Andrew Wyeth

While some may call him the most influential American artist of the mid 1900s, still others claim he was under-appreciated. Regardless of your feelings about the man and his work, the controversial Andrew Wyeth and the paintings he produced set a tone of minimalist artistry that continues to capture the attention of art enthusiasts around the world.

Born in 1917, Andrew Wyeth was the son of a famous illustrator. Home schooled by the ultimate art teacher, it seemed almost inevitable that the second generation Wyeth would carry on the family business of art. Drawing under his father's name while in his early teens led young Wyeth to his chose profession. By the time he was 21, he had his first exhibition in New York City where he sold out his complete stock of paintings. His style was much different than his father's though. Andrew presented a drier less colorful style than that of his father. He did less illustrations and more "pieces" than that of his famous illustrator father.

By far, Andrew Wyeth's most famous work was Christina's World. This minimalist painting depicted a young neighbor of Wyeth's in her yard staring at her home in the distance. The home and farm were typical of Andrew Wyeth's work by depicting a local regionalist style such as the farm that truly existed in his summer home of Cushing, Maine. Born in Chadds Ford, PA, many of Wyeths other works re-create a somber view of his home area.

Because he was schooled by his father, one would expect that his work would run parallel to that of his great teacher. However, Andrew Wyeth sought out his own art history and became influenced by the great Renaissance masters as well as American painter Winslow Homer. In return, Wyeth is said to have inspired many of today's artists including popular cartoonist Charles Schultz.

The saying is, "like father, like son" and so is the case in the Wyeth family. Just as Andrew followed in the footsteps of his famous father N C Wyeth, so did Andrew's own son follow in his father's steps to become the renowned artist Jamie Wyeth. Three generations of Wyeth artists helped paint and create a more beautiful world.

Through his depiction of the people and landscapes around him, Wyeth brought to life a realistic and abstractionist view of the local area. His expert use of watercolor, dry brush technique and egg empera is one that has yet to be topped by modern artists.

For more information about Andrew Wyeth, please visit www.andrewwyeth.org/.

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Best Artists During the 1950s

During the prosperous and peaceful 1950s, there were many artists who had achieved, or were reaching prominence in the art world. This article will outline some of the more prominent.

Mark Rothko was one of the more original painters during the era. He had broken into the art scene in the United States during the '30s and kept experimenting with forms until he began producing the large multiforms he is so famous for today. The first of these was painted in 1948. He only painted in oil on vertical canvases for the next seven years. His goal was to overwhelm with intimacy and a sense of the unknown with these large paintings.

Henry Moore was long a famous English sculptor, and by the early '50s was receiving plenty of publicity. He won a commission for a reclining figure for the UNESCO building in Paris. His Family Group in bronze (1950) was his first large commission after WWII. During this period, he began to hire assistants and continue to work prodigiously.

Serge Mouille is a master of modern lighting. In Paris Mouille had begun to imitate organic forms as he crafted his metals into modern light fixtures. His spider lamps are representative of the forthcoming minimalist aesthetic throughout the arts.

Alberto Giacometti is a sculptor whose work was similar to Serge Mouille's in style. His thin stick-like figures were more akin to sculpting "the shadow that is cast" by the human body rather than the body itself. The result defies easy classification and is some of the most original produced during the era.

Francis Bacon is another important figure in painting, and was discovered by the art critic David Sylvester, who had written about Moore and Giacometti. Bacon's work, originally perceived as expressionist, defies categorization with its raw spartan imagery and powerfully stark pallette.

Willem de Kooning is a painter who is best known for his equine portraits of women. Why is his work so great, people have asked? Part of the reason is his dedication - he often spent months working on a single painting, scraping and reducing to get the figures exactly as he wanted them. The result was a perplexing ambiguity, which foreshadowed his more abstract work during the later half of the century.

These artists helped to define art in the second half of the twentieth century. Their work can be seen at most major museums throughout the world. Often it may seem difficult to understand, and perhaps that is the point. All one can do when viewing them is think and feel, allow them to wash over you. That may make it easier to understand.

Gueridon offers mid century modern lighting from Serge Mouille, a modern metal master.

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Watercolor Painting - How to Use Masking Fluid

When painting a watercolor, it is important to plan your white spaces ahead of time. These areas will be left white; the white of the watercolor paper. Unlike oil painting, where the whites are added at the end, watercolor requires the artist to plan ahead and "save" them from the start. Often, large white areas can be painted around, thus preserving the white of the paper. This becomes more difficult with smaller areas.

At times "saving" your whites isn't easy to do. For instance if painting a white bird in the sky, it is nearly impossible to paint around the bird and have the sky look natural. Often times the sky is painted with layers of washes going horizontally across the paper. This makes it very difficult to "save" the small area of white for the bird. This is where masking fluid comes in to play. It is applied to the paper to block out this area, and painted over. I suggest practicing before applying the masking fluid to your painting so you will be familiar with its qualities.

An important tip when using masking fluid is to first wet your brush, then coat it with soap. (preferably from a bar. I keep a bar of soap with my painting supplies for this purpose.) Without the soap, the masking fluid will adhere to the bristles of the brush and ruin it! After coating the brush with soap, dip it in the masking fluid. Now carefully cover the area you would like to preserve as white. Don't dip your brush back into the fluid without repeating the addition of soap to the bristles. Once you are satisfied that your area is totally covered, let it dry completely!

Once dry, you can paint your masked area. After your paint has dried the piece of masking fluid can be rubbed off with your finger or an eraser, revealing the white of the paper. At times, you may not be pleased with the result. The edges may not be as crisp as you intended, or the shape may not be quite right. This is why it is important to apply the masking fluid with great care. Even so, the result may lack the precision needed.

A word about masking products: In addition to white, masking fluids now come in colors as well. Some include an applicator or brush, and fine point tips are also available. There are translucent masking fluids, which allow you to see through to your paper, giving you a more complete look at what has been masked.

Experiment with this watercolor tool. You will soon decide whether or not you want to include it with your watercolor supplies.

Sue Doucette, Author/Artist

I have been painting with watercolor for many years and am happy to share with you what I have learned along the way. I write a monthly page which is posted on my website featuring helpful tips for painting with watercolor.
To read more, please visit http://www.CapeCodWatercolor.com/Hints-For-Painters.html.

To see more watercolors, http://www.CapeCodWatercolor.com/portfolio.html.

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