandma Battin’s Garden is a beautiful summer scene by Gustave Baumann. This artist was born in Magdeburg, Germany, in 1881. He immigrated to America and after some time in the Midwest moved to New Mexico in 1919. He was in love with the beauty of his new home and captured his love in woodcuts and color prints …

Art Reflection – Wong This delicate watercolor represents the profound story of a talented artist. Tyrus Wong (1910-2016) came to America from China with his father when he was nine. They were separated for a time on Angel Island when they arrived. Tyrus was alone and afraid and doubted whether America was really the “Gim San,” the Golden Mountain, of …

Art Reflection – Poussin Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was a major artist of the French Classical Movement. He painted from classic literature and the Bible. He is lauded for his precise technique, his rich colors and, in other works, the direct drama he adds to his canvases. This piece is instead a moment of peace and beauty beyond circumstance. The imprisoned …

Art Reflection – Manet Welcome to an outdoor concert that may be a felt experience for you! Here Edouard Manet (1832-1883) shows us a glimpse of modern life in London in the 1800’s that is, beyond the period details, reminiscent of life in 2023! Have you been to a concert at the Botanic Gardens recently? Manet, a French and renowned …

Art Reflection – Chagall Marc Chagall (1887-1985) was born in Russia. He was Jewish and painted his prayers of gratitude for his surroundings. In 1910 he moved to Paris. Chagall seemed to fall in love with the energy of that city just as he had loved the simplicity of his Russian village. He painted these locations in a similar fashion. …

Art Reflection -Rivera Diego Rivera (1886-1957) remains a prominent artist of Mexico most known for his murals themed in protest and social justice issues. His compositions were often filled with symbols of industry over and against the workers who were commodified for profit. This piece is part of a mural in the main headquarters of the Secretariat of Public Education …

Art Reflection -De Pareja Juan de Pareja (1606-1670) was an Afro-Hispanic painter of the Baroque period. He was born into slavery in Southern Spain and painted as a slave in the studio of the famous Diego Velazquez for two decades. Velazquez freed him from slavery in 1650. This work is filled with the lush detail of Baroque art. The fabric, …

Art Reflection – Monet Claude Monet painted this scene in one sitting while looking out a window at the harbor in his hometown of Le Harve in northern France. This seems a very humble story for a piece of such great import in the history of art. Monet captured this view of the sunrise by painting beyond traditional techniques and …