Reading- Bonnard (Part of World of art series) by Timothy Hyman.

 

As my tutor suggested I read this book in order to find out more information on Pierre Bonnard.

Pierre Bonnard was a French painter born in 1867. When he was ten years of age Bonnard was sent to boarding school and in further years went to two elite Paris Lycees. By the time he was eighteen Bonnard had passed his Baccalaureat and had enrolled at the faculty of law. During this time Bonnard also attended the Academie Julian where he met Edouard Vuillard and Ker-Xavier Roussel as well as Paul Serusier who had been indoctrinated by Gauguin, who Bonnard admired, that summer.

Bonnard and his new circle of artistic friends constructed a mock secret society with Paul Gauguin, as their absent leader. This group became known as the Nabis with Bonnard being the most worldly. The Nabis took Gauguin’s denial of space as a way of implying the transcendence of the everyday world. Bonnard was extremely fond of the idea of flatness and it became a means of which to grasp the transcendence of everyday life even more firmly. The Nabis ended up totalling to consist of twelve members: Bonnard, Denis, Ibels, Lacombe, Maillol, Ranson, Rippl-Ronnai, Roussel, Serusier, Vallotton, Verkade, and Vuillard. They met once a month at their “Temple” in Ranson’s study where sometimes musicians and other associates such as Odilon Redon and Gauguin would attend.

When Bonnard came back from military service he returned to Ecole des Beaux-Arts to find an exhibition taking place that consisted of over seven hundred Japanese prints. Bonnard found a lot of inspiration from this and combined with Paul Gauguin’s use of flatness caused a new distinctive identity to emerge rather than in his earlier works which showed talent and a sense of true tone but were rather anonymous.

Some of Bonnard’s works are shown in Timothy Hyman’s book “Bonnard” (which is part of the World of Art series).

One of these works that stood out to me was ” The Bowl of Milk” painted by Bonnard in 1919. The painting depicts a young female figure stood statuesque like, holding what appears to be a ladle, she is wearing a mauve dress and is placed at the right-hand side of the painting. The female figure is void of expression which is as rigid as her posture and she comes across as quite cold. This contrasts with the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the window onto the table and the view of the Mediterranean that can be seen outside the window. The light has also been created to look like it has fallen on the female figure which is a nice touch and adds a sense of realism to it. On the table appears to be a tray containing a jug and bowl as well as another bowl and ladle beside it. The painting is quite textured with obvious markings and a lack of blending. Bonnard has used warm-toned colours throughout and colder toned colours in order to create darkness and shadows.

The Bowl of Milk by Pierre Bonnard painted in 1919.

Another of Bonnard’s paintings that stood out to me was ” Dining Room in the Country” painted in 1913. The painting has been created from Bonnard’s view where he would have been seated at the white covered table, which he chose to reconstruct in painted form. Looking at the painting, at first glance it isn’t obvious that someone is present in it until the viewer delves deeper into the painting. A female figure, believed to be Marthe, (Bonnard’s wife), can be seen leaning on the windowsill peering into the room, making the room go from cold and empty to contain a sense of warmth and tenderness. The walls inside the room have been painted using red tones which could be an extension of the red that Marthe is wearing.  Next to her inside the room is a chair with two kittens sitting on it which isn’t obvious at first nor is the figure of the little girl, who is picking flowers in the garden, her attire and skin tone blends her into her surroundings.

Dining Room in the Country by Pierre Bonnard in 1913.

 

Finally “Dressing Table and Mirror” painted by Bonnard in 1913 also stood out to me due to the fact that the viewpoint was different from others. The painting depicts a dressing table shrouded in a purple-toned fabric which has visible brush strokes, this is completed by the purple-toned pattern taking place on the blue-toned wall. The table is adorned with a vase of orange flowers, which complements the tones used for the table, a basin and other items that are visible. Above the dressing table is a framed mirror. The mirror acts as a window to allow the viewer to see what else is visible in the room. The mirror depicts a brown dog that draws the eye due to its contrast in colour, which is curled up next to a semi-clad male figure which could possibly be Bonnard himself.

 

Dressing Table and Mirror by Pierre Bonnard painted in 1913.

 

 

References.

Hyman, T., 1998. Bonnard (world Of Art). Thames & Hudson.

Article title:	Pierre Bonnard – Dressing Table and Mirror, 1913 (Museum of Fine Arts Houston TX) at Pierre Bonnard: Painting Arcadia Exhibit Legion of Honor Museum of Fine Arts San Francisco CA
Website title:	Flickr
URL:	https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbell1975/28855103140

Article title:	Pierre Bonnard, Dining Room in the Country | Worcester Art Museum
Website title:	Worcesterart.org
URL:	https://www.worcesterart.org/exhibitions/pierre-bonnard-dining-room-in-the-country/

Article title:	‘The Bowl of Milk’, Pierre Bonnard, c.1919 | Tate
Website title:	Tate
URL:	https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bonnard-the-bowl-of-milk-t00936

Reading- Sickert: Paintings by Wendy Baron and Richard Shone.

I decided to continue my research on artists that have created intimate interior scenes and in my previous research I came across the name Sickert, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about him and his work.  The book “Sickert: Paintings” by Wendy Baron and Richard Shone was extremely helpful in finding information about Sickert as well as including a catalogue of his works.

Walter Richard Sickert was born in Munich in 1860 and was a painter, teacher, and writer. He studied at the Slade School of Art but not consistently. Sickert’s subject matter was inspired by the popular music hall and theatre, he also used newspaper photographs and unglamorous domestic life which, at times were sordid affairs, in his works. Sickert was also influenced by two artists which were J. M. Whistler and Edgar Degas. Throughout Sickert’s career, he challenged good taste which he felt bedevilled British art, therefore, creating an understated unique style to him. This means that his work doesn’t technically fit into a category although he was labelled as a latter-day impressionist as well as an intimist and realist.

From the 1880s till the 1930s Sickert created a large body of work consisting of paintings, drawings and, etchings which contained his compelling vision and technical mastery. In 1911 Sickert helped to form Camden Town Group, which became one of the Centuries very few successful modern movements. A lot of Sickert’s early work was considered controversial and often seen as vulgar. However, a few years later his early work shed it’s power to dismay and gained classical status as the product of ” Chef d’ecole”. Sickert’s paintings embody the passing moment, the unrepeatable instant of a look and the tragic view of life in order to capture the viewer.

During the 1930s Sickert created engravings that were based on popular magazines using quite brash colours, Sickert called them English Echoes. These new works however bared no resemblance to Sickert’s earlier works and his old admirers felt that they were pathetic and created by an artist that was losing the use of his faculties.

Below are some of the paintings that Sickert created that stood out to me.

The first painting is ” Le Chale Venitien” which depicts a model thought to be Carolina dell Acqua, who was given this name due to her being frightened of water. Dell Acqua was a friend of La Giuseppina, who was a fellow prostitute. The model is seated on a couch, leaning over the arm, however, she has twisted her neck and waist in order to still face towards Sickert avoiding the disturbance of the picture plane. Although the model is twisted in places she still appears to look graceful due to her shape being smoothed out by her dark clothing, her expression also appears quite playful. The way the light has been created draws the eye to the model complementing her.

Le Chale Venitien by Walter Richard Sickert in 1903-04.

This second painting is “The New Home” which like the previous painting depicts a female model although not Carolina dell Acqua this time. She is wearing a large black hat and dark clothes that almost swamp her form in front of a mantelpiece. Unlike ” Le Chale Venitien”, ” The New Home” is very textured in regards to application although the use of colours are similar and is known as being the quintessential study for the Camden Town Group. Although this painting seems like a portrait of an individual person, it is representative of a whole class of people and everyday life, the dirty worn clothes made out of sham velvet showing poverty. Sickert preferred the reality of everyday life which was not always beautiful, unlike other painters who preferred to use beautiful looking models in front of aesthetically pleasing surroundings as there subject matter.

The New Home by Walter Richard Sickert in 1908.

The third painting I selected is “The Acting Manager” also known as ” Rehearsal: the End of the Act”, which is a portrait study of Miss Helen Couper-Black. Helen is depicted collapsed on a sofa due to exhaustion, this is to represent how Helen became manager of all aspects of the theatre company d’Oyly Carte in the US and in England, after taking over from Richard d’Oyly Carte whom she had married after his death. Helen Later became the manager of the Savoy theatre. The colours used are quite dark in order to emphasis the exhaustion taking place. Sickert changed the name of this painting to “The Acting Manager” in 1895 due to the misinterpretations that were taking place.

The Acting Manager by Walter Richard Sickert in 1885-86.

The final painting is “Putana a Casa” which depicts a female figure, La Giuseppina, one of Sickert’s favourite models to paint. A lot of the time La Giuseppina brought along her friend Carolina del Acqua, both of them were prostitutes hence the title and Sickert relished their company as it was easier for him to have models come to his room meaning that he could spend more time focussing on the models and painting rather than going out looking for scenes and landscapes to paint which would have taken up vital time. La Guiseppina is sat in a chair which was one of Sickert’s typical characteristics alongside the use of placing the prop and model without spending to much time trying to place them convincingly.

Putana a Casa by Walter Richard Sickert in 1903-04.

 

 

References.

Author	Wendy Baron
Year published:	1992
Book title:	Sickert paintings
City:	London
Publisher:	Royal Academy of Arts

 

Reading- Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon.

My tutor gave me the link to a review of this book and I found it really interesting so I decided to read the book myself. I also thought it would help with my own work especially with the suggestion of “stealing” other artists work.

Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things That Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon is a very interesting book which encourages the reader to learn from other and their creative experiences in order to bring forth your own creative ideas. The book although informative is written in an easy to understand way, with it reading more down to earth than all knowledgeable and uppity. Austin Kleon in this book is trying to make the reader understand that art comes from somewhere, from others which are built upon by others and so on and so forth.

To understand art we must “Steal” from artists, it’s not really stealing as the original would have been made from others ideas going further and further back. It’s good to “steal” from other artists as it helps build your own creativity and your own skills as an artist. Kleon uses the band The Beatles as an example of this, they started as a cover band emulating their idols before they became the well-known band. We all have to start somewhere.

So the author suggests going out into the world, to write notes on anything that gives you inspiration and carry a notebook with you all the time for these inspirational moments. To explore what excites you, not by just one artist but by many and add your own skills and experiences to it. Kleon also suggests creating a “swipe file” where you take photographs of others work that you find inspirational and if you are in need of inspiration you can look back through your “swipe file”.

Thanks to this book I have already started to copy other artists work and intend to continue to do so and add my own ideas to it. It’s also encouraged me to go to an exhibition to see what I can find for myself and I am already looking for the next exhibition I can attend.

Doug Hyde Exhibition ( 10th August 2019)

On the 10th of August, I attended the Summer of Love Exhibition by Doug Hyde. Admittedly before going to the see Doug Hyde’s work I didn’t know who he was or anything about his work.

Doug Hyde started out his career by creating art for friends and family in his spare time, after just three years of creating, Doug Hyde was named as the UK bestselling published artist. Not only is Hyde popular in the UK but he is also popular in Japan with his tours selling out. Although Doug Hyde is very successful, he hasn’t forgotten the meaning behind his work which is the love he has for his wife, three children and the animals he is surrounded by at his home.

“Although the work is now sold all over the world. I paint the same way as I did 10 years ago. I imagine the room in the house where the picture will be hung and then producing it with the same excitement and love for the work that I hope the viewer will also experience.” [Doug Hyde, https://www.collectorsprints.co.uk/art-by/artist/doug-hyde/%5D.

Doug Hyde’s starting point was a smile, the idea of making people happy, and that will share in his enthusiasm. Looking around the exhibit at Doug Hyde’s work I personally felt a sense of love and happiness radiating from the paintings, and due to his popularity in the Nottingham event, I believe others felt it too. It was possible to see some of Doug Hyde’s sketches of what would be final pieces, which I thought was interesting to look at, to see where the idea started to then, what it became in the end, from fairly simple line drawings to these vibrant paintings.

I really like the idea behind Hyde’s work, sharing his love for his family and the things they do together is relatable for me with having my own family. Hyde’s work makes me think about the times I spend with my husband and two children, trying to pile everything in the car to go on holiday or watching my children play with stuffed toys using their imagination to bring them to life. Something that I am trying to portray in my own work, which is not easily done. Not only do I like the meaning behind Hyde’s art but also the style, the use of soft colours and the kind of cuteness that is portrayed.

Although the colours are soft, they aren’t washed out and are still vibrant, adding to the warmth of the theme behind the art. I thought to see the same style of character over and over again in nearly all of Hyde’s paintings would be slightly boring but I was wrong. The repetition isn’t a bad thing due to the fact that the character or characters are doing something different in each painting or sculpture. They tell the story of their lives allowing the viewer to feel a sense of intimacy and ultimately allowing us into Doug Hyde’s own life.

I felt inspired by Doug Hyde’s work that I created the drawing below.

Inspired by Doug Hyde’s Sweethearts.

Below are some of the photo’s that I took of Doug Hyde’s work during his ” Summer of Love” exhibition, some more of this collection can be seen at: https://www.whitewallgalleries.com/mkg/hyde-release-aug19/2/ and here: https://www.whitewallgalleries.com/artists/new-releases/doug-hyde

 

“Sunday Riders” by Doug Hyde measuring at 28″ X 21″.

 

“Catch a Falling Star” by Doug Hyde on the top left measuring at 22″ X 15″. Below this is “Star Sign” by Doug Hyde measuring 27″ X 15″. On the right is “Star Gazer” by Doug Hyde.

 

 

“Catch a Falling Star” by Doug Hyde at the top measuring at 22″ X 15″ and “Best Friends Forever” below it measuring at 22″ X 15″.

 

“We Share Love” by Doug Hyde measuring at 22″ X 16″.

 

“West End Girl” by Doug Hyde, measuring at 12″ X 18″.

 

“Love Overload” by Doug Hyde. Made out of Cold Cast Porcelain and measures 13″ x 10″.

 

 

“Sweethearts” by Doug Hyde, measuring at 22″ X 15″.

 

 

“You’re my Star” by Doug Hyde.

 

 

“Doggie Paddle” by Doug Hyde at the top measuring 26″X 19″ and “Finding the One” by Dough Hyde below measuring at 26″ X 17″.

 

 

 

“Love Overload” by Doug Hyde, measuring 20″ X 26″.

 

References.

Summer of Love Exhibition by Doug Hyde at Whitewall Galleries in Nottingham.

Article title:	Buy Limited Edition Doug Hyde Prints & Sculptures | Collectors Prints
Website title:	Collectors Prints
URL:	https://www.collectorsprints.co.uk/art-by/artist/doug-hyde/

Article title:	About Doug: Inside Story
Website title:	Doughyde.com
URL:	https://www.doughyde.com/about-doug-inside-story/