Interview with Mike Carabetta Jr

Mike Carabetta JR. was born in Denver (Colorado) and in 2007 he moved to Wolf River (Wisconsin)
Starting to paint with 10 years old, at the age of 12, Mike won his first art contest, giving him the incentive to keep painting.
With no formal art training, the artist has extensively studied other artists, art books and publications, permitting him
to achieve a recognizable quality through the fact that his paintings are part of several private collections.
This dedication to art has permitted Mike to try several mediums, such as oils, pastels, watercolour and graphite.
Art appreciators and collectors can enjoy a variety of subjects such as portraiture (people and animals), sports, still life and countryside scenery.


Q: You started painting very young, at the age of 10.
Did you keep that passion through all these years or have there been any significant hiatuses?

I’ve painted steadily since childhood. It seemed that I could always find time for art in some way, shape or form It wasn’t until this year (2008) that I was allowed the opportunity to focus solely on my art. I truly hope that I never lose my passion for art.

Q: What themes/subjects first called your attention and have your preferences changed through your artistic career?

Animals have always been intriguing to me. I love painting and drawing them because of their many textures and colors, and also because of the intense feeling portrayed in their eyes. Something deep within them, their constant struggle with survival and life in itself.

Q: Tell us about the choice of your mediums, namely if you prefer to connect a certain medium with a certain subject.

I really love to paint human portraits in oils, animals in pastels and landscapes and still life in both. As far as all types of pencil work, I find it lends itself well to any subject matter. Pastels seem to me, to be made just for the textures of the fur in animals. To be honest, I really like to experiment in all mediums with any subject matter. I’ve yet to try sculpting, but it is a goal of mine to someday chisel a life form out of a piece of stone!

Q: Will you care to share with our readers some aspects of your techniques?

This is where my lack of formal training shows through….
I do what works for me. It takes me longer than most educated artists to get to the final work, and I struggle some times, but I just do what works for me. I’ve had artist friends try and teach me how it’s ‘supposed’ to be done, and try as I might, I always go back to what works for me. Not much help I’m afraid, but I’m just being honest here.


Q: What factors do you find most important for an artist to be able to achieve the quality of your work?

Simply paint or draw what you see and feel. I love detail, and I feel that is an important part of my art, so I use as much detail as possible. Color and light play an important role also. Above all, I try and tell a story with my art.
I’ve heard a saying that goes something like this…. ”See with your eyes, construct with your mind and hands, but paint with your heart.”
I think that kind of sums it all up.

Q: What advice would you like to give to other artists to succeed?

Practice, study any and all art material that you can find, experiment, listen to other artists and always keep an open mind.

Q: When an art collector is interested in buying from you or ordering a commission, what are the procedures and what can be expected ?

Initial contact is usually made through email. For commissions I request as many photos of the subject(s) as possible, one third of the fee as a down payment and enough time for completion without rushing the quality of the work. The client can expect my best work possible. That I take any and all measures to create a piece of art that can be passed down to future generations and knowing that I put my heart into every piece that I create.

Mike's paintings can be seen at his website.

Capriccio Painting ( in Art genres)

Fantasy paintings depicting architectural ruins and archaeological remains in combination with other elements, sometimes anachronic, grasp our imagination and makes us travel in time and space.
The placement of fictional elements of architecture in unsual settings, resulting in fantastical combinations, gives the name to an art genre: the Capriccio.
Said to be implemented by Sebastiano Ricci, it is his nephew Marco Ricci who perfects the genre.
However the best-known artist must be Giovanni Paolo Pannini.
From the XVII century and taken into the XVIII by Giovanni Antonio Canal (Canaletto), Capriccio finds its followers in the names of artists such as Giambattista Piranesi, Hubert Robert and Richard Wilson.

The Revolution Continues Breaks Record

The Revolution Continues, showcasing new art from China has broken the previous record of 300,000 visitors during the Sensation contemporary art show that took place in 1997, considered the most popular contemporary art show in the world at time.
With many chinese artists on the top of worldwide preferences ( 11 chinese artists are on the top 20), The Revolution Continues hosted by the Chelsea (London) based Saatchi Gallery has received around 525,000 visitors ( an average of 5,200 people per day).
Iraqi born and former advertising guru Charles Saatchi, one of the world's richest art collectors, is set to prepare the gallery's next exhibition called Unveiled, which will showcase the new art from the Middle East.

Where To Sell Art Online

Many artists, especially new ones, ask themselves where can they sell their artwork.
Being accepted into galleries is not an easy task and demands creativity, preserverance, and some connexions, as well as having a name in the market can also have a positive influence.
However if having one's work in a gallery is an objective to follow, there are alternatives that can also be a complement, like selling online.
Nowadays having a website or a blog (or even both) is accessible to most everyone with a computer and it can be a powerful tool to market your art.
But one can also use third party sites to sell the artwork since these are also easy to use and usually don't charge much. Two of the most well known are DeviantArt and Etsy, where one can find original art from many artists, including paintings, sculpture, fabrics, digital art and jewelry.
Other options are ArtFire, ArtByUs, DaWanda, NoBullART and Yessy.
However you must bear in mind that it's not a simple web presence that will sell your work, you will need a good and honest marketing strategy that will transmit confidence to the public, as well as continuously developing your artistic qualities.

The Art Inquirer Gives Money

Today, December the 15th, one of the readers of The Art Inquirer was contemplated with $20 on his Paypal account.
This prize was the Christmas Gift to those who believe in the quality of this blog.
Readers of this art blog have the chance to win a free and original painting every month.

Interview with Dee Dee Murry

National award winning artist, Dee Dee Murry specializes in realistic animal portraits.
Horses, dogs, cats and wildlife are her preferred subjects.
Dee Dee works with several mediums and prefers to use smooth surfaces.
She has a constant demanding for comissioned pet portraits and her multiple award winning art is owned by clients world wide.
The artist also keeps a store featuring Dachshund Art.


Q - From what age did you find out about your taste for drawing or painting ?

A - As far back as I can remember, I was always drawing, mainly horses at first. I can remember being very young and watching my Mom color in apples in a coloring book (for me to watch and then color myself) and being fascinated. I also remember her drawing horses in a little notebook that I still have somewhere…and then trying to copy them. From then on I have always drawn or painted. My Dad had a lot of artistic ability as did some of his relatives behind him.

Q - Were animals always your favourite subject and how they influenced you to concentrate more in your art ?

A - Yes animals always were and always will be my favorite things to paint. I have always loved animals, I grew up with horses and dogs and spent time with them every moment I could, showing both my horses and dogs as well. So it was natural to want to paint them. I went from painting mainly horses, to mainly wildlife, then did a lot of dog commissions, then back to horses…and now I have more of a balance of painting all animals. I try to balance commissions of pets and horses with the paintings I want to do, from my own photos and putting together my own compositions.

Q - You work with several mediums, do you have a preferred one ?

A – These days I pretty much work exclusively with acrylics for painting (I do pencil work as well). I experimented with many different mediums and combinations of them but I am most comfortable now with acrylics. I have taken workshops from Terry Isaac, Dan Smith and David Kitler (all acrylic painters) and have learned some wonderful techniques from them.

Q - Is that the most preferred by your customers ?

A - Yes most of my commissions request acrylic.

Q - When you paint pets, you paint them from real life, photos or both ?

A - I always paint them from a photo. If they are in my area though, I always try to go visit them so I can get a feel for their personality and see things the photo may not show. I have also taken a lot of photos of stallions of different breeds (Friesian, Andalusian, Arabian, etc) at different farms and had them gallop them at liberty, as I like to paint action and more unusual poses if possible. (this for the paintings I do for myself not commissions).

Q - What about wildlife ? Do you work from photos, travel to places or go to the zoo ?

A - I always work from my own photos. I have a few zoo photos but I really don’t use them as the animals are often not in the best of shape as a wild animal would be and don’t strike too unusual of poses. We have a wonderful animal park here called Northwest Trek where the animals are free roaming and you can ride a tram through and get great shots of elk, mountain goats, bison, moose, caribou, bighorn, etc. Then you can walk through the rest of the park to see bears, cougars, lynx, bobcat, cougar, etc in large enclosures. I have been on several photo gathering trips to Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and all around the pacific northwest here where I live. My best wildlife photos though I just got this September in Montana at Troy Hydes “Animals in Montana”. He has wonderfully trained animals, for movies and photo shoots, and he takes them out in the morning and evening when the lighting is the best, and they are loose in the wilderness with us with beautiful backgrounds. I got hundreds of photos of lion, tiger, grizzly, black bear, cougar, fox, wolves, black leopard, skunk, bobcat, porcupine, pine marten, and raccoon. He has them run, jump from trees, the grizzly swam and played in a river, the wolves howled and ran, etc. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to start painting them.


Q - When in the process of developing an artwork, what are you trying to achieve in technical and emotional terms ?

A - For commissions, I am trying to capture the essence of the animal as well as the likeness. I always ask the owner about the animals personality and what they would most like to have come across in the portrait. I love detail and realism (hopefully without crossing over to illustrative) so I try to get every hair right. For the paintings I compose myself, my goal is usually to capture a moment in time when the lighting is beautiful or dramatic, and the pose is very noble or a great pose in a gallop stride or a jump, etc…maybe with mane and tail flying in the wind for a horse…something that would make you wish you could have been standing there in real life to see this moment in time, without it seeming like fantasy, but something that really could have happened for at least a split second. I strive for realism and detail but more importantly I want to evoke an emotion (hopefully a positive one!) and create a bit of a magical atmosphere. I love wind and storms and the ocean so I like to have animals with longer hair, being blown about in the wind often. I don’t know that I always achieve all this but that is usually my aim.

Q - What are in your opinion the most important features that a portrait artist should have to succeed ?

A - In my experience, the people that hire me to paint their animals want realism. They want to capture their animal in a flattering pose and have every hair the same, and to down play any flaws they may have without changing them completely. So I think the most important thing to succeed would be to be able to capture the animals likeness as well as their personality and to portray it with a lot of detail. They like to be able to see the nobblies on a dogs nose or shine to the wet lips, the little striations in their irises, etc.

Thank you for granting this interview and I wish you the continuation of success with your art.

Bloggers United for World AIDS Day

The Art Inquirer again takes action supporting the campaigns proposed by Blogcatalog and its users.
On this December the 1st, bloggers are united to support the World AIDS Day in an attempt to make people aware of this global problem.
After many years, people keep thinking that it will only happen to others, disregarding the most basic safety precautions. In many countries, sexual education is still taboo and because of this the age of people infected with HIV has decreased significantly during the last years.
Years ago we would mention the risk groups and although there's still some reason to mention those, it's unwisely to think that one has little chances of getting infected if not included in one of those.
It's also important to educate those who for whatever reasons work in the sex business, namely in not incurring into practices that may leed into infection and many times "forced" by clients.
One last word must go to the differences in temrs treatements and the accessibility between the rich and poor countries and the need to "work around" patents and the huge profits of pharmaceuticals.
To know a bit more and to spread the word, please visit this blog.

Chris Gilmour The Carboard Master

Chris Gilmour is a british artist borned in 1973, Stockport, now residing in Udine, Italy.
His lifesize sculptures made of cardboard are of great realism.
Gilmour has exhibited his art at colective and solo shows, in cities such as Rome, Bergamo, Milan and New York.
The artist is represented by the gallery Perugiartecontemporanea, Padua.

Via ArtSnack

November Winner Notified

According to this previous post, the winner of the two miniature paintings has been notified and has already accepted the prize.
The two free original paintings will be heading to California real soon.
Are you still missing the opportunity to be a winner ?

Two Free Paintings

Every month, The Art Inquirer gives a free miniature painting to a lucky reader who subscribes using the Feedblitz service.
The winners from the months of August and October have not reclaimed their prizes, therefore this month two free and original paintings will be offered (one for each winner).
You can read here about the whole process; exceptionally the winner of November will be known on the 23rd, thus giving you time to subscribe and that there will be two lucky subscribers.
In December there will also be a special prize for Paypal users.

Arte Lisboa 2008

Arte Lisboa 2008 Contemporary Art Fair, will be held this November from the 19th to the 24th.
The fair takes place at the Pavillion 4 of the FIL ( Feira Internacional de Lisboa), near the Tagus river.
Countries like Brazil and Spain continue to mark a strong presence in this international event.
The opening to the general public starts on the 20th, since on the 19th will take place the preview and vernissage.

Don't Forget the Refugees

Today, November the 10th, bloggers of all world are united to write in the name of refugees.
Indifference and materialism have grown to unexpected levels and people who have no place to go, food to eat and water to drink, are conveniently forgoten.
People need to change their minds and start seeing the world as one. Humankind cannot prosper in the right direction as things are now.

Be Interviewed by The Art Inquirer

Are you an artist and have your own website ?
Then you do not want to miss this opportunity of gaining exposure.
Every month, or according to the number of followers, The Art Inquirer will interview an artist.
So, become a Follower (see top right) and have the chance to be featured with a link to your website.
After becoming a Follower, please contact if you want to be part of the artists to be interviewed.

Saatchi Online TV

The well known Saatchi online gallery, following its trail on continuous improvement and providing more resources to artists and art appreciators, presents us with Saatchi Online TV.
The visitors are abble to assist videos about art openings, interviews, art performances, etc. .
Users are given the possibility to upload their own videos.

"Make Your Mark" Art Competition

To celebrate its 225th anniversary, fine-art-material supplier Daler-Rowney is holding the "Make Your Mark" art competition.
The artists of all ages and skills can enter any form of drawing or painting uploading a digital photo.
There are four categories and five finalists will be selected from each one to display their artworks at the Mall Gallery (London).
You can access further information here.
The deadline is December 1, 2008 and is open to worldwide artists.

Art for Hereditary Disease Foundation

When going around town, you have probably already seen scultpures of caricatures, however most of them are copies.
What about having your own original sculpted to your desire ?
That is where Patricia Lynn comes in.
Patricia has been a sculptor for several years and she will be happy to discuss what you have in mind.
And if you are still not convinced, the artist donates all the money comming from her sculptures to the Hereditary Disease Foundation.
Her father was diagnosed with the Huntington's Disease,which is hereditary.
With this, Patricia wants to give her contribute to help the research for hereditary diseases.
You can be a part of that contribute.

The Pleasure of Investing in Art

With the recent developments in the world's economy, investing securely and wisely is proving to be a more difficult task.
Throughout the centuries, Art has proven to be a relatively reliable investment, namely because it has always been taken in high consideration by most of the people.
Of course that when buying Art, one should take into consideration if the purchase is to fill a personal taste, a pure investment or both. In my opinion, unless one is really well informed and can more or less predict the future, it's better to buy an artwork that one likes, afterall many times a real appreciator spends millions on a painting or sculpture, not with the intention of profiting but to contemplate its beauty.
Most of us cannot reach the famous works seen in auctions, however there are many good artists with great potential who's Art is accessible. The pleasure of buying Art and even possessing a collection is not reserved to the rich, I myself have recently acquired some works which can be seen at this page of my website.
Beautiful Asset Advisors is good resource that can help you decide to enter the exciting world of owning your private collection and here you can read an interesting article.

We Have Another Winner

The winner of the free original watercolour postcard has been found.
I already sent the e-mail to the lucky subscriber and now it's a matter of waiting for the reply.
More details will be posted soon.
You can take a look at the painting here.

FECO Portugal

FECOPORTUGAL - Associação de cartoonistas, created on October the 3rd (Annual World Smile Day), is the portuguese association for caricature, cartooning, illustration and alikes.
Its objectives are the colaboration between the artists and the several worldwide associations, defending their interests and promoting their art.
The name is based on the FEderation of Cartoonists Organizations, which the portuguese association pretends to become affiliated with.

Charlie Kratzer decorates basement with Sharpie

Using $10 worth of Sharpie, Charlie Kratzer, the associate general counselor for Lexmark, has decorate his basement in South Lexington.
The work of art features historical charaters such as Winston Churchill and fictional ones like Hercule Poirot and even the Marx Brothers.
You can read more about it and watch a 360º photo here.
A thank you note must go to my coleague Diana (Rose Queen) at Wetcanvas from whom I got aware of this news.

Free Postcard for October

Today is the day to show the original watercolour postcard for October.
You can be the lucky winner who can win this original work of art. All you have to do is to subscribe to The Art Inquirer using the Feedblitz service.
I would also like to invite you to become an adicted to this blog. Follow The Art Inquirer and you will know about interesting news, articles and promotions.

Richeson 75 Pastels Competition

Jack Richeson & Co., Inc., through its Richeson School of Art & Gallery division, announces The Richeson 75 International Pastels Art Competition.
The entry deadline is on November the 15th.
So, if you want to take advantage of this call for artists, read the prospectus.
Good luck !

Christmas Cash in your Paypal Account

Dear reader,

Christmas is near and to thank you for being a subscriber, The Art Inquirer will deposit $20 in the Paypal account of one lucky subscriber.
To be abble to win this amount, all you have to do is to subscribe to this blog using the Feedblitz service, that you may see on the right column. You must also have a Paypal account or know anyone who has.
The draw will take place on December the 15th.
The subscribers of The Art Inquirer receive interesting news about Art, interviews with artists and information about opportunities, namely juried shows.
Thank you and good luck.

The Winner of September

The free painting of this month goes to Missouri, USA.
Subscribe to The Art Inquirer and you can be the next lucky winner.
Use the Feedblitz service on the left column.

Win This Free Painting

Hi,

With just a bit of delay, I'm presenting a miniature oil painting that can be yours for free.
You just have to subscribe to The Art Inquirer using the Feedblitz service found on the left column.
And to celebrate today's openning of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, I will be offering the postage costs in the value of $5 .
The draw will take place on the 10th of September.
Every month a free painting is given to a lucky winner.
Click here to know more.

Brazilian Police Recovers Stolen Picasso

The work "Minotaur, Drinker and Women" (1933), stolen on June the 12th from the Pinacoteca of S. Paulo was found last Friday by the authorities. The engraving was found abandoned at the side of a road in the west side of S. Paulo.
The works "Mulheres na Janela"(1926) by Di Cavalcanti and "O Casal" by Lasar Segall have been previously recovered as was the engraving " The Artist and his Model" by Picasso.
The news about the robery that took place on June the 12th can be read here.

We Have a Winner for August

The winner of August's free original watercolour has been found.
I'm waiting for the winner's acceptance.
More development soon.

Free Watercolour for August

This time there was some delay, but here's the original watercolour postcard to be draw between the readers of The Art Inquirer.
The draw will take place by August the 10th.
To know more about how you can win this free painting, click here.

The Private Collection of José Carrilho

Acquiring Art is a pleasant way of investing one's money.
The artworks that are part of my private collection are of artists who I believe to be talented and have a rightul future in the world of Art.
You can see them at my website.

July's winner has been found

The winner of the miniature oil painting for this month has been found.
More details comming soon.
You too can win a free painting every month by subscribing to The Art Inquirer

Interview with Danny Heller

Danny Heller is a Californian painter from Northbridge. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley where he studied the Los Angeles landscape.
While under the instruction of the landscape painter Hank Pitcher, Danny earned a B.A in Art with emphasis in painting at the College of Creative Studies (University of California, Santa Barbara).
Danny develops his works in his studio at Chatsworth, depicting the mid-century Los Angeles with focus on its architecture and car culture.
His paintings have been exhibited in several venues, namely at the Judith Kaufman Gallery (CA), Art Basel (FL) and L.A. Art Show (CA) .
Danny Heller has also been featured in the New American Paintings #73 and in the Atomic Ranch Magazine "Cool Stuff" feature.
The artist's paintings can be seen at the Terence Rogers Fine Art until July the 31st, under the title "Eichler's : A Modern Vision".


Danny kindly accepted to grant an interview to The Art Inquirer :


Q : After you B.A. in arts from the............., you didn't have to wait much time to start exhibiting.
Do you find that the quality of your work was already perceivable by the market ?
A: After I graduated from Santa Barbara, I wasn't too sure about what to do for work. I knew that it takes many artists years before they get a show, let alone make a living off of their artwork. The practical solution was to try to gain employment from the local film studios in their art departments. I always had an interest in how artwork and film tied together, so it was a great way to make a living while continuing my artwork. However, none of the studios I applied to liked my work and the more I learned about artists in the film industry, the more turned off I was. So, while I found a day job, I just kept painting and going to galleries to see what level of work they were showing. I eventually got confident in my skill level and thought if I apply to galleries, the worst they could say is "no." It turns out that a lot of people really liked the whole California aesthetic - palm trees and suburbs - and it reminded them of scenes from their childhood. I also think that only a few other artists had covered these scenes.

Q : In your biography you mention your formative years painting the surf landscapes of Santa Barbara, does that experience have any influence on your suburban paintings, namely in terms of technique ?
A: Absolutely. I learned a lot about lighting and painting on the spot from my studies in Santa Barbara. If you spend the whole day outdoors painting, you really begin to notice how the shifting light of the sun affects the shape and colors of the landscape. It also made me more familiar with wet on wet painting.

Q : You studied with the landscape painter Hank Pitcher, how important was that for your development ?
A: Hank played a big role in my approach to art. I was fortunate enough to get some work helping him with studio maintenance - stretching canvases, cleaning up, etc. This taught me first hand how to organize a studio, proper technique for stretching canvases, and it gave me a lot of time to see him paint. He taught me a lot in how to look at the landscape and what an artist's role is in capturing it.

Q : People are seldom featured in your works, nonetheless they are the origin of what you paint.
How important is for you to depict their lifestyle through the elements of your paintings ?
A: That's a great way to put it - that I paint everything about humans but humans themselves. Its not always a conscious decision - most of the time, the places I'm studying are deserted. However, if there are people, sometimes its more powerful to omit them and just leave the landscape to ponder. Also, people can sometimes date a picture in how they dress. While my paintings are contemporary scenes set in actual environments, I like there to be a timeless quality about them - where somebody today or years from today can look at them and have the same reaction.

Q : After your trips to Europe, where you made some scketches, are you thinking about approaching a different theme in a near future ?
A: Europe was essential in growing as an artist. It exposed me not only to all the great artwork in the museums over there, but also where all the artwork took place - the actual environments of most of the Impressionists and other painters. I think I'd like to stick with the themes of suburban imagery and Modern homes for large exhibits, but maybe in the future I'll do a small series of European studies/paintings. All the history and grandiose buildings are so captivating, especially coming from my area where nothing is more than a couple hundred years old and most of the history is bulldozed for a strip mall.

Now on to the technical details.......................

Q : Do you paint always with oil ? If so, then why ?
A: I used to paint with watercolors and acrylics, but once I started oils in college, I stuck with them. You can get so many better effects with them. I love mixing in different colors into the paint while its wet. You have to be a bit more patient with them, but I think it pays off. The pigments are much deeper than acrylics too.

Q : Do you stretch and prepare your own canvases, or do you buy them streched and eventually prepare them at your taste ?
A: I stretch all my own canvases now. It just seems a lot more thorough to be involved in the whole art process. I used to cut my own wood to stretch the canvases over too, but it became so time consuming and costly. Now I buy stretcher bars and cotton canvas and prepare a lot of canvases at one time. This lets me control the sizes of the paintings so just the right painting gets just the right size.

Q : I suppose that in most cases you make studies and finish the painting in the studio. Tell us about those studies and how they are important.
A: Actually, since leaving Santa Barbara, I really haven't done many studies in the field. I think most people would get a bit uneasy if they saw me set up my easel in front of their suburban house and start painting. I usually try to take photos (discretely) and then work from them in the studio. Its not uncommon though to do a smaller study in the studio before I try to tackle a bigger version.

Q : Are you thinking about using different approaches and techniques at this moment ?
A: I'd really like to keep consistent at this point so galleries and collectors can expect a steady quality of work. But I'm always learning new techniques that can help a painting and always interested in maturing as an artist. I'm still developing different techniques for capturing foliage and brick.

Q : To end this interview, tell us about your next exhibition "Eichler's : A Modern Vision"
A: This was a great series of paintings for me. I started about a year ago and worked pretty steadily trying to capture the mid-century tract housing developed by Joseph Eichler. He pioneered suburban tract housing that emphasized Modern design and made it affordable for the masses. But his architecture team also really shaped the California aesthetic of design. I was drawn to these striking houses and just knew I had to try to capture that feeling. The challenge was that they were so beautiful on their own, what could I bring as an artist? Studying them long enough, I eventually began painting scenes that not only celebrated their amazing designs, but also set the stage for a possible narrative - I think I really captured the mystery and intrigue that hit me when I first saw them.

Do not forget to subscribe to The Art Inquirer's feed service using Feedblitz.

July's Painting Giveaway

Dear readers, there was a misfortune with this month's watercolour, therefore the lucky winner of the draw taking place on the 10th of July will earn an original oil miniature.
Only readers who subscribe to the feed service using Feedblitz are entitled to participate.

Papercut Sculptures by Peter Callesen

Born in Denmark, Peter Callesen studied at the Arhus School of Architecture and at the Goldsmiths College (London), to name a part of his educational background.
One cay say that Callesen is mostly known by his paper scultpures, from A4 size papercuts to large scale works and installations. But he does not stick with paper, Callesen also uses MDF, paint and why not, light bulbs.
Many of his works have a common theme, classical fairytales, afterall his from the country of Hans Christian Handersen. Through this, Callesen conveys a union between childwood's fantasies and the reality of adult life.
His work has been exhibited at the Artgenda (Hamburg), Shangai Art Museum (China) and The Museum of Religious Art (Denmark).
He's also featured in public collections and publications.
Callesen is represented at this time by Helene Nyborg Contemporary.

Curate This !

Located at 527 Saint Joseph Street, New Orleans (USA), Beca Gallery is going to give the opportunity to all art appreciators in the world to curate their "Four" exhibition that will have its vernisage on August the 2nd.
For that, Beca Gallery will present (18th to 21st June) the submited works from which one will be abble to select 10 works.
From those 10, the 4 most voted will have their works featured at the "Four", the gallery's third international contemporary art exhibition.
The 10 selected works will also be featured in the "Curate This!" publication.
Know more about this event by visiting their blog.

Armed robbers get away with two Picassos

Three armed robbers entered the Pinacoteca Museum in São Paulo (Brazil) in broad daylight, managing to get away with two prints of Picasso's "The Artist and His Model" and "Minotaur, Drinker and Women".
Two oil paintings from the artists Di Cavalcanti and Lasar Segall were also taken.
The four works are estimated in $600,000.
More development here and here.

Interview with Jane Kivistö

Jane Kivistö is a finish artist based in Pori, Finland.
She considers herself a pastelist, but also likes to use other mediums.


So that we may know a bit more about her, Jane kindly granted an interview to The Art Inquirer.




TAI - Jane, thank you for granting this interview.
Tell us about the place where you live.

JK -I was born and raised in Inkoo, a seaside municipality on the south coast of Finland. It's a rather small (popul. 5500) and quiet place surrounded by the beautiful seashore nature. Nowadays I live in Pori, another seaside town on the west coast. Being close to nature is really important to me even today and I guess I have passed that on to my two children: some of our ways to relax is fishing, hiking and camping. I always carry a camera with me, you never know where the perfect scenery is.

In highschool I had art as an optional subject as well as in college, that was two extra hours of art on a week but that was all. I don`t have any art-related master degrees. At the moment I`m studying social pedagogy at Satakunta University of Applied Scienses and will graduate in this fall. Hopefully :D



TAI - From what age did you start to enjoy drawing and painting ?

JK - I remember I've always loved drawing, arts and crafts. I use to write little plays and perform them, yet the most important part of the whole process was building the set for the play. The plays weren`t that good, but I think I had some talent for the staging :) I was ten. So I guess at that point I realized that I'll always do something related to crayons :)





TAI - Did you keep on painting since then or were there any intermissions ?

JK - Yes I did keep on drawing and crafting. My father painted with oil colours but I didn't like to paint until I was 12. Before that, for some reason, I thought painting was something adults do. In college I found pastels and painted for a while but took a brake when I got two children. The brake lasted about five years.





TAI - When did you decide to take a more serious approach toward art ?

JK - Well, it was at that magical age of 12. I took an art class, it was oil painting and I just loved it. I loved the smell of the turpentine and the softness of the brushes and the whole world of painting. It was love from the very beginning. I wanted to learn everything. I really took it seriously. But the serious approaching lasted about an year :) After that it hasn't been serious, just pure joy :D I don't paint for living, I think I live for painting. And am very happy if someone likes my work and wants to buy a piece.





TAI - Have you attended any workshops ? If so, how did they influenced your skills and your approach ?

JK - Nope, or maybe a few a couple of hours lasting mini-workshops. But the idea was more like working together, not learning art. But the class that I took when I was 12, it of course had a great influence. Because of taking hardly any classes I consider myself as a self-taught artist.


TAI - How did you come up with the choice of your mediums ?

JK - It was in college I found pastels. When painting with them I kinda saw that I can paint! My technique was weird but I enjoyed doing it, I even got a few commissions. It was learning through experimenting and I`m on that road even today.

TAI - Tell us about your techniques.

JK - I’m a pastelist but like to paint in oils and acrylics too. I don't have any firm techniques or ways to paint, it depends on the subject. I like to try different and new things, like painting on different textures. Now I've been painting on staves which are from an old wooden tub. I like it a lot because I can still feel the history in them, I've left the staves partly unpainted so the texture is in the open.

TAI - What subjects to you like to paint most and why ?

JK - Food and people. Maybe nature too, animals and other little things like branches, nests, leaves. I like to paint old cottages too, fences and so on. Why? I like to see the life as it is, without any pretending, those genuine little things surrounding us.



TAI - Your website in writen in finnish.Haven't you felt the need to have an english version ?

JK - Yes I have. But since Finland is bilingual (Finnish/Swedish) I consider to have a Swedish version instead. But I haven`t decided it yet. Maybe both.





TAI - What projects do you have in hand for the near future ?

JK - I'll have four or five shows more this year, on July (one or two solos), August (solo), September (group) and October (group). That means a lot of work, alot of paint and brushes, pastel sticks and great time!



The works of Jane have been exhibited in two solo exhibitions and three group ones.


Her art is featured in private collections in Finland.





Visit her website to see her works.

The Winner of June has been found

The lucky subscriber who is going to get a free watercolour is from USA.
His name is David and he's from Washington.
By subscribing to The Art Inquirer using Feedblitz, you may win a watercolour every month.

Kurt Wenner - A Master Artist and Architect

Kurt Wenner attended the Rhode Island School of Design and Art Center College of Design. He then went to Italy to pursue his artistic career, after working for NASA as an illustrator.
Wenner moved to Rome in 1982 where he studied and drew from classical sculpture. He travelled through Europe to see the monuments in loco.

In order to support his studies and travels he worked as a "madonnaro", winning several gold medals and being recognize as a master.
Wenner's works have been commissioned by some world known companies such as Knorr Soup Hampton Inn and Lexus. He has also conducted public lectures at The Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC) and at The National Gallery (Washington DC).

Being a muralist, Wenner has good connexions with the world of architecture and has been commissioned important works based on his capabilitis of offering the viewer a rewarding experience of optical illusions based upon anamorphic perspective.
Besides this, Kurt Wenner is also an architect offering to his customers complex works based in the classical tradition featuring rich details and geometric techniques.

Muto A Wall-Painted Animation by Blu

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Muto is a wall painting animation made by Blu with the assistance of Sibe.
The music is by Andrea Martignoni and the production belongs to Mercurio Film.
The animation takes place in Buenos Aires (Bologne, Italy) and Baden.

This video was mentioned by Knappert at Wetcanvas.

Guido Daniele at the Luciana Matalon Foundation

From the 5th to the 25th of June, the museum of the Luciana Matalon Foundation (Milan, Italy) will present the works of the worldly known body painter and muralist Guido Daniele.

The opening will take place on the 5th of June at 18h30 and the artist will present a live demonstration with a model.

Guido will have the musical accompaniment of the percussionist Luca Malaspina from the cultural association Kolon Kandya.

Click here to see a movie with the works of Guido Daniele.

Free Painting for June

June as started and a new free painting will be given to a lucky subscriber.

The winner will only have to pay $5 to cover postage costs (to anywhere in the world).

Make sure that you subscribe to The Art Inquirer through Feedblitz (see right column) to be a winner. Read more about it here.

The draw will take place on the 10th of June.

Surrealist Manifesto by André Breton Sold at Sotheby's

A set of nine surrealist writings by André Breton (1896-1966), among which the well known Surrealist Manifesto (1924), were bought at Sotheby's for 3.2 million Euro (3.6 with taxes) .

Géard Lhéritier, of the Museum of Letters and Manuscripts of Paris offered 3,626,250 Euro (taxes included) for the set of nine manuscripts.

Lhéritier resorted to the faculty of reunion option to keep the whole set, former property of Simone Collinet (1897-1980) . Sotheby's pretension was to auction the manuscripts separately.

In the manuscript, comprising 21 pages ( 20 of them writen in fine blue caligraphy), Breton writes about one of the most important art movements of the 20th century.

Roman Abramovich snatches a Bacon and a Freud

According with The Art Newspaper and based on close sources, Roman Abramovich is the buyer of two paintings that were recently sold.

The Triptych (1976) from Francis Bacon auctioned at Sotheby's, sold for $86.3 million and Lucien Freud's Benefits Supervisor Sleeping (1995), sold at Christie's for $33.6 million.

Fiction Made of Wood

Sculptures made out of wood, things that could be and some that are.

These are the creations of Michael T. Rea, owner of a MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His works have been exhibited in several states and his name is mentioned in some publications and on a podcast from Bad At Sports.

Michael also shares his knowledge and talent by teaching.

Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sets record

The portrait Benefits Supervisor Sleeping (1995) by Lucian Freud (b. 1922), sold at Christie's N.Y. for $33.6 million, has set a new world record for a painting by a living artist.

The painting depicts the naked portrait of Sue Tilley lying on a sofa.

German-born and grandson of Sigmund Freud, british painter Lucian Freud is known for his sincere and revealing naked portraits.

The Creation of the Colour Wheel

The colour wheel as a way of displaying colours as we use today, is attributed to Isaac Newton.

Newton used the colours resulting from the passage of light through a prism and distributed them in segmented circle.

The size of each segment differed according to his calculations of wavelength and corresponding width in the spectrum.

To know more about this interesting theme, read this article at the Colourlovers blog.

May's Watercolour Winner

Today was the day !

The lucky winner has been found and is from UK.

You too can win a free painting.

More details about our winner comming soon.

Interview with Melanie Cossey

Melanie Cossey is a british columbian artist and writer who has achieved a well deserved recognition for the quality of her works in several media.


She was kind to accede to an interview :




José - With what age did you discover your interest for drawing and painting ?

Melanie - From very early on I loved to paint and draw. I come from a very artistically inclined family, my father, his mother and her uncle were all artists. When I was in kindergarten I won first place in a hobby contest the school had. In later school years I was asked to display my work in the shopping mall as part of a district wide student art show.

J - Did you have support and if so, how was or continues to be important to you ?

M - I remember year after year receiving art supplies for birthday and christmas presents. Many of them were "how to draw" "how to paint" books and kits. When I wasn't painting I was writing stories, sometimes illustrating the stories. My dad did a lot of art work with us. We made all sorts of things. My dad built a potter's wheel out of a discarded man hole cover and bought a kiln and we made pottery in the basement. My life was surrounded in art. Now my support comes not only through my parents, but also my husband and those in the galleries who believe in me and my work. I have a lot of people helping me and guiding me along (sometimes pulling me) and it helps keep me motivated and believing in myself.

J - When and why did you decide to take a more serious approach toward Art ?

M - In the fall of 2005. Something changed. After highschool I didn't pursue art. I went to school and became a dog groomer and then I started writing professionally. My art time was reduced to a hobby I did once a year or two. One day I was showing some work to a friend online and he thought it was fantastic and wanted to hook me up with a print company. Around that same time some other friends were encouraging me with my work.

J - What made you think that you were ready ?

M - My sister, my hubby and I were at an art show and looking around at the art they said to me, "you know, your work is every bit as good as this." From there I decided to enter a show , my first, unjuried. I sold my first painting there.

J - How did that changed your relation toward Art ?

M - It gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to do anything I put my mind to. Right away I got two commissions and then I was on a roll. What are your favourite subjects ?
I love to paint still life objects, things with shine and reflection and things that have an emotional connection to them, such as food. Food has it all, emotion, shine, reflection, colour. Its the perfect subject.

J - Do you prefer a certain medium for a certain subject ?

M - Aside from flowers being done in pastel, no I don't. I like the different effects one gets from the various mediums. A candy apple looks different in pastel than it does in acrylic. Different aspects are highlighted.

J - What advices do you give to those who desire to pursue a more professinal approach to Art, namely how to get into exhibitions ?

M - Its all about networking. Get yourself out there in the public eye. If you are exceptional as an artist you will get noticed in short order, but those artists are rare. It takes lots of leg work and marketing yourself. Hook up with a group of artists and find out where they exhibit. Attend their shows and get known in the art world. The art business is up and down all the time. You have to develop a tough skin and keep at it!

J - Thank you for sharing your time with us and we hope to see more works from you soon

Melanie's work can be seen at her website.

This is the start of a line of interviews with artists and people related to art.


By becomming a subscriber to this blog you will be one of the first to know about them as about other interesting articles.
Subscribers also have the chance to win a free original painting every month.

Linda Brunker Irish Sculptor

Linda Brunker was born in Dublin, Ireland.

She studied at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin and received a degree in Fine Art.

Her bronze sculptures have been exhibited in Ireland and abroad and are present in several private and corporate collections, such as : TEAM Aer Lingus, AIB Bank (N.Y.) and Aer Rianta.

Linda has received several awards as the AIB Export Awards and the National Entertainment Awards.

You may visit her site here.

May's Free Watercolour

Hi,

Finally the original postcard size original watercolour for the month of May is here.
Don't forget that by being a subscriber to The Art Inquirer, you will receive important updates and may win a free original painting every month.
And because of this delay, this time I will be offering shipping.
Read about it here.

Kind regards,

José

Knotted Food by Ed Bing Lee

I believe that Art achieves its goal when it communicates with our feelings, by causing admiration, astonishment, sadness, etc.However, I do like when a work of Art makes me smile. This is the case of the knotted Art by Ed Bing Lee.

Ed is a talented artist from Philadelphia who has refined his craft over the years and is capable of delighting us with some great creations.

His works are made using materials such as waxed linen, raffia and cotton floss and he uses a macrame knot called half-hitch, although I don't know in what works he uses that knot.

Contemporary Art Channel

Based in New York,NewArtTV,Inc. is a media company that produces quality videos on contemporary art.
Robert Knafo, an independent art critique and curator who is also the producer of studiovisit.net, has created newarttv.com.
In this interesting website you can have access to videos on exhibitions, studio visits and other subjects.
Please respect the copyright of the site's content. Thank you.

"Aquarela" by Toquinho

"Aquarela" is one of the most beautiful songs of all time.
Its author is the talented brazilian composer Toquinho.
Although this blog is mainly dedicated to visual arts, I felt the need to add this song, together with a wonderful videoclip. Afterall music is Art.

Hand Painting by Guido Daniele

Guido Daniele is a talented italian artist born in Soverato and now working in Milan.
He attended the Brera School of Arts where he graduated in 1972 with a major in sculpturing. In India he attended the Tankas school in Dharamsala.
In 1972 he started working as an illustrator for publishers and advertising companies. He has also specialized in trompe l'oeil.
In 1990, Guido starts exploring the body painting technique and with its development he focus on hand painting creating amazing works of Art.
You may visit his website to learn more.

The Art of Zac Freeman

Zac Freeman is a fine artist who works with several media.
He owns a B.F.A. from the Jacksonville University with cum laude and departmental honors and his art has been exhibited, among other places, at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Jacksonville), Chester Gallery (Chester, CT) and Miami Museum of Science and Space.
His work is part of the Art collection of The Regency Group ( Florida).
The quality of Zac Freeman's Art has granted him a well deserved recognition and has been featured on several publications.
Although as mentioned before he uses several media, I believe that the "Disposable" portraits collection made with junk, trash and disposable goods may be considered his ex libris.

ABC 3D POP-UP BOOK

Roaring Brook Press, a publisher of quality books for young readers, brings us a book with a 3D pop-up alphabet.
The book is called ABC3D and the author is Marion Bataille.
Although the concept of books with pop-up elements is not new, in this case the result is worth taking a look.

Sculpting Surrealism by Nemo Gould

Nemo Gould is an artist born in Minneapolis, MN and raised in Nevada City, CA.

He earned his BFA in 1998 at the Kansas City Art Institute and in 2000 his MFA at the University of California, Berkeley.

His sculptures have been exhibited in museums, galleries and are owned by Art collectors.

This gives us an idea of the quality that Nemo achieves on his works.

I trully advise you to visit his website. You'll be thrilled.

Handmade Tapestries of Portalegre

In the city of Portalegre, in the Alentejo (South of Portugal), one will find one of the best tapestries in the world.
Based upon the artwork of known portuguese and foreign artists, these handmade tapestries take advantage of an available palette of 7000 colours.
Each weft consists of eight threads, meaning that different colours can be mixed in the same weft, resulting in reach chromatic effects.
The tapestries are woven by hand on a vertical loom and grow horizontaly, using a technique that permits to achieve great definition on small details.
The tapestries of Portalegre are limited in series of 1, 4 or 8 of the same original and are numbered and signed by the artist.
You may take a look at their site to learn more about an almost lost Art.
They fight with difficulties and the wage of the weavers is far less than what they deserve.
An increase in the number of buyers would help to keep these wonderful works of Art available to those who are true connoisseurs
In Lisbon you may also visit a permanent exhibition at the Galeria Tapeçarias de Portalegre ( Portalegre Tapestry Gallery).

Arts For The Parks 2008

The well known Arts For The Parks call for artists celebrates its 22nd competition.
Inspired by the american masters of landscape, namely of natural parks, the competition gives the participants the opportunity to have their works exhibited throughout the USA.
The call is open to all artists and the participants may enter using traditional mediums (excluding 3D, namely sculpture), photography and digital art. The work must be representational, abstract art will be disqualified.
There are several prize categories and benefits for the artists.
This is trully an opportunity to have one's work known through a vast public, so make sure that you take note of the dealines.
You may learn more about it by reading the prospectus and by checking the menu on the right.

Italian Street Painting Festival

On the 14th and 15th of June, will take place at the San Rafael downtown (25 minutes North of San Francisco, California), the Italian Street Painting Festival, regarded as one of the world's finest.

Also known as madonnari, the street painters will skillfully transform the pavement with their Art. It will be an excellent oportunity to get in touch with artists and appreciate things like anamorphic perspective.

Other forms of entertainment will also be presented to the public.

It is also important to remind that the proceeds will benefit the Youth in Art program.

You May be Selected to Win Original Art

Subscribers to my posts through Feedblitz, are now entitled to enter a monthly withdraw that will offer an original postcard size watercolour.
On the first days of each month, the work will be shown and the withdraw will take place on the 10th.
One subscriber will be chosen (by an aleatory method) to win the painting. Substitutes will be chosen in the case of the lucky one does not want the painting (the substitutes will only be informed if the winner does not want the work).
The winner will not be eligible for the next month's withdraw.
When the winner accepts to receive the free painting, he/she will be responsible for shipping and handling : $5 USD to all the World, payed through Paypal (tm) or Money Order.
Winners from the following list of countries are exempt from paying shipping and handling.
The name of the winner/substitute and country (only this and no other personal info) will be announced, after being contacted by me.
Any contact as to influence the results of the withdraw will result on permanent removal from the list.

Kind regards,

José Carrilho

Foodscapes by Carl Warner

Carl Warner is a british photographer. He lives in Kent, England.
Besides the more common photography, his way to call our attention is through foodscapes. And what are foodscapes ?
Nothing more and nothing less than landscapes made with food.
Carl Warner composes his landscapes over a table with about 1,2m by 2,4m.
The photographs are shot in layers so that he doesn't have to depend so much on how much time the elements will stay in mint conditions. Afterall it's real food that we're talking about.
Carl Warner has plans for a book featuring his foodscapes as a way to educate children on eating healthy food.

Carlos Paredes and the Portuguese Guitar

Once in many years a person with a rare talent is born. That was the case of Carlos Paredes (1925 - 2004).
Son of the also well known Artur Paredes, he took the portuguese guitar to new levels.
Born in Coimbra, he inherits a family tradition of guitar players and although somewhat influenced by the popular portuguese songs and fado, he reinvents the way of playing the portuguese guitar, especially during a generation of the 60s, revitalized by new social and cultural concepts.
In 1993 he is diagnosed a myelopathy, which prevents him from playing in the last 11 years of his life.
The song that you can listen on the video is called "Verdes Anos" and was translated to english as "Tender Years".

The Walters Art Museum

Located in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), The Walters Art Museum has an impressive collection gathered from around the world. From the ancient Egypt to the 20th century Europe. Great part of its collection has been part of the assets from Henry and William Walters.

Art from the Ancient Americas, Medieval and Baroque Arts, together with manuscripts are part of a vast collection that will delight the visitor.

Like any great museum, The Walters Art Museum has visit programs that will meet expectations, turning one's visit into a rewarding experience.

And you know what ? The admission is free. So, make sure to visit !

Saul Santos Diaz

Saul Santos Diaz, born in Fuencaliente de la Palma (Canary Islands) is younger than I expected. And why do I say than I expected ? Because he is an amazing photographer. His photographs seem to be taken by someone with ages of experience; experience that he does possess as one may easily verify.

He studied at the Art Institute of Santa Cruz de la Palma and in 2003 he goes to Tenerife for his master degree in graphic design and multimedia. There he also takes several courses, namely photography.

From then on his curriculum developes as expected from a great artist.

Visual Illusions

Visual illusions are always something that brings up our curiosity. How do they happen, why they happen.Our sight is probably the sense that we most rely on and yet is such deceivable.Al Seckel's website presents us a more scientific approach to the subject and some good resources, while Michael Bach's gives us a vast number of great links and visual illusions.Another website worth visiting is the one by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, professor of the department of psychology at the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto (the image is from his website).

Attention : optical or visual illusions may cause negative effects on some sensitive people.If you feel dizzy, please leave the website right away. Thank you.

Art and Architecture in the Subway

Metro or metropolitano in portuguese and french, tube in England, or subway in USA, going underground doesn't have to be a dull experience.
The subway stations are places places where one can enjoy Art and cultural events.
Their architecture has improved over the last years, improving the aesthetic experience of the user and turning the travel in the subway into a more pleasant experience.

Lego Art by Nathan Sawaya

Nathan Sawaya is an artist from New York who creates awesome sculptures with LEGO, many of them life-size.

The artist has more than 1.5 million blocks in his studio, which can give us an idea of the complexity of his works, which in many cases also show a great sense of imagination.

Sawaya's art has been touring north american Art museums and his next show will take place at the Stamford Museum in Connecticut, from March the 2nd to August the 18th.

Quadratura

Quadratura is a version of trompe l'oeil and is introduced during the Baroque period to describe simulated architecture.
The simulated architecture is painted in a one focal point perspective on a flat or barrel-vaulted ceiling continuing the existing architecture. The foreshortening of the figures, together with architectural elements creates a convincing illusion of deep recession.

The image is from a painting of 1703 by Andrea Pozzo, in the Jesuit church of Vienna. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Xia Xiaowan

Born and living in Beijing, Xia Xiaowan is currently a professor of the stagecraft department at the Central Academy of Drama. He is also a member of important artistic associations.

Xia Xiaowan who is also a graduate from the Third Studio of the oil painting department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, has seen his works exhibited internationaly.

His latest approach to Art has made quite an impact. The use of a special pencil to draw/paint on large glass panes that are spaced behind each other in order to achieve a 3D feeling in alliance with the excellent technique of the artist, result into what I would call an ectoplasmic show.

Painting Materials and Techniques

Norihiro Matsukawa is the author of the useful cad-red website.

If using the art materials is not enough for you and want to learn about pigments, resins, dryers and other ingredients, this is the place for you.