Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

Penelope’s Web

Red Haired Men and Other Curiosities on Pigments

by

A lively and strange excerpt from Bright Earth by Philip Ball,  gives us a recipe for Spanish Gold using pure magical thinking. From the writings of Theophilus: "There is also a gold named Spanish gold, which is compounded from red copper, basilisk powder, human blood, and vinegar. The heathen, whose skill in this art is … [Read more...] about Red Haired Men and Other Curiosities on Pigments

The Basilisk

by

According to Micha Lindemans, the basilisk is the mythical king of the serpents. This cockatrice creature was born from a spherical, yolkless egg, laid during the days of Sirius by a seven year old rooster and hatched by a toad. It also played a role in the making of Spanish Gold. The basilisk could have originated from the horned adder or hooded … [Read more...] about The Basilisk

American Art in Miniature

by

Again this year, Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is presenting the American Art in Miniature exhibit. This popular show is a juried invitational and features 220 artists from across the country. The prices range from $275 to $6,200 and measure no larger than 108 square inches. This is one of the museum's many annual fundraising events that … [Read more...] about American Art in Miniature