Translate

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Alma Thomas' Fields of Color

Portrait of Alma Thomas by Laura W. Waring


To find one's self lost in the color-fields of Alma Thomas is remarkably; a very good place to be so gloriously engaged. For whatever time you find yourself in their company; you are not really lost but in the hands and talents of one of America’s finest creators. Miss Thomas’ paintings are  passionate feasts of color, light and gestural forms. Patterns figure heavily into her mosaic like compositions. Her works will stand the test of time and scrutiny but at best are things to be purely enjoyed.





Miss Thomas is most associated with her beloved Washington DC where she taught in public schools and at Howard University. She was discovered after retirement while attending American University studying and quickly mastering abstraction and it’s intricacies. After a few major exhibitions her reputation grew to the highest levels and she is found in major collections, museums, magazines and histories. Her work is included at both the National Gallery and the American Art Museum in the nation’s capital as part of their permanent collections.





Nature figured greatly in the aesthetics of Alma Thomas. Her mature style was unique and by observing and using nature as her measure of excellence that singularity of expression she cherished became a reality. She loved to take long drives observing the beauty, composition and effects of light and atmosphere on the objects of the natural world. She understood the importance it played in her work and the fullness she enjoyed from experiencing it’s riches. The effect it produced on her life and art are measureless and we; the benefactors remain in wondrous awe.   






















Saturday, February 1, 2014

ANIME



There are four great works of Japanese Anime: 



                               
                     Ghost in the Shell,             Akira,                  Metropolis...







and everything by Hayao Miyazaki.


LANDSCAPES George Inness



The Hudson River School, the Barbizon and even Baroque painting as expressed by the French artists; Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin are magnificent styles of the landscape form. There is one great artist to encompass all of the fore mentioned and develop his own personal and recognizable vision. That artist is the American Master George Inness. Inness’ works have taken their place among the most noted and beautiful of paintings. His paintings are at once joyous, spiritual and illumining. As Inness matured; and with the spiritual influences of Emanuel Swedenborg, his work became more abstract in quality and reflected  spiritual as well as aesthetic ideals. The paintings of Inness have a softness and a muted understatement that is seductive and captivating. They are considered by many to possess a certain visual poetry. These Inness’ products of spiritualism and technique are wondrous treasures. They speak most eloquently and are their own statements.

"The true use of art is, first, to cultivate the artist's own spiritual nature."

George Inness