Dorothea Tanning- Surrealist Art

Dorothea Tanning, born in Galesburg, Ill in 1910 received her training at Chicago's Knox College in Chicago, made an impact on New York at an early age. Where a meeting with French Surrealist Artist Max Ernst, among others, would make a life changing impact on her life1 transforming herself into one of the foremost surrealist artist of our time.

It was difficult to choose an image of Dorothea Tanning's Surrealist Art because not only of her vast portfolio of work but of the quality. The question was; Which painting available for me best symbolises Dorothea Tanning's Surrealist Art? I couldn't answer the question effectively without doing the art and artist an injustice because that's a question best answered by the artist.

So, I chose the one to which I could best give an opinion. The image of Family Portrait struck me most because of how each family member's size, for me, speaks to their status in the family. The father figure shown here as a translucent, looming figure, larger than everyone else poses as the most important or influential member, perhaps even imposing. His eyes are round mirror like glasses yet showing no reflection. The next in size is a younger woman perhaps a daughter, prim and solemn being served by an older, matriarchal figure. The older woman in relation to the rest of the family is smallest in size suggesting a status of least importance. Her facial expression is solemn yet hard to see as her features are smaller and not as easy to see as the others which to me, suggest her feelings are of least importance as well.

I could be way of base here in my opinion as I don't really know what the artist was trying to depict. Either way, Dorothea Tanning has made an impression on me as an artist who's symbolism illustrates an insight into the human psyche that is unique. In my opinion that psyche speaks to how we view ourselves whether swisted, skewed or in degrees of good, evil or sanity.

For more about Dorothea Tanning Surrealist... http://www.thefreelibrary.com/DOROTHEA+TANNING-a075830825

1http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/tanning/, 2 photo from www.writedesignonline.com

Isamu Noguchi- Artist, Architect

Combining two things I love, art and furniture is absolutely heavenly. But, I feel I'm underrating this piece by putting it in the class of furniture, I'll like to call it functional art, art that you live with and interact with making it a part of your daily life.

It's really ironic how much I love furniture because I always have the worst trouble choosing pieces for myself. So, usually I go for a minimalist living space rather than have something I don't like in my home.

His life span 1904-1988 is short in comparison to the life of creativity that came from his mind which makes this man's work immortal. I chose his coffee table because of my love of furniture but this is only a small corner in his universe of creations which include, writings, paintings, sculpturs and more.

More about Isamu Noguchi: http://www.noguchi.org/index.html

Feng Zhendgjie

Immediately, I was struck by the futuristic, cyborg like impression of these paintings but, was I wrong?

From viewing several of Feng Zhendgjie's work I noticed that all of his subjects are depicted with irises focused in opposite directions basked in an ora of light framing the head and sometimes shoulders.

Often his work is contrast with a dark backdrop or an eye catching bright hue of color framing the face. Each work has a different expression which makes me believe that each subject was a real person of striking substance and in a focused mode of thought to be reflected in the subjects face.

Below is a quote taken directly from Phillips de Pury and Company Gallary:

"A female face with the irises located at the extremities can almost be regarded as a trademark of Feng Zhengjie’s paintings. We feel, of course, something strange when facing these paintings: we can’t understand what she is looking at, or what she is thinking. We say, in Japanese, that 'the eyes tell more than the mouth' which means that the expression of the eyes is decisive. The artist, first hid their eyes’ expression by using sunglasses, then he found that he could do it, more effectively, by locating the irises at the extremity of the eyes. This is a discovery and a surprise. Moreover, this solution gives us a bizarre impression as if the girls have no eyes, although their eyes are actually depicted.On the other hand, the lips are painted vivid rouge. The color seems even gaudy to some people. If you look at these lips closely, you will find that they are all individual with different shapes and expressions. They are all charming and attractive, more or less, appear from the gaudiness of the color.Their lips make a remarkable contrast with the dehumanized look in their eyes," (C. Shigeo, “These Girls Are Looking At? Feng Zhengjie’s Paintings,” Feng Zhengjie, Italy, 2004, pp.108-109).

See more of Feng Zhengjie's work or to read about him visit:http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/feng_zhengjie.htm

Arrangement in Grey and Black- Whistler's Mother

Even before I could understand what this meant, I always thought the mother depicted in this painting looked just plain tired. I've seen the same expression and demeanor from my own mother after a day's work so as a child I imagined she had 4 lively children who were willful and kept her on the go.

Now, I wonder what she's thinking, what's going on around her, what happened just before she sat for the painting? Then I rationalize with the period of the painting, perhaps she's simply sitting? She can't be tire because that was a time when slaves were still being used to do everyday mundane tasks for their masters. Is she just lazy? What is she focusing on? What is she resting her feet on? Is there a treat wrapped in her kerchief to quiet a squalling child?

I ask these questions to try to connect with James McNeil Whistler and other artist who are now separated from us by an expanse of time and death in an attempt to make the piece more personal and to gain more understanding beyond what critics view as a powerful or simple brush stroke.

This seemed appropriate for today as Mother's everywhere are being honored for being the bringers of life in our world. She is only one of whom I'd love to honor today my own mother is one as well. To say thanks to all and Happy Mother's Day.

Anna Hyatt-Huntington Sculptor

Panther Ascending A Rock in bronze Circa 1907, is only one of Anna Hyatt's works. At first glance I'm struck by a sleek muscular animal whose posture is of basking in a carresing heat of midevening sunshine.

The expression on the animals face is reminiscent of a result I get when scratching the head of my mom's domesticated cat. Anna Hyatt's stricking ability to capture such realism and life makes me smile even now.

Anna Hyatt's father was a Paleontologist at Harvard University which I can only imagine would've instilled, at an early age, a love and fascination with animal forms.

Enjoy this award winning artist's work on you own to discover what i have in a very short time. Which is that any medium can be used to convey a spectacular award winning work of art.