WOMEN IN ART: ELAINE DE KOONING

Many of you have heard of Willem de Kooning, the widely known Abstract Expressionist Painter. But not many of you have heard of his wife, Elaine de Kooning, Figurative Expressionist Painter. Being very active in the Abstract Expressionist movement in the early 20th Century, Elaine de Kooning was a member of the Eighth Street Club in New York City, which rarely gave memberships to women. Especially during the Abstract Expressionist movement, women were not valued as much as their male counterparts. Which led Elaine de Kooning to sign her works with her initials, to prevent being labeled as feminine.

Elaine de Kooning, Fairfield Porter, 1954, oil on canvas

So a little about Elaine de Kooning's art career: As a figurative artist, de Kooning often painted portraits. Her subjects were mainly fellow artists from poets to choreographers, however she did paint John F. Kennedy as well. In fact, Elaine de Kooning kept painting JFK and made an entire series of portraits of him, one of which is in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. "Portraiture always fascinated me because I love the particular gesture of a particular expression or stance... Working on the figure, I wanted paint to sweep through as feelings sweep through..." You can tell in her work as well that there is a lot of color and heavy influence from other abstract expressionist artists at this time including her husband Willem.

Elaine de Kooning, Thomas B. Hess, 1956, oil on canvas

Elaine de Kooning in her Manhattan studio in 1964. She is with her John F. Kennedy series of paintings

Later in her life Elaine de Kooning was inspired by paleolithic cave paintings of Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain. Which really shows her knowledge of color, movement, and line through abstract representative imagery.

Elaine de Kooning, Bull, 1958, oil on canvas, New York University Art Collection

Besides being a painter, Elaine de Kooning was also a writer and wrote from Art News magazine, writing many articles about famous artists. She also taught in many colleges later on in her life. Truly an intelligent and iconic female artist, Elaine de Kooning sadly gets overshadowed by her husband Willem de Kooning. But her work is very crucial to the Abstract Expressionist movement and Art History and should not be ignored.

BIRTHDAY POST: JACKSON POLLOCK

Now as far as "main stream artists" go, Jackson Pollock is the Kurt Cobain. Jackson Pollock is known for his Abstract Expressionist paintings, but he is also known for his trouble with alcoholism that led to his death. Throughout my art career I've obviously known about Pollock and his paintings but I've never researched into his life to actually learn about him as I have with many other artists. This might be because people who know practically nothing about art claim to love Jackson Pollock and his art when they know nothing behind it. So let's all learn about Jackson Pollock today and actually try to understand his methods and style, since it is his birthday after all.

Jackson Pollock, Male and Female, paint on canvas, 1942, Philadelphia Museum of Art. This piece is one of Pollock's early works where he first began to pour paint on the canvas.

 

Jackson Pollock's technique is his biggest legacy. His paintings are mainly created with household paints instead of artist paints which he claimed as "a natural growth out of need." To create his "drip" technique he used hardened brushes, sticks and basting syringes along with pouring to actively paint from all directions. In a 1956 Time Magazine Pollock answers all of the questions of why he is an idolized and revolutionary Expressionist painter:
 "My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting."
"I continue to get further away from the usual painter's tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks, trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impast with sand, broken glass or other foreign matter added."
"When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."
You can even find cigarette butts and dirt in the paint of his paintings if you look closely enough. He took his techniques from American Indian sandpainting and Mexican muralists and Surrealist automatism.

Jackson Pollock, Number 5, paint on canvas, 1948

Jackson Pollock, Number 29, paint on glass, 1950, National Gallery of Canada

The "Drip period" was between 1947 and 1950 which was when he really became well known and was considered the greatest living painter in the United States. Right then was when he abandoned his drip technique and went back to his former styles. He was is high demand from collectors and galleries and in response his alcoholism deepened and he took a break from painting. A few years later on August 11th 1956 Pollock died in a single car crash in his convertible while driving under the influence of alcohol. He died along with Edith Metzger but Ruth Kligman, fellow artist and Pollock's mistress survived. He left behind his wife and artist Lee Krasner.

There is so much more about Jackson Pollock that you'd have to research for years to know. This is only a tiny glimpse at his life and his work. If you wish to learn more check out this bio on him. But if you are really curious and want to learn more, which I highly suggest, then go and find documentaries and books and really learn about him as a person.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock

WOMEN IN ART: HELEN FRANKENTHALER

Many women did not consider themselves feminists by being a woman artist, but they were. The sad fact that simply following your passion could have made you a feminist is weird to think about in today's world. But it still very much a part of society, we owe it to some of the women who unknowingly started a strong movement. One of these women was Helen Frankenthaler.

Helen Frankenthaler was an Abstract Expressionist Painter and was a large contributor to the postwar American painting society. Her first piece to launch her career was Mountains and Sea.

Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea, 1952, oil and charcoal on canvas

This piece was pretty different for the viewers because of a few things; for one the colors look like they would be watercolor, but instead they are oil, which is surprising. Another thing is that she worked on unprimed (and unstretched!) canvas which allows the paints to seep into the canvas creating what is considered a "soak stain". Another artist who not only influenced her work greatly but also used the soak stain technique was Jackson Pollock.

Helen Frankenthaler, A Green Thought in a Green Shade, 1981, oil on canvas

Helen Frankenthaler, Nature Abhors a Vaccum, 1973, oil on canvas

"A really good picture looks as if it's happened at once. It's an immediate image. For my own work, when a picture looks labored and overworked, and you can read in it—well, she did this and then she did that, and then she did that—there is something in it that has not got to do with beautiful art to me. And I usually throw these out, though I think very often it takes ten of those over-labored efforts to produce one really beautiful wrist motion that is synchronized with your head and heart, and you have it, and therefore it looks as if it were born in a minute." In Barbara Rose, Frankenthaler

Citations:
Mountians and Sea: http://artchive.com/artchive/F/frankenthaler/frankenthaler_mtns.jpg.html
A Green Thought in a Green Shade: https://paintingowu.wordpress.com/tag/helen-frankenthaler/
Nature Abhors a Vaccum: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/arts/helen-frankenthaler-abstract-painter-dies-at-83.html?pagewanted=all
Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Frankenthaler#Influences

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE AN ARTIST'S BLOCK

Majority of us have experienced an Artist’s Block. It’s the worst feeling when you have absolutely no ideas or inspiration. It’s the lowest time of an artist’s career and life. The other day, my friend asked me what I do when I have no inspiration or clue of what to create. Here are some things to try out (what’ve you got to lose?):

- Check your sketchbooks. That’s the whole idea of them right? To write down ideas and things that inspire you so that you are always in the creating mood. Even if you don’t remember why you have a to-go menu of a pizza place you went to three years ago glued into your sketchbook, it has the possibility to spark something.

- Google things. Remember that one time you went to the MoMA and saw an exhibit on Futurism? It might not have been inspiring then, but it could be now!

- Go to a museum (even if it’s a local museum and not the Louvre). Take your time and really break down the paintings you are drawn to. Maybe the brushwork will stand out? Or the color palette? (If you don’t feel like leaving the house, check out Google Art Project)

- Try painting in the style you’ve always hated. If you HATE abstract, try it out. While you’re working or after when you look back, you’ll realize you actually can appreciate parts of it, or why you love painting in another style.

- Talk about it. Accept that you’re stuck and talk to you’re friends (especially you’re non-artist friends, cause they always give random and out of the box ideas of what to create). Go see what you’re artist friends are creating (but don’t get down on the fact that they’re creating and inspired and you’re not). Being in the studio whether it is your studio or someone else’s will start to get your creative juices flowing.

- Go back in time. Remember that crazy art history teacher you had? Remember how they were so boring and tedious about the work that you barely paid attention? But, you kept the books so later on if you felt like reading all about the Baroque period you could? Well hopefully that is true, because art history is the basis of all art. So go back to your roots and be in awe of that gorgeous Caravaggio painting you loved.

- Read any book. There are tons of random art books out there. Go buy WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution (edited by Cornelia Butler and Lisa Gabrielle Mark, Co-published by The MIT Press) or go buy a comic book for all it matters. You could be inspired by the style or the one pose the Black Widow is doing or the issues they bring up.

Whatever you do: don’t get down on yourself and start thinking that you can’t get any good ideas because you suck as an artist. Everyone has these moments of pause. Just take advantage of the quiet to really see art in a new way. I hope my ideas are helpful, and feel free to leave a comment of what helps you get through an artist’s block!!