Art Detectives

  Top of the Day is Everything!  But this life-size crochet tree-climber is a representative of  some of the weird, wild, wonderful art we saw today.  Nathan Vincent, Crochet Artistry & T-Rex head -- link --  Singaporean artist Kelly Limerick -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Time is a Commodity, April 2021, -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Radiolarian (Facebook AIR) -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Vessels -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Unlikely Dwellers of the Union (National Heritage Board) -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Portal of Patterns (Asian Civilizations Museum) -- link --  Kelly Limerick, Shadow of a Single Smokestack -- link --  MUJI Living in a Garden City -- link --  Liisa Hietanen, Lifesize People of Crochet! -- link --  Liisa Heitanen website -- link --  Lisa Heitanen, more images (click the little arrow at the right of the image) -- link --  Lisa Heitanen, even more images (click the little arrow at the right of the image)-- link --  Luisa De Santi -- link --  Benjamin Russ

Double Top of the Day!  Liza Lou's Beaded Kitchen & Lucy Sparrow's Felt Grocery Store (links below) Today we started looking at the crochet art of a variety of artists -- but some of the pieces were a little too twee & cutesy for our group. So Ruth suggested we look at the felt grocery store created by Lucy Sparrow. She creates superb representations of food & drink items, a whole freezer case and cola fridge! It's astounding. Ruth then suggested we look at Liza Lou's beaded kitchen and a beaded picnic area. Wow. Hundreds of thousands of beads woven, glued, positions to recreate her grandmother's kitchen with nods to feminist ideals & cliché version of the housewife's milieu. As she crafted this kitchen and added to it over the years, her political point of view became more prominent. The picnic area she created was also fantastic. At the very end, we looked at a knitting artist -- Luisa De Santi. Her knitting sculptures are vibrant & unique.

  Top of the Day: The sloop Study B - Amadeo de Souza Cardoso - 1913  -- link -- The sloop - Amadeo de Souza Cardoso - c. 1914-15  -- link -- Dame" (the carnation girl) - Amadeo de Souza Cardoso - 1913  -- link -- Mutilated Woman Crushing Of Grace Mixed With New Violence - Amadeo de Souza Cardoso - c. 1914-15  -- link --

Once again, an exciting artist you all found last Saturday needed further exploration. We looked at the superb work of Amadeo de Souza Cardoso; one of the first Portuguese modern artists.  Top of the Day: Everything! But for the purposes of this blog, here's Avant la Corrida (Advance the Race, is the literal translation -- but probably more, "advance to the race"), 1912 -- link --  Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, Untitled, 1916 -- link --  Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, The Kitchen at Manhufe House, 1913 -- link --  Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, Clown Horse Salamander, 1911-1912 -- link --  Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, The Greyhounds, 1911 -- link -- 

Top of the Day: Gemälde G - Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, c. 1912 Today's Artwork: Gemälde G - Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, c. 1912 -- link -- Palissade - Raymond Hains, 1976 -- link -- Night in Bologna - Paul Cadmus, 1958 -- link -- Train Window – The Lonely Violin - Zhang Xiaogang, 2010 -- link -- Pair of Flintlock Pistols - Leonardus Graeff -- link -- ​

Top of the Day,  Luigi Ontani, BebeBete, 2007 --   link   --  From Saturday's Random Show with Jerry -- came several of the artists we've delved into this week. The madcap Luigi Ontani uses techniques we've not encountered before in some of his work; specifically lenticular holograms which Beth researched for us then defined. He's also a ceramicist & painter, uses papier-maché & many other inventive and innovative media to tell his stories .... or to leave us pondering whether there is one or not!  Luigi Ontani, OssiMoro sorVoLante, 2004 / 2006 -- link --   Luigi Ontani, Alnus Aurea of the Sect of the 7 Suspects -- link --   Luigi Ontani, Sci à Mano, 2007 / 2011 -- link --  Luigi Ontani, ErmaBorgheseEstetica 2002 / 2007 -- link -- 

Top of the Day, Leslie Anne Markowitz, Mixed Media  We got to celebrate the new work of our group member, Leslie Anne Markowitz & peruse many of her pieces, learning about different techniques & the variety of materials she uses. Everyone excitedly & thoughtful gave her feedback on her artwork. Kudos to our group for embracing our own in the pursuit of artistic joy.  We also looked at the whimsical work of Jae Suk Kim who makes flowers dance on paper against drawings of long-legged silhouettes. Included in his phenomenal Instagram (below) are some sculptural pieces as well that blew us away! His work is below Leslie Anne's in this roster.  The Exhilarating Jae Suk Kim  Jae Suk Kim, Susu Girls -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Susu Girls, Fall Couture -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Ceramic -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Happy Chuseok Holidays -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Peek-a-Boo animation -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Let the Holiday Begin -- link --  Jae Suk Kim, Wrap Up the Week -- link -

Top of the Day: Nine Cartoons for the Execution of a Frieze for the Dining Room of Stoclet House in Brussels: Part 7, Part of the tree of life - Gustav Klimt, 1910–1911 Today's Artwork: Studio Interior - Ramon Casas, Around 1883 -- link -- Marigolds - Koloman Moser, 1909 -- link -- They spruce themselves up - Francisco Goya y Lucientes, 1799 -- link -- Diablada dance mask -- link -- Nine Cartoons for the Execution of a Frieze for the Dining Room of Stoclet House in Brussels: Part 7, Part of the tree of life - Gustav Klimt, 1910–1911 -- link -- Uphill Road - Alfred Sisley, 1870 -- link -- ​

Inspired by a recent random show Jerry ran, we perused the wild & visually imaginative / beautiful / stirring / unusual artwork of Marcos Raya. What a find! Whether you like his work or not, and we all seems to find something to admire, it's certainly a conversation-starter. His political work has great meaning with multiple historical & cultural context; his use of color explodes in so many of his pieces from murals to paintings to sculpture.  Marco Raya's Lady In Red (n.d.) from is our Top of the Day!  Marcos Raya, The Anguish of Being and the Nothingness of the Universe, 2000 -- link --  Here are some murals we looked at -- link --  Mictlan (the Underworld) bejeweled skeletons just in time for Halloween & D í a de los Muertos! -- link --  Girl with Broken Leg -- link --  Here was the Marcos Raya piece that you all viewed & discussed last Saturday -- link --  Here's our Blog from that day -- link --  Marcos Raya's website: http://www.marcosraya.c

What a wonderful day!! I had set up a show featuring some of the painters that you all saw last Saturday with Jerry. Then Luba told me I'd missed an email she sent last week! This is the artist, her brother-in-law, who she shared with us today.  Our Top of the Day is Lloyd Cameron's Fractals SOOOOOO much wonderful color; the shapes and forms so intriguing. What a gift that was to all of us this Monday. We didn't do our usual, Passing out the Paintings and just reviewed the many paintings on his website below. It's always fun to vary our times together.  Lloyd Cameron paintings, click on each painting to see a larger version or use the arrows on the right or left to cycle through them -- link --  At the end of our time together, we reviewed the work of Australia's Grace Cossington Smith; this was one of the artists you all explored last Saturday. We will delve into her artistry more thoroughly later this week or next. Here's the Google Arts & Culture link to

Top of the Day: Four sunflowers gone to seed - Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), August - October 1887 Today's Artwork: Eiffel Tower - Antonio Seguí, 1982 - 1982 -- link -- Four sunflowers gone to seed - Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), August - October 1887 -- link -- The Legacy of Manifest Destiny (El legado del Destino Manifiesto) - Marcos Raya, 1995 -- link -- The Bridge in-curve - Grace Cossington Smith, (1930) -- link -- Arlemarlecchino - Luigi Ontani, 1995 -- link -- ​

  Our Top of the Day is Amy Cutler's  Gorge finished in  2009  --  link  --  New pieces acquired by the National Gallery of Art formed our show today. Lots of varied work & we saw a great deal of pieces as we scrolled by and landed on these: Rozeal (formerly known as iona rozeal brown),  SONG OF SOLOMON 5:16 – BE BEEWORLD: BE B BOY B GIRL (after “Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Gueifei playing the same flute,” by Utamaro Kitagawa) , 2014 - 2016 -- link --  Carrie Mae Weems,  Echoes for Marian , 2014 -- link --  Robert Adams,  Longmont, Colorado, Sally in the Backyard , 1981  -- link --  Dosso Dossi,  The Trojans Building the Temple to Venus at Eryx and Making Offerings at Anchises’s Grave , c. 1520  -- link --  Christopher Myers, What Does it Mean to Matter (Community Autopsy) , 2019 -- link --  Alighiero Boetti,  Oggi diciannovesimo giorno ottavo mese dell'anno millenove100ottantotto (Today the Nineteenth Day of the Eighth Month of the Year OneThousandNine100Eighty-Eight),

Top of the Day: The Icknield Way - Spencer Gore, 1912 Today's Artwork: Don Rosendo in the Night Watch - Carmen Bordes Pacheco, 1993 -- link -- Reforestation - Emily Carr (1871 - 1945), 1936 -- link -- The Icknield Way - Spencer Gore, 1912 -- link -- River of No Return - Lee Jung-seob, 1916/1956 -- link -- In the Omnibus - Mary Cassatt, c. 1891 -- link -- Children and Goats Resting by a Felled Tree - Ludwig Richter, 1868 -- link -- Machu Picchu I - Georgia O'Keeffe, 1957 -- link -- ​

Top of the Day is Kosai Hori's The Garden of the Fall and Rebirth-9, 2015 Hiroko Okada, Engaged Body: My body is made up of Complicated Puzzles -- link --  Hiroko Okada, AIZOU BENTO - Love and Hate Lunchbox (pine) -- link --  Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, The Globe Project: Garden of Globes, 2007 -- link --  Fradika Galang, Red Dart, 2018 -- link --  Kosai Hori, The Garden of the Fall and Rebirth-8, 2015 -- link --  Iwan Effendi, Resurrection Series No. 2, 2020 -- link -- 

We celebrated the genius of Moira Hahn today! Wow. Wow. WOWWWWW. Her specificity and detail, and the sumptuousness of her watercolor paintings (and ink drawings) are just magical. Some were overwhelmed by the amount of images in each painting, others of us were mesmerized. Thanks to Ruth for introducing us to her brilliant artwork.  Top of the Day is Moira Hahn's exquisite Ukiyo-e Re-Mix Series, Henned In, 2008 --  link  --  (Please look below for more details of this!!) Moira Hahn, Ukiyo-e Re-Mix Series, Henned In, detail -- link --  Moira Hahn, Ukiyo-e Re-Mix Series, Henned In, detail -- link --  Moira Hahn, Ukiyo-e Re-Mix Series, Henned In, detail -- link --  Moira Hahn, Ukiyo-e Re-Mix Series, Henned In, detail -- link --  Moira Hahn, Red Carpet Treatment, 2008 --  link  --  Moira Hahn, Red Carpet Treatment, close up --  link  --  --  link  --  Moira Hahn, Red Carpet Treatment, close up --  link  --  Moira Hahn, Red Carpet Treatment, close up --  link  --  Moira Hahn, Red Ca

Based on a painting you all enjoyed & discussed in great detail from Jerry's show last Saturday (the 11th), we studied more of the work of the Brazilian Master.  Top of the Day is the intricate & whimsical  Chegou Tarde (The Latecomer), 1890 --   link   --  Pedro  Weingärtner, Landscape, 1900  -- link --  Pedro  Weingärtner,  Reap, 1907 -- link --  Pedro  Weingärtner, Tempora Mutantur (The Markets are Changing), 1898 -- link --  And here's the link to the painting that set off today's excitement (from Jerry's Saturday entry) ...                                                                   look for The Maker of Angels -- link -- 

Top of the Day: Double Portrait with a Glass of Wine - Marc Chagall (1887-1985), Paris, Centre Pompidou - Musée national d'art moderne, © Adagp, Paris, 2018, 20th Century Today's Artwork: The Golden Horn - Tristram James Ellis, 1880/1890 -- link -- Mars Orange and Green - Arthur Dove, 1935 -- link -- The Maker of Angels - Pedro Weingärtner, 1908 -- link -- 冨嶽三十六景　礫川雪の旦|Morning after the Snow at Koishikawa in Edo (Koishikawa yuki no ashita), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei) - Katsushika Hokusai, ca. 1830–32 -- link -- Double Portrait with a Glass of Wine - Marc Chagall (1887-1985), Paris, Centre Pompidou - Musée national d'art moderne, © Adagp, Paris, 2018, 20th Century -- link -- ​

Today was a celebration of Public Art in the form of the Buddy Bears, Cow Parade & Manatee Mailboxes because we needed some JOY!!!!  Carmen Miranda Manatee! (so many choices below for Top of the Days ... but, come onnnnnnnnn!!!!! The Berlin Buddy Bears have traveled all around the globe to bring joy & unity wherever they go. Here's a brief history -- link --  Buddy Bear acrobats -- link --  United Buddy Bears, Berlin -- link --  Buddy Bears in Latvia -- link --  United Buddy Bears, Jerusalem -- link --  United Buddy Bears, Sofia Bulgaria -- link --  A public art celebration from all over the world -- in the unlikeliest of forms: Cow Parade -- link --  More on the Cow Parade -- link --  Cow Bookends, Denver -- link --  DoubleCow in Lima, Peru -- link --  Manatee Costumes in one neighborhood -- link --  Manatee Mailboxes! (This is technically an ad for the mailboxes, but you can click through the wonderful costumes people have devised for their manatees) -- link -

 Top of the Day is  Utagawa Kuniyoshi variation on the theme of  The Mouse Turned into a Maid --   link   --  Yesterday's Top of the Day inspired us to look at the masterful woodblocks of Utagawa Kuniyoshi.  Self-portrait of Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the shunga album  Chinpen shinkeibai , 1839  -- link --  Hawk, woodblock print  -- link --  Tiger, woodblock print -- link --  The First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty in China, in Search of the Magical Herbs of Longevity, Had Ten Great Ships Built, and the Court Magician Xu Fu with Five Hundred Boys and Girls, Carrying Treasure, Food Supplies, and Equipment, Set Out for Mount Pengla,  c. 1843  -- link --  Pilgrims in the Waterfall -- link -- 

Top of the Day: No. 12 Sasai Kyuzo Masayasu - Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1848 - 1849 Today's Artwork: Ben Eine, London - Ben Eine, 2012 -- link -- Plate 17 from 'Los Caprichos': It is nicely stretched (Bien tirada está.) - Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes), 1797–98 -- link -- Tritons and Naiads. Part of the wall decoration of the villa of Albers in Berlin-Steglitz - Max Klinger, 1884/1885 -- link -- No. 12 Sasai Kyuzo Masayasu - Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1848 - 1849 -- link -- ​

Top of the Day is Zadkiel, Tony Duquette's 28 ft archangel of freedom, benevolence & mercy Tony Duquette's 1980 Exhibition of Angels is drawn from many cultures all over the world. It first showed in Los Angeles then San Francisco, but sadly, a fire destroyed most of the exhibit. Thankfully this website shows the work designed by Tony and crafted by his wife, his studio assistants, and many dutiful volunteers who brought the work to life.  Mayor Tom Bradley congratulates Tony Duquette at the opening of the Angel exhibit in 1980 at the Merle Oberon Theater (since renamed) -- link --  28 foot angel prototype -- link --  Tapestry of the Madonna -- link --  Volunteer seamstress creating one of Tony's tapestry designs -- link --  18th century style altar design -- link --  Archangel Raphael, 28 feet -- link --  Archangel Ariel, 28 feet -- link --  Fabric Mosaic of the "Heavenly Host" (an angel meeting) from the '80s -- link --  Archangel Zadkiel, 28 fee

  Top of the Day is the Rainbow Embassy by Okuna San Miguel!  Labor Day had us looking at more of Okuda San Miquel's colorful exuberance!  The Fort Smith Rainbow Embassy -- link -- https://okudasanmiguel.com/project/rainbow-embassy/ Lighthouse in Cantabria -- link -- https://okudasanmiguel.com/project/infinite-cantabria/ More on the lighthouse -- link -- https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/spanish-lighthouse-colorful-installation Kaos Trip -- link -- https://okudasanmiguel.com/exhibition/kaos-trip/

Top of the Day: An eine Stimme (With One Voice ) - Kandinsky, Vassily, 1916-09 Today's Artwork: The Triumph of Patience - Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert, 1559 -- link -- Arizona Mesas - Vincent Colyer, 1869 - 1871 -- link -- The Death of Britannicus - Alexandre Denis Abel de Pujol, 1800–1861 -- link -- Manuscript of the Qur'an (Complete) - Unknown, 3rd quarter of 16th century -- link -- An eine Stimme (With One Voice ) - Kandinsky, Vassily, 1916-09 -- link -- ​

Top of the Day is one of Diana's Son-in-law's photos but for now, we will make it this one!  First, we showed art by Diana's son-in-law Michael of an inquisitive squirrel who comes to visit their porch. Mike sets up a camera around chess boards, a fan, a mirror & the curious critter comes a-calling! Mike takes dozens or more shots, remotely from inside the house as the squirrel examines each object. So much work to get these phenomenal photos. Inventive & creative with a smart squirrel collaborator to boot! (We will post those photos as well as Mike once gets them watermarked.) We are really lucky & excited to be able to show these on our blog!  We also looked at the Boston Seaport where an exhibit of Okuda San Miguel's sculptures welcomes visitors and delights locals.  Link to the sculptures as well as some images below of Okuda & his team building the artwork. -- link --   These are closeups of the project from his website:  -- link --  This link has

Top of the Day: Still Life with Huntsman - Snijders, Frans, c. 1615 Today's Artwork: Boy Sleeping in a Barn - Ryckhals, François, c. 1635 - 1640 -- link -- Brazilian Landscape with a House under Construction - Post, Frans, c. 1655 - 1660 -- link -- Mercury and Herse - Moeyaert, Nicolaes, 1624 -- link -- Still Life with Huntsman - Snijders, Frans, c. 1615 -- link -- ​This Museum in the Netherlands offered a glimpse back into European & South American history. What a feast for the eyes & ..... in the case of our Top of the Day for the strong & hungry stomach! 

Top of the Day: Frozen Assets - Diego Rivera, 1931 Today's Artwork: Frozen Assets - Diego Rivera, 1931 -- link -- Valle de Tucavaca - Plurinational State of Bolivia - Sonia Falcone and José L. Yapita -- link -- Glance of a Landscape - Paul Klee, Swiss, 1879 - 1940, 1926 -- link -- Untitled - Kandinsky, Vassily, 1933 -- link -- Frontispiece for a novel - Artist: Kaburaki Kiyokata, ca. 1910 -- link -- Gypsum wall panel depicting a lion hunt in relief -- link -- ​