burchfield penney

Our recent trip to the Burchfield Penney gallery was an enlightening one. Ive been to this gallery many times, most recently over the summer. But this trip was extra interesting with Docent Coordinator Mary Kozub giving us a walkthrough and commentary. Sometimes I look at a piece and have absolutely no idea what the artist was thinking. But with a little guided thought it all starts to make more sense.
For example, I never noticed how well Burchfield conveys climate, but with his bold colors and painting style, you start to feel how hazy and heavy the weather must be in that moment. This adds a whole new level to WHY I like his works.

I liked his later works much more than the earlier. He seemed to grow into a personalized style as he matured as an artist. This piece called July Sunlight Pouring Down was my favorite work on display. Not only does it look like the sun is pouring down, but the way he pulls the paint down the canvas makes it feel like its so steamy that the paint is washing away.

The second artist we talked about, Jackie Felix, was also very interesting. I do not often think about the oppression of women in those times, mainly because I have never lived through anything like that. In fact I have always been encouraged to do what makes me happy and to be all I can be. So to imagine what that it must have been like to be "inferior" and controlled is eye opening. I'd like to believe that I would have been the type of woman to fight this, probably similarly to Felix through art. Some of her pieces were so emotional, just splashing paint and layering huge brushstrokes to release her anger. The larger pieces told a woman's story throughout history, sometimes a few stories at once. I admired her courage to "pull aside the curtain" in her artwork and highlight the differences in appearances and reality.

Collection #1

I knew right away that my first collection entry would be Philip Burke. Although the name is not familiar, his work has been in Time, The New Yorker, Vogue, and Rolling Stone. Best known for his caricature type portraits, Burke comically and magically expresses the demeanor of some of history's most famous faces. I'm most drawn to his bright colors and simple, confident brush strokes. As a bonus, he was born in buffalo NY! I bought a 30x20' print of Jerry Garcia by Burke a few years ago at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Its in the middle of the house and I look at it almost everyday.

I always wondered why the artist painted two faces. But after looking at it awhile, he starts to look like he's swinging his head back and forth, bobbing up and down, and really rocking out.
I love the complete color, this artist is definately not afraid of overkill, in fact seems to embrace it. The shading of red on his face and the scales of purple and blue, work just the same as shades of gray.

first excursion

So I made it on time to the Buffalo Arts Studio! My first thought was that this was a strange place for an art gallery. But this wasnt the type of art gallery I expected in  the first place. Usually theyre roomy, usually theres granite...
Looking back, my favorite part of the experience was the work stations. I spent a lot of time in the art rooms in high school, and completely took advantage of the endless supplies and equiptment. We had a kiln and pottery wheels, canvas building materials and paints galore. If I wasnt in gym class the teacher would come find me there. So while we were touring all the personalized nooks of faceless imagination, I kept thinking, "Do we get to play?"
I appreciated Megan Greene's work the most out of the three in the gallery. To be honest, I did not get Esther  Neisen at all. Most of her work looked like a science project, and I didnt have a clue what the message was. The two that were set over light were a bit different than the rest.

When I got closer to these it was easier to notice the way this work could compare with the other two artists on display.
Up next was Megan Greene, I took a picture of this one.

All of her work was created over an older image of a bird of some sort, but the only real reason you know that is because it is typed somewhere on the page, like an illustration in an encyclopedia. Even though it is more abstract it is still very bird-like and living.
The last artist, Balint Zasko, was pretty fun. His work was more obvious in its themes.

I thought that he was trying to illustrate life prevailing over man made machines.

Overall, it was a fun trip and Im looking forward to the next one!

On another note, I found this image randomly the other day online.

Im going to turn it into a valentines day card!

What is art?

What is art? Ive been mulling this over for a bit now.
Art is something that stirs the viewer's emotion, in a limitless direction.
Art is a purging of the creators emotions.
A statement.
An accident.
A masterpiece on a ceiling. Finely detailed wood carvings.

I also believe art to be naturally all around us. Erosion, fertilization, growth.
A stroll through a wooded path, a stroll through an ornate museum.

So what is NOT art. I have no answer.


On another note, Ive researched the three artists we will be viewing at the Buffalo Arts Studio. Im looking forward to seeing the works in person as the images on the computer do not seem to do them justice. I like Megan Greene the best, but I think there will be more to see up close.