Modern and Post Modern Art

The Modern Art movement began roughly in the mid-1800's as somewhat of an experiment.  This era allowed artists to create art for the sake of art. Because of this, very different pieces and styles began to emerge. 

Pablo Picasso

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907

One of the most notable, and widely recognized Modern Artists is Pablo Picasso.  The above painting, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, was essentially the first of its kind, sparking Cubism.

Pablo Picasso

Guernica, 1937

The above painting was created as a political reaction to the Nazi's devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during Spanish Civil War.

Jackson Pollock

Untitled 

Unlike Modern, Postmodern art is art for the sake of ideas. Innovation, style and originality are less important than the idea conveyed by each work. However, this is only a generalization, as Jackson Pollock demonstrates other movements that grew out of Postmodernism.  

Jackson Pollock

Number 26, 1951

Pollock's style and unconventional method of painting was radical, at the time. 

Jackson Pollock

Blue Poles: Number II, 1952

Robert J. O'Brien

I have just begun learning how to paint in watercolor, and so far it is just as difficult as I've always thought. For that reason, I feel as though I am better able to fully appreciate Robert O'Brien's realistic watercolor paintings.

Self Service

Watercolor

 

Farmhouse, Magnagues

Watercolor

18x24"

Tilting Barn

Watercolor

15x22"

Ted

Watercolor

16x12"

Deer Island Classic

Watercolor

Upon further reflection, I am also drawn to O'Brien's works due to their rural nature.

I have been painting in the watercolor medium for over thirty years. One of my main objectives in watercolor painting is to create light through the use of shadow. In painting ordinary images, I find a fascinating interplay between the two. The transparency of the medium helps in bringing shadows alive while allowing the light to glow.  --  Robert J. O'Brien

Non-Objective Art

Untitled, 2007

Oil on Canvas

Cecil Herring

Non-Objective is by far my favorite style of painting. No particular artist comes to mind when I think of non-objective, however. This post features two different artists.

Masquerade #2
Mixed Media on Panel
16" x 16" 

Wren Katzalay

This style, by nature, is so free of constraints and definitions.  One can create it with a vision or simply through feeling. 

Persistence of memory #13
Mixed media on panel
20" x  24"

Wren Katzalay

Persistence of memory #19
Mixed media on panel
24" x 30"

Wren Katzalay

There is rarely one correct interpretation of a non-objective, and what the viewer sees in the work varies among individuals. 

Upon further Inspection....
Mixed media on panel
18" x 24"

Wren Katzalay

Deborah Butterfield

Keeping with the theme of inspiring Equine artists, Deborah Butterfield is possibly one of the, if not the, most notable artists whose work focuses solely on the Equine form.  

UNTITLED, 2011
Unique cast bronze with patina
28 x 35 x 9 inches

Butterfield not only focuses on horses, but her focus is also on sculpting the horse through various media. 

MAKANI, 2011
Unique cast bronze with patina
31 x 33 x 11 inches

Her expertise allows her to capture the subtle nuances of Equine body language with sticks, twigs and scrap metal. 

REDHEAD, 2005
Found welded steel 

30 x 124 x 67 inches

The works done in wood are then expertly cast in bronze, and finished to look like the original infrastructure. 

ULA, 2011
Unique cast bronze with patina
36 x 42 x 14 inches

My work is not so overtly about movement. My horses' gestures are really quite quiet, because real horses move so much better than I could pretend to make things move. For the pieces I make, the gesture is really more within the body, it's like an internalized gesture, which is more about the content, the state of mind or of being at a given instant. And so it's more like a painting...the gesture and the movement is all pretty much contained within the body. - Deborah Butterfield

The Beginning

First off, I would like to say that blogging is not my forte. I feel as though I am talking to myself, and I apologize in advance for any insanities that may flow from my brain. 

I struggled with the idea of where I should begin with this blog. I don't really follow any artists in particular. Rather, I admire anything, by anyone, that I find pleasing. This internal struggle led me to the only logical beginning to my blog. I should write about my first memories of being intrigued by art. 

First and foremost, I should point out that all things Equine have dominated the majority of my life. Naturally, the first artist I admired shared this characteristic.  Jared Lee is a graphic artist who caught my nine-year-old eye with his line of horse-themed, humor laden cartoons. When I say humor laden, I mean that horse people find his products hilarious, while "normal people" are usually left scratching their heads. 

                                             This particular cartoon was a favorite of my dad's.

Lee got his start designing greeting cards for Gibson Greetings. After two years, he began his career as a free-lance artist, launching himself as a much-sought-after artist. Amongst many other things, Lee was selected as one of the six illustrators to create the first McDonald's Happy Meal box.   

Shamelessly, I still wear this shirt on occasion. 

Lee's resume boasts other notable companies, such as L.L. Bean, the U.S. Postal Service, Hasbro, Land's End any many others.  He also illustrated many children's books. 

 Anyone who has ever encountered a less-than-amused horse will understand this particular illustration.

From the time I received my first Jared Lee t-shirt, I wanted to start designing my own line of horse-related clothing.  As a result, I began drawing. 

Saddle Bread! Get it? 

While this art may not be incredibly profound, all things must start somewhere. I find it fitting that my blog should begin with my first inspiration.