Friday, March 12, 2010

Art, Night and Day


Silver entrance hall with silk chiffon pleated lamp shades.

Last weekend TD and I had some fun adventures. On Friday night we went to visit our friend Ellen Peckham who has having a party for Japanese artist Rie Hasegawa who was off to Lima, Peru to show her work in an exhibition. I have written here before about Ellen Peckham who is a great inspiration. Ellen is an artist and poet – you can visit her web site here. She also runs an art gallery, Atelier AE. Her loft is an art studio where she and other artists create their work, and also a gallery where she shows various artists – a wonderful way to live. Wherever you go there are beautiful things to look at. (click on photos to enlarge)

Dragon flies and lily of the valley.

Books, magazines and memorabilia.

There is art everywhere.

And walls of books.


Then on Saturday afternoon, we went uptown to the big Armory Art Show on Piers 92 and 94 at the end of 55th Street with our friend Dick Hofland who was staying with us for the weekend. You remember the Hoflands, they are the friends we visited in Amsterdam. Last year TD and I attended the opening night of the Armory Show, so I wanted to see it again.

It was completely mobbed with people. Hopefully that means the art market is doing well. The show is huge and there is a lot to look at.
These are two watercolors by the German painter Emil Nolde. TD reminded me that we saw a great show of his work at the Grand Palais in Paris.

Nolde never lived far from the sea which he captured so beautifully with transparent veils of thin watercolor washes.


This watercolor titled "Falling Leaves" by American painter Charles Burchfield, who lived in upstate New York, is charming, innocent, nostalgic.


American artist John Marin was known for his abstract landscapes – these two seemingly simple watercolors have a dynamic energy.

This might be the favorite painting I saw, with its jewel tones and joyful shapes.


Often, when I was attracted to something in this show, it turned out to be by Robert Rauschenberg. This acrylic screen print sparkles with silver pigment dust at the top.


It was really a lot to take in, and I sat down for a rest. The walls of the adjacent gallery where covered with vivid faux stones.


Color, optimism, clarity, light: these are things I like to see in art. And life.

2 comments:

betsy said...

Thank you for letting us see New York through your eyes. Such a treat. I loved the photos of the paintings.

Unknown said...

Love the apartment--full of personal collections, including that sampler. Perhaps by the summer the art market will get in full swing.