It's an endless saga, just a different woman in another country. It’s a wonder this artist made a name for herself having to combat such serious obstacles. Judith Leyster is yet another woman artist surrounded by setbacks and intrigue which involved fraudulent actions against her work, deliberate deception and misattribution of her work, and work … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part ll, More Lessons with Fred and Ginger and Judith Leyster in Haarlem
Pigments: Historical and Modern
There is a distinct difference between modern day pigments and the natural pigments used prior to the middle of the 1700s. In the past, artists had apprentices who ground the colors for them throughout the oil painting sessions. Because they were made by hand, the pigments retained a natural grittiness and consistency with larger particle size. Today's oil paint manufacturers make synthetic colors in huge vats where the end result is exceptional smoothness. Prior to the middle of the 1700, natural pigments came from dirt, minerals, and even plants.
Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Many of you have asked about the pigments used by the featured women artists in Part Two of Dancing Backwards, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger. This is where my Mad Scientist Pigment Nerd Self gets itchy. For decades now, I have been delving into the historical materials and techniques side of painting. This is as interesting as the actual … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Sofonisba’s pearls swayed with the rhythm of the dance while the movement of her satin dress made little crackling sounds. The guests sat awe-struck in the opulent drawing room of the villa in Cremona, windows wide open offering relief from the heat of the fire. The pairing of Sofonisba the dancer and Maddalena Casulana the lutenist accentuated the … [Read more...] about Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Dancing Backwards in High Heels: Lessons from Fred and Ginger, More Stories of Forgotten Women Artists of the Early and Current Years of Art
Part Two Back by popular demand! The celebrated partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers rustled up a rousing dos-a-dos to come back to life with more stories of women artists. Again, this series will feature select paintings, specifically focusing on colors used in the compositions. Part One of this series presented at Bronze Coast … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels: Lessons from Fred and Ginger, More Stories of Forgotten Women Artists of the Early and Current Years of Art
Finished Images Unveiled
Recap. One painting from seven artists was chosen. I echoed the palette from each painting as I painted my style in my composition. All seven are now unveiled and posted in the order the blogs were initially presented. Keep in mind, the colors from print to print and on the Internet are not identical to real life images. And they also differ from … [Read more...] about Finished Images Unveiled
Dancing the Quadrille Backwards with Lilly Martin Spencer
Out of all seven women featured in this series, Angelique Marie Lilly Martin Spencer was unique for her outstanding and magical upbringing. Born in England in 1822 to French highly educated parents, Lilly was encouraged to pursue her artistic path at an early age and had the added benefit of a home-school education. The family relocated often first … [Read more...] about Dancing the Quadrille Backwards with Lilly Martin Spencer