Abstract art is somehow both the focus of our attention and the mirror of our focus — it lets us see what we want. When we take the time to live and breathe in the presence of abstract works they begin to take on a new depth and life beyond what the casual viewer may notice. Take, for example, the “Fresh Paint” series by Jane Davies. These works seem to combine dissonant, vibrant colors in ways that entrance the eyes and seduce the soul. The space created between the strokes can, at times, feel like falling into the center of a beating heart. Jackson Pollock’s No. 5, 1948, uses a veritable web of color and designto depict the intricacy that […]

“There are no rules for good photographs; there are only good photographs.” – Ansel Adams You Don’t Take It, You Make It Does an artist find magic in planning? Is the finished image exactly what she had in mind? What are the forces and variables that alter, manipulate and influence the artist? What variables –– idea fragments that wander across the mind like stray dogs –– does she adopt and nurture, giving them a new chance at a life of their own? In this article, we will hear from various photographers ranging from lifestyle and portrait photographers, to commercial and fine art photographers. We have asked them to share their perspectives and process in the hopes of gaining a window […]

Watercolor is such a universally accessible medium, yet it’s not often thought of as a fine art form. Indeed, when novices and appreciators new to fine art think about acquiring desirable pieces, watercolor may not come to mind. The implements of watercolor painting are so common and familiar to everyone, memories of such emanating from childhood, it seems that almost anyone could and has used them. One might be prone to think their accessibility diminishes their impact. That is, until you experience this common medium executed with uncommon precision and grace. While painting with watercolors may be an activity familiar to preschoolers, it’s an unbelievably difficult medium to master. Watercolor paints have a propensity for wandering off into unintended areas […]

Cubism as an art genre defies literal perception. It makes us feel, at first, confusion. But then, as though ascending from a hidden-but-familiar, dark place, (or might we consider, descending a staircase) the comforting sensation of realization drifts into focus. “AH! I get it!” we might say, the longer we look. For many, Cubism occupies that defined status of being challenging to enjoy and interpret. Still, there are masters of the form with whom most would be familiar—by name if not by works. Chief among them are Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Their early exploration in the techniques of observing, dismantling, re-faceting and reassembling time, space and matter function as the very foundation of a genre with influences reaching all the […]