Introductory Post

Gallery name: Time of the Season
Location: San Francisco, California

I, Annique Cornejo, run this gallery. I show a strong interest in seasons and nature and believe it is important for everyone to admire Earth and how marvelous it is. After examining this blog, I hope you appreciate Earth and how awesome it is more than before, as I do too after creating this blog. Enjoy!

Exhibition Introduction

Title of the Exhibition: Annique's  Exhibition of Art
Featuring artists such as: Homer Dodge Martin, William Merritt Chase, Vincent Van Gogh, Walter Launt Palmer, Ivan Shishkin, Carmen Beecher, Ernest Lawson, Leonid Afremov, Ginette Callaway, and Thomas Cole.

This show is about the beauty of seasons how the earth changes and adapts. I love the season theme because I love the change and transition between seasons and the beauty in it. Mother nature is truly amazing. The connection between each work is that they are all showing a different season. Some paintings are very abstract in showing it, yet some are very clear in what it is showing and I purposely did it that way to get a different feel in the same season, but viewing it in a new outlook. A lot of the artists also connect in with each other and influenced one another. Some knew each other and I thought that was very neat and a good touch to my blog. Another connection is the Oil on Canvas. I love those type of paintings as well as the impressionist movement that most of my artists featured were apart of. These connections were made with careful research, and a lot of time put into my blog to have a necessary flow and organization to it. I wanted it to connect in not only the images, but the artists themselves. I selected the artists carefully by researching them before I chose their work. If I found the art would be a good fit to my blog, I would research them and see if they connecting to the artist in anyway whether it be through knowing each other, the art style, and even the media. I also was fond of the artists that had very interesting meanings behind their paintings and I absolutely loved reading the background or story behind each painting. My goal is that my viewers see what I saw as I was creating this blog and can also make these connections as if they were seeing it without this introduction. After viewing my blog, I hope it inspires people to view art in a different way and see the different beauty in seasons.

Evening on the Thames

Artist: Homer Dodge Martin

Title: Evening of the Thames
Media: Oil on Canvas

 Dimensions: 18 1/4 x 30 1/8"

Date: 1876

 

Homer Martin was born October 28, 1836 in Albany, New York. He is the fourth and youngest son in his family. Just like many others, his work was closely assigned with the Hudson River School.

During the 1860s he spent the summers in the Adirondacks, Catskills and White Mountains where he painted landscapes. He was known for his land scape paintings. On June 25, 1861 he married Elizabeth Gilbert Davis. Homer was elected as associate of the National Academy of Design, New York, in 1868. From 1882 to 1886, he lived in France, where he spent most of his time in Normandy, including stays at the Etaples art colony. In 1893 he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where he created one of his best known works "Adirondack Scenery." You can find Homer's work in Addison Gallery of American Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Albany Institute of History and Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Portland Art Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. I chose this work because I love the evening setting. The dim colors in the sky remind me of the sun setting on a warm summer night and it's very comforting. The few colors used remind me of the night time beginning. The faint water also seems to be fading away and a cool summer night is about to start. The building on the left is already begun to fade away into the evening. Warm summer nights is what this painting reminds me of and it goes so well with my theme. Connecting it to other works where there was summer rain, warm winters, spring popping flowers up, autumn beginning, this reflects summer evening and is a perfect tie to my blog.

Silent Dawn

 

Artist: Walter Launt Palmer

Title: Silent Dawn
Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 30 x 40 in. (76.2 x 101.6 cm)

Date: 1919
 

 Walter was born August 1, 1854 in Albany, New York. He was an American Impressionist painter. His father Erastus Dow Palmer was a prominent sculptor and grew up surrounded by his fathers friends such as Frederick E. Church who was a notable landscape painter. At the age of 18 he had his work accepted for a show at The National Academy of Design in New York. At the age of 24 Palmer had become a protégé of Frederick Church, and ultimately shared a studio with him in New York city from 1878-1881. In 1890 he married Georgianna Myers who sadly died two years later during childbirth. Walter later married Zoe de Vautrin Wyndham. In 1903 their daughter Beatrice was born . Walter's work was influenced primarily by the regionalist principles of the Hudson River School. His travels through the Catskill Mountains, Hudson River Valley, Paris and Venice are reflected in his landscapes. Walter Launt Palmer’s snow scenes earned him a reputation as a master of capturing winter on canvas. This piece "
Silent Dawn" was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Mr. Palmer is a devotee of the bleak and wintry season of
               the year, when everything is snowed under, that is, except
        Mr. Palmer's work, and all but one of these fourteen pictures
        are snow scenes­-- the exception is a hot, turgid, sunny
        Venice... as rosy red and warm as his snow pictures
        are blue and blue, and Mr. Palmer is no less happy in both."

As I was skimming through looking for painting that would fit my blog, I came upon this one and loved it. I admire the tilting tree and the light brown tint on the snow that gives the painting more life. The snow is so white that it is reflected on the stream. As I was researching the background on Walter Palmer I came across the fact that he had traveled through the Hudson River School and the Catskill Mountains which made a connection to Thomas Cole on one of my previous posts. I thought it was so interesting how I coincidentally came upon an artist who would be connected to one of my artists I have already posted about. I love when artists collide together and when I can make connections between them because it's wonderful to see how other artists influence each other.

Summer Fun

Artist: Carmen Beecher
Title: Summer Fun

Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 6 in X 6 in (15.2 cm X 15.2 cm)

Date: August 2012

 

"The more I paint, the more I want to paint, so being a Daily Painter suits me just fine" said Carmen herself. Carmen was a solitary child and alternated her time between reading and drawing. However, now, she is not a solitary adult. She is active in painting groups as well as two daily painter sites online. Oil painting is her main art, but she also does abstract art, collage and when she needs to she will get "zen with the pen" for a meditative art activity. She resides in Florida and a lot of her paintings come from scenes in Florida. She gets inspired by new places, different light and atmosphere, and a different palette. "Sitting on a rock in a new spot with paint all over me is a very happy place" she states. She joined daily painting, an online community of painters who commit to three or more paintings a week and post them on daily painting websites. This movement connects artists throughout the world and makes art affordable. In this painting, we see a little boy playing in beach water. I chose this because this is summer in a nutshell, beach trips! What is summer without the beach. We are lucky enough to have beautiful beaches here and it is a main thing everyone does during summer. I couldn't show a summer painting in my art blog without having the beach. The way the waves are coming up to his feet are so elegant and his body language shows how fascinated this boy is with the water. This painting is so detailed you can even see his shadow in the water where he is being reflected by the warm summer sun. I love the distinction of summer in this image and how realistic it is when it comes to children and the beach. This is definitely summer fun!

Spring Tapestry

Artist: Ernest Lawson
Title: Spring Tapestry

Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 40 1/8 x 50 in (101.9 x 127 cm)

Date: 1930

 

Ernest Lawson was born March 22, 1873 in  Halifax, Nova Scotia and arrived in the United States in 1888 and settled in Kansas City.  In 1891, he went to live in New York and enrolled in classes at the Art Students League, studying under John Twachtman, who introduced him to Impressionism and would become one of his biggest influences. He was a member of "the eight" which was a group of artists who formed a loose association in 1908 to protest the narrowness of taste and restrictive exhibition policies of the conservative, powerful National Academy of Design. Ernest was known to be a landscape painter, but he also painted realistic urban scenes. His style of painting is influenced by John Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, and Alfred Sisley. He later married his former art teacher, Ella Hollman. "Lawson was accused of failing to disguise the more rugged elements in his canvases. His rocks looked hard and harsh—in other words, like rocks, not cream puffs; and he often included some human sign—a tumbledown shack, a sagging jetty, an abandoned rowboat—which in those genteel days were evidently considered no better than ashcans, and no fit subjects for 'art.'—William Glackens, quoted in Ira Glackens." This piece, Spring Tapestry is one of Ernest Lawson's most masterful summations of his landscape painting style. The tension between the gentle Impressionist poetry of spring and the bustle of urban life makes up a large part of Lawson's unique vision as a landscape painter. I admire the simple colors used in this painting. They are simply just orange, yellow, green, and blue; all spring colors. That is one of the big reasons why I chose this work, but I also chose it because it's a little messy as the trees are covering the mountains, the colors are scattered, as you can see on the top of the mountains where there is some orange and yellow painting on them yet, the whole piece comes together and looks right. On the bottom of the painting there is green, and plant life such as flowers as if spring has sprung and is popping daisies up. This is a very unique way of showing spring, but it clearly shows that it is spring in its very own way. Last, I love the blue stream of river and how there is one section where it is white to show the reflection beam of the sun shining down on the water.

 

Tricks of the Summer

Artist: Leonid Afremov
Title: Tricks of the Summer

Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: (180cm x 120cm)
Date: 2010

 

Leonid Afremov was born born 12 July 1955 in Vitebsk, Belarus. He loved there until 1990 where he then lived in Israel from 1990-2002. From 2002 to 2010 he resided in Boca Raton, Florida. He currently lives in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.  In 1976 he married his wife Inessa Kagan, and the following year their first child Dmitry was born. In 1984 their second son, Boris was born.His children manage his virtual gallery and shipping office in Mexico where they currently live. Leonid is a modern impressionistic artist who works mainly with a palette knife and oils. During his college years he was introduced to the work of March Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Modigliani and the 19th century French Impressionism. His early artwork was influenced by Chagall and Modigliani. "Leonid Afremov keeps the majority of his art politically neutral. His paintings are not offensive to anyone nor send any hidden messages. The paintings usually reflect certain personal memories and emotions. Leonid Afremov tries to draw the viewer to have a certain feeling rather than tell a story via the painting, or have the viewer see the world how he sees it." I chose this painting because it interprets summer in such an abstract way. It isn't like your ordinary summer painting, it's different. The trees are orange/yellow which make it look like summer but in the painting it also shows a wet ground as if it was raining as well as a person holding an umbrella which is where the title "Tricks of the Summer" comes into play. Although it doesn't usually rain in the summer, it sometimes does and this is what this image is trying to convey. I love summer rain and this was such a good painting to go with my theme of seasons with its abstract beauty.

View on the Catskill-Early Autumn

Artist: Thomas Cole

Title: View on the Catskill
Media: Oil on Canvas 

Dimensions: 39 x 63 in.

Date: 1837

Thomas Cole was an American artist born February 1, 1801 Bolton, Lancashire, England. He is the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the 19th century. His own work, as well as the Hudson River School was known for its realistic portrayal of landscape and wilderness. These also features themes of romanticism. Thomas began painting portraits but had little success, thus, leading to his interest in landscape. In 1826 he helped found the National Academy of Design."The creek in the foreground issues from the "clove," or gorge, dividing the range beyond, on a crest of which was located the Catskill Mountain House hotel, a resort that supplied some of the school's clients. It reflects not simply the wealth and prestige of its patron, the New York dry goods merchant Jonathan Sturges, but the artist's abiding affection for the region whose scenery formed the subjects of the works that launched and helped sustain his career."
 I chose this work because it is a fine image of one of our seasons, Autumn. This image captures the beauty and essence of nature. The green land and green trees is so breathtaking because it's hard to find such places anymore. The way the sunlight is beaming down on the water causing the lake to shine is so realistic.The sky is lit up with sunshine causing the trees and scenery to all glow. I am able to see the warmth this image has created causing it to come alive. I was also intrigued with the fact that just before this painting was begun a railroad line was built, therefore he painted it from memory.

First Touch of Autumn

          Artist: William Merritt Chase
Title: First Touch of Autumn

   Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 40-1/8 x 50-1/8 in.

    Date: 1898

 

William Merritt Chase was born November 1, 1849 in Williamsburg, Indiana. He was an American painter and also known as a teacher. After a brief incident in the navy, his teachers urged him to further his artistic training. In 1869 he arrived in New York and studied with Joseph Eaton for some time. He then enrolled in the National Academy of Design. He exhibited his first painting at the National Academy in 1871. William traveled to Europe and settled in the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, a long-standing center of art training that was attracting increasing numbers of Americans. He traveled to Venice, Italy in 1877 before returning to the United States in the summer of 1878. He expressed an interest in teaching and opened the Shinnecock Hills Summer School on eastern Long Island, New York in 1891 and taught there until 1902.  He also opened the Chase School of Art in 1896, which became the New York School of Art two years later with William himself staying on as an instructor until 1907. He married Alice Gerson in 1886 and together they raised eight children.He was know to use media mainly of oil painting and pastel, but also created watercolor paintings and etchings. This painting, First Touch of Autumn resides in the Indianapolis Museum of Art. "Chase cultivated multiple personnae: sophisticated cosmopolitan, devoted family man, and esteemed teacher." In regards to this painting, Anonymous states "The artist captures the low and rolling, flat terrain of the Shinnecock countryside, with its occasional tree, sand dunes, and dwarfed bushes." I chose this image because of the background behind it. This painting has to do with the Shinnecock countryside and this is where William Chase would open up a school. I enjoy paintings with a meaningful background behind it, or a memory associated with it. Although I didn't paint this and I have never been to Shinnecock, I think it's so neat that a place he opened up a school for others, he was so fond of he painted something that relates to the city and it is now one of his famous paintings that resides in a fantastic museum. This place must've meant a lot to him if he opened a school here and that is very special! This corresponds to my theme because of the beautiful blue sky and the bushes popping up for the Autumn season to begin.

Blossoming Almond Tree

Artist: Vincent Van Gogh
Title: Blossoming Almond Tree
Media: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 73.5 cm × 92 cm (28.9 in × 36 in)
Date: 1890

This gorgeous painting is by Vincent Van Gogh. It has been relocated to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Van Gogh was born March 30, 1853 and died July 29, 1890 at the very young age of 37 by a self inflicted gun shot wound after suffering many years of mental health issues. He was known as an impressionist painter and his work has influenced the 20th century greatly. This painting has a Japanese influence and was painted with a particular person in mind. This person was his brother and sister-in-law's newborn baby who they named Vincent. Vincent Van Gogh himself was so flattered that they named their child after him he painted this piece in honor of him. Van Gogh was to be very fond of this child. In 1888 Vincent wrote to Theo "About this staying on in the South, even if it is more expensive, consider: we like Japanese painting, we have felt its influence, all the impressionists have that in common; then why not go to Japan, that is to say to the equivalent of Japan, the South?" This piece connects my theme of the seasons because it is a blossoming Almond Tree. A great deal of the seasons changing from winter to spring is all the blossoming of the flowers, trees, and nature in general. When things bloom it tells me that the season has changed. I love seeing things blossom and this is the perfect painting for a seasonal transition between winter and spring. Also, I love Van Gogh's work and I have always been drawn to this beautiful piece.

Winter, 1890

Artist: Ivan Shishkin

Title: Winter, 1890
Media: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 126x204 cm

Date: 1890

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was a Russian landscape painter. He was born January 25th, 1832. was born in Yelabuga of Vyatka Governorate. He studied at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture for four years. After that he furthered his education by attending Saint Petersburg Imperial Academy of Arts from 1856-1860 and graduated with high honors and a gold medal. Later on he would then become a professor of painting at the Saint Petersburg Imperial Academy of Arts from 1873-1898. His works are known for poetic depiction of seasons in the woods, wild nature, animals and birds. Olga states "The works of this outstanding artist enjoy vast popularity in Russia; the best of them have become the classics of Russian landscape painting. During 40 years of his artistic activity Ivan Shishkin produced hundreds of paintings, thousands of studies and drawings and a large number of engravings. For contemporaries, Shishkin’s personality embodied Russian nature itself; they called him “forest tzar”, “old pine tree”, and “lonely oak”. This art correlates to my theme perfectly with it's beauty of the season winter. The way the snow is covering the trees and is pure, covering the whole ground shows a vivid, realistic image of a winter wonderland. The snow is so white and beautiful and even the bushes and fallen trees are shown with snow covering it that reveals how winter actually is like in a forest with a lot of trees. Looking at this picture, It's like I can actually feel how cold it looks, which brings me a warmth inside of me with such a beautiful work of art.

Tulip Magnolia Tree

Artist: Ginette Callaway
Title: Tulip Magnolia Tree

Media: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 650x650
Date: April 2010

Born in Alsace France, Ginette Callaway has had a love for art and nature since her childhood. She traveled a lot and saw the world and worked for CBS record before moving to the United States. After moving to the United States, she became self employed as an artist. Currently, Ginette is an independent, self-supporting artist working full time on her art. She states "I love painting, I love art, I love what I do." Ginette Callaway is known for her oil and watercolor paintings. This Painting is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, like most of Ms. Callaway's work. She is very fond of the impressionism style, an art movement from the 19th century, and usually her art is based on this art. Carla Parris states about Callaways work that "Roots of trees come alive, skies become illuminated, water reflection are a world on their own, ripples of layered bright hues are a trademark in her paintings." She loves oil paintings and watercolor. I chose this work because I loved the abstract colors that are put on this tree. They are bright and vibrant and not like an ordinary tree, yet it is clear it is a tall standing tree. The colors come together so radiantly and full. It reminds me of trees in the spring when they are so full of life, just like flowers blooming, trees are an important part of seasons. Trees are everywhere in nature and though the season may change, they are still there.

Conclusion

Organizing an exhibition of works by different artists was a little challenging. I wanted my blog to flow and have similar use of style between each art so it looked organized. I want people to look at it and be able to see a certain style in all the different works, but at the same time see them all come together in an organized fashion. What came naturally was the style of art I like. I love Van Gogh's style and if I could of used his work for each post I would have. Finding similar style wasn't very hard, but finding the style with my theme was a little challenging. Connecting each art came easily choosing each art I did came naturally because I search through all these different images and one catches my eye, so I use it.

Having a theme really helps create a neat, flowing, and thorough blog. As the curator of this blog, I feel accomplished in the work I put together and how I made connections between different artists and works of art. That always seems a little challenging at first, but once I got started on the blog it all came together. I discovered that every artist is different but most artists have been influenced from someone or have influenced someone. Tying each one of the works to each other and to the theme was interesting. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but I discovered that most artists can connect really easily and I could look at an image and see what it is trying to say. I love being able to look past the picture and dig deep and see the message behind it. Seeing all the different works of art with the style I am fascinated by, which is particularly oil paintings, made this blog really fun to make!