American Artists – ChasingART

Happy Birthday, Georgia O’Keeffe

Red & Orange Streak “Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing–and keeping the unknown always beyond you.” Georgia O’Keefe Blue & Green Music Blue 2 Enlarged flowers, New Mexico landscapes and the tall skyscrapers of New York, Georgia O’Keeffe opened the doorsContinue reading “Happy Birthday, Georgia O’Keeffe”

Celebrating Father’s Day with Benjamin West

“My mother’s kiss made me a painter.” Benjamin West Benjamin West (1738 – 1820) lived during an era of great change – in the time of the American War of Independence and the Seven Year’s War. Born in Pennsylvania, the tenth child of an innkeeper and his wife, Benjamin was destined to become known asContinue reading “Celebrating Father’s Day with Benjamin West”

Happy Birthday Jonathan Eastman Johnson

The American painter Jonathan “Eastman” Johnson was born today, in 1824. His birthplace was Lovell, Maine, which is situated by Kezar Lake in Oxford County, Maine. In the 19th century the Kezar River provided water power for the giants of industry. Lovell was the centre for mills that generated spools, long lumber, axe handles,Continue reading “Happy Birthday Jonathan Eastman Johnson”

Happy Birthday, Grant Wood

“All the good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.” Grant Wood Grant Wood’s American Gothic is arguably the most recognized painting in 20th-century American art. It comes from the environment in which Grant Wood was raised: the rural American Midwest. The story behind the painting goes backContinue reading “Happy Birthday, Grant Wood”

Georgia O’Keeffe

“Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest.” Georgia O’Keeffe Those of you who follow OTR Book Club know that I have just completed reading Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O’KeeffeContinue reading “Georgia O’Keeffe”

Romare Bearden – Enchanted Places

The art of writing a note begins with the choice of note paper. Stationary stores are a treasure trove of possibilities. Today, I found Pomegranate notes that highlight Romare Bearden, an American painter (1911-1988). These watercolours came toward the end of his life, when he used the lush tropical backdrop and unique cultural attributes of the Caribbean island ofContinue reading “Romare Bearden – Enchanted Places”