Art Reflection – Van Gogh Sunflowers and Vincent van Gogh just go together even though somewhat counterintuitively. Vincent van Gogh did many paintings of sunflowers, completing seven in Arles and four in Paris. Although the brightness of these paintings seems to deny our common knowledge of van Gogh and his life, he wrote that these flowers communicated gratitude which is a lovely …

Art Reflection – Frankenthaler Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) was an American painter of the Abstract Expressionism and Color Field movements. She grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in wealth and privilege as the daughter of a prominent New Your State Supreme Court Justice, Alfred Frankenthaler. She described her art as a reinterpretation of her personal experiences and memories. …

Art Reflection – Lam Wifredo Lam (1902-1982) was a Cuban artist with African ancestry. He painted in the surrealism and modern movements in an attempt to bring forward the Afro-Cuban spirit and culture. The slaves were brought to Cuba by Spanish colonizers after they had killed and absorbed the indigenous population of this land. They brought Africans as replacement for …

Art Reflection – Kline I was re-introduced to the American artist, Franz Kline, during a recent presentation by Eric Muller-Gerard, a Montview member and working artist. I am so happy to share Kline and his Bethlehem with you. This work is as enigmatic as the artist himself. If you are thinking first of Bethlehem in the Holy Land, please add a second …

Art Reflection – Kahlo Frida Kahlo is a respected and intriguing artist of Mexico. She is known as the wife of Diego Rivera and the maker of haunting paintings of surrealism and magical realism. She was often the subject of her work. This painting is in the collection of the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio. Frida Kahlo experienced much …

Art Reflection – Picasso With Bidnis Dora Maar, Picasso reinforces his reputation as a breaker of every rule in art and his style of Cubism. This crowded composition of shapes, patterns and bright colors is not a straightforward portrait. I always wonder how Dora Maar felt about Picasso’s rendering of her! This work does, though, seem to bring forward a theme …

Art Reflection – Burbank In recent months the acronym “BIPOC” has gained traction in our American lexicon. From the first time I heard it, feelings of it being disrespectful have come to my mind and heart. Maybe I feel this because we can say the term so quickly  that I fear we might lose our place in the real pain …

Art Reflection – Sargent Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose is the final work in our John Singer Sargent series. I simply had to complete our consideration of Sargent with this figure composition of children. This is a fleeting scene that caught Sargent’s attention on a boating excursion on the Thames shortly after moving from Paris to Britain. The girls are Polly, …

Art Reflection – Sargent Please meet Lady Agnew of Locknaw painted by John Singer Sargent in 1893. This portrait is probably his most famous work painted ten years after his most infamous Madame X. Both were pieces of movement for Sargent’s career with the first effectively banishing him from London and the second catapulting back into the gilded, polished and superficial …

Art Reflection – Sargent This portrait of Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau was done by John Singer Sargent early in his career. It is his most infamous work. It represents a scandal that nearly ended his career and did force him to flee Paris for London and to spend time traveling the world. This portrait is dramatic with a mysterious title …