Elysian Studios Art

I ♥ Art! World Famous Art to Inspire your Valentine’s Day

Categories: Art History, February, Holidays, painting, sculpture, Valentines



“Love” Sculpture in New York City  by Robert Indiana




“The Kiss” oil on canvas by Gustav Klimt

 

“The Kiss” marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin

 

“Mother and Child” oil on canvas by Mary Cassat



“Kiss by the Hotel De Ville, Paris” photograph by Robert Doiseneau

Don’t these just make you all warm and fuzzy and gushy inside?  Take time today to hug and smooch the special people in your life.  Be inspired by Robert Indiana’s simple, yet profound sculpture.  As the Beatles shared with us, “All you need is love,” so spread a little love to strangers you meet in public.  Smile and say hello, share a laugh, and sincerely tell everyone to 
“Have a nice day!”

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Presidential Art: Celebrating Washington and Lincoln

Categories: Art History, February, Holidays, portrait, sculpture

“I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” ~George Washington

President’s Day is the day we celebrate two of America’s most beloved Presidents, Washington and Lincoln, so I want to share a few Art History findings about pieces they inspired!

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Washington was the obvious and popular choice for America’s first President, having served valiantly as the First Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.  He was an admirably brave, yet humble and faithful man, and highly regarded by his contemporaries.  At his death, Washington was hailed as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

This portrait of George Washington, is from the Smithsonian’s Jacob Kainen papers. It is a holiday card sent to Jacob Kainen in 1977 by Michael Clark, who embellished a postcard print of his Washington portrait with large painted dots.  It was difficult searching for more contemporary homages to Washington and Lincoln.  I found this via Archives of American Art, which is a phenomenal resource.
America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln is still beloved by our nation for leading our country through one of it’s most divisive periods in history.  “In temper he was earnest, yet controlled, frank, yet sufficiently guarded, patient, yet energetic, forgiving, yet just to himself; generous yet firm,” wrote J. T. Duryea of the U.S. Christian Commission, which met frequently with President Abraham Lincoln. “His conscience was the strongest element of his nature. His affections were tender and warm. His whole nature was simple and sincere – he was pure, and then was himself.” 

This is the Official White House portrait of Lincoln, painted in 1869 by George Healy.  The artist has portrayed “Honest Abe” in a pose of intent listening.  The portrait was painted in Paris and sent to Washington in response to an act of Congress (March 3, 1869) authorizing a Lincoln portrait for the White House. It hangs in the State Dining Room of the White House. 

 Between October of 1927-1942 Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers sculpted the enormous 60 foot likenesses of four of America’s most esteemed Presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln,  into the Black Hills region of South Dakota. The site for the monument was “Mount Rushmore,” the tallest mountain in the region, composed of durable, fine-grained granite, which only erodes 1 inch every 10,000 years.

It was originally planned for each President to be rendered from head to waist, but lack of funding forced construction to end in October 1941- sometimes the best designs really do happen by accident!  I think the simplicity of the busts retain the natural beauty of the site itself.  On October 15, 1966, Mount Rushmore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is South Dakota’s top tourist attraction today.

Today we celebrate how much our country has accomplished since its inception, and are thankful for the courageous leaders who have served America in times of success and turmoil.  To live in a country where our government is freely elected by the people is a freedom we are truly blessed to have!

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Art Tour: International Snow Sculpture Championships

Categories: Art Tours, Arts Festival, Colorado, family, Rocky Mountains, sculpture, snowboarding

The teams were each comprised of four members who were challenged with the task of carving their own 20-ton, 12-foot-tall block of snow  (image 1).  Power tools, internal supports and colorants were forbidden, so sculptors had to rely on hand tools (imagine sandbox toys and kitchen utensils!) to shape their snow.

This year’s first place winner was “Alebrije” by Team Mexico (image 2). By the time we got to him, the beak had melted, dripped, and re-froze, but I find that fascinating! Watching the art interact with the environment, and letting Mother Nature have a go at it, is an intriguing part of this event.

One of my favorite sculptures was this 1900s style camera (image 3).  The lens was a solid piece of ice that was translucent, in contrast to the snow.  Though it was blocked by a fence, you felt like you could step under the hood, and snap a few snowscapes!

This event is not for the faint-of-heart, the unpredictable weather in the Rocky Mountains can very quickly divert your plans! It was a blizzard all day while we were snowboarding, and then the clouds parted just in time for me to walk through the exhibit and snap some shots (image 4).

I love the abstract, so I was immediately drawn to Sweden’s entry, “Perpetual Motion,” which reminded me of Henry Moore’s “Locking Piece” sculpture (image 1). Team Yukon received second place for their haunting sculpture, “Spirits of the Aurora,” which portrays the Northern Lights as torches held by spirits seeking the souls of those who just died (image 2).  “Mere De Nation” was Team Canada’s entry, which paid homage to the adventuresome young brides who crossed the Atlantic in the 1600’s to marry the settlers of the Saint Lawrence River Valley. The sculptures were illuminated at night and you can visit the website to see more beautiful photos of the winning snow sculptures. It was impressive to see these large pieces. My husband and I always joke about needing a “scale figure” in a photo- so here I am! (image 4)

The entire competition lasts three weeks.  The first week you can see the blocks of snow being built, the second week allows you to watch the sculptors work, and the third week is for viewing the sculptures before they are taken down.  This was my first year to view the snow sculptures, but I look forward to visiting again next year!

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