My People: The Portraits of Robert Henri

My People: The Portraits of Robert Henri

I've decided to adopt a master and study their work this year. My choice for 2018 is Robert Henri! The reason I think this is a good idea, and one you should consider too, is because I want to look beyond the surface and understand what makes another artist's work so compelling. 

For example, Robert Henri ( pronounced Hen-rye. ) made a shift from a dark, somber palette influenced by the style of painters like Goya and Velasquez to paintings filled with color and light. That's a big transition, how and when did it happen? 

I also love Henri’s lively brushwork and fresh, simple approach to the figure that is rich and painterly. Below is an example from his excellent series of children’s portraits. 

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In Retrospective: Andrew Wyeth

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In Retrospective: Andrew Wyeth

Seattle and Portland recently hosted two excellent Wyeth exhibits. There is much to say about both but I’d like to focus on the Seattle Art Museum’s impressive In Retrospect - Andrew Wyeth, Oct 19th - Jan 15th.  There was not just quantity but also great variety of work in terms of media and subject matter. 

There’s a mystical quality to AW’s work I find very compelling. I think he had a wonderful cinematic eye that tells a story of silence and space, of passing time, and of life and death itself. 

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