study of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring
8x10 acrylic on stretched canvas
I love Vermeer. Something about the way he portrayed light- it's just intoxicating. So here I did a study, tried to learn from him- I always do learn, when I do a study of some great artists work. Sargent's amazing figures, Monet's colors, Vermeer's light, Degas's dancers, Klimt's crazy patterns and stylized figures... and have you ever tried to copy a Cassatt? Much more complex than it looks, I promise. And then you get into it, start really seeing things a whole new way, and really appreciating how much more there is to that artist than what you initially saw.
Or at least, that's how it is for me. And I have a confession to make- I like reading books almost as much as looking at paintings, and I did this one at the end of reading- for like the fifth time- Tracy Chevalier's "Girl with a Pearl Earring".
I love, love, love reading books, historically based or otherwise, about artists- it always inspires me, somehow. I just started- again- Anne Rice's "Belinda" (she wrote it as Anne Rampling). It's not hugely artsy, and goodness knows don't get it for your child, way too much sex in it for that... but it's a nice, easy read, with a lot of wonderful super-visual prose.
Some more favorites?
-Margaret Atwood's "Cats Eye", which is wonderful, classic Atwood, and supposedly her most autobiographical book
-"The Painter" by Will Davenport isn't bad, and there's not much historical fiction on Rembrandt, but it's pure speculation
-"The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant is enjoyable, with solid characters
-I really liked Karen Essex's "Leonardo's Swans"
-Ross King's "Brunelleschi's Dome" is about Florentine architecture, and a wonderful read
-"As Above, so Below" by Rudy Rucker is a good, well researched book about Peter Bruegel
-"Zoia's Gold" by Philip Sington is a bit dark, but turns into a fascinating psychological study of the artist
-and Susan Vreeland's "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" (which is more about the imaginary Vermeer painting than the artist) and "The Passion of Artemesia" (a good telling of that story) are both very nice reads
Any opinions on what I should do a study of next?
Post #8
8x10 acrylic on stretched canvas
I love Vermeer. Something about the way he portrayed light- it's just intoxicating. So here I did a study, tried to learn from him- I always do learn, when I do a study of some great artists work. Sargent's amazing figures, Monet's colors, Vermeer's light, Degas's dancers, Klimt's crazy patterns and stylized figures... and have you ever tried to copy a Cassatt? Much more complex than it looks, I promise. And then you get into it, start really seeing things a whole new way, and really appreciating how much more there is to that artist than what you initially saw.
Or at least, that's how it is for me. And I have a confession to make- I like reading books almost as much as looking at paintings, and I did this one at the end of reading- for like the fifth time- Tracy Chevalier's "Girl with a Pearl Earring".
I love, love, love reading books, historically based or otherwise, about artists- it always inspires me, somehow. I just started- again- Anne Rice's "Belinda" (she wrote it as Anne Rampling). It's not hugely artsy, and goodness knows don't get it for your child, way too much sex in it for that... but it's a nice, easy read, with a lot of wonderful super-visual prose.
Some more favorites?
-Margaret Atwood's "Cats Eye", which is wonderful, classic Atwood, and supposedly her most autobiographical book
-"The Painter" by Will Davenport isn't bad, and there's not much historical fiction on Rembrandt, but it's pure speculation
-"The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant is enjoyable, with solid characters
-I really liked Karen Essex's "Leonardo's Swans"
-Ross King's "Brunelleschi's Dome" is about Florentine architecture, and a wonderful read
-"As Above, so Below" by Rudy Rucker is a good, well researched book about Peter Bruegel
-"Zoia's Gold" by Philip Sington is a bit dark, but turns into a fascinating psychological study of the artist
-and Susan Vreeland's "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" (which is more about the imaginary Vermeer painting than the artist) and "The Passion of Artemesia" (a good telling of that story) are both very nice reads
Any opinions on what I should do a study of next?
Post #8
Hi Kellie, I like this one very much. I think you are wise to do studies of the old masters. I so that myself and have learned so much. Thank you for adding a link to my blog on your blog. I have also added your link to my blog as well. Blessings! Connie
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Connie- your work is amazing, and I love how strong you have become artistically by becoming a member of the Hudson River School :)
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