Still Life with Birdcage, by Donalee Nelson
A Passion for Paisley
I love paisley with its curved teardrop shape. It is one of my favorite patterns. I think I’m in good company because the great artist John Singer Sargent apparently loved paisley too. In fact, he had a favorite paisley shawl that he draped on his subjects in many different paintings. There are rumors that there may have been more than one, but at least one of the shawls still exists and relatives have tried to reproduce it, according to an article in the September 2019 Elle Décor magazine. To paraphrase textile artist Kaffe Fassett on the subject of color, he finds that what makes color work is pattern because it adds proportion. So many artists have a stable of objects that inspire them and are employed by them over and over. Exhibits such as a recent one centered on Matisse featured many of the objects that pop up in his work. Artists other than painters have favorite themes that they use numerous times. Many of the same elements appear in Hitchcock films, such as trains, theatres and symphony halls as well as blond leading ladies, and actor Leo G. Carroll who appeared in six Hitchcock films. I have my own cache of objects that appear again and again in my paintings. I enjoy paisley and use it in my artwork and collect it in fabric, and even have a carved piece used for decorating and coloring textiles. It crosses Arab, Persian, and Indian cultures and first appeared around the 8th century. It is sometimes referred to as the Indian Palm but by any name it is classic. The Sargent shawl is interesting because it entailed a long journey by relatives to find it. After this search they know where it is and have seen it but don’t own it. There is hope that it might go to a museum for all to enjoy. As a prominent piece in Sargent’s paintings, this object would add depth to the experience of viewing a wonderful work of art.
Highlights
Currently at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972-1985. This installation will be on view until May 18, 2020. It is the first scholarly review of this American art movement and includes paintings, sculptures, ceramics, collages, installations and performance art. Fifty artists from across the country are represented here and many different mediums including carpets, quilts, embroidery and wallpaper are part of this show. The movement has been overlooked in the past as being inferior to fine art. Sometimes acceptance comes slowly. I can think of many fine artists who used pattern effectively in their work. Henri Matisse is the first that comes to mind. The work of Frank Stella is all about lines, shapes and pattern. Find views of this exhibit at www.moca.org which also has times and information.
Where you can see my artwork
My artwork is available at Rons. For further information call the shop at 805.489.4747. Rons is located at 850 W. Grand in Grover Beach a few blocks from the train station, a golf course and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. For more information go to Rons website at www.ronsingroverbeach.com or find him on Facebook.
Not To Be Missed – Museum Exhibits
Currently at the Catalina Island Museum is Esther Williams: The Swimming Queen of the Silver Screen, which is up through March 8, 2020. The exhibit traces her life and includes costumes, never before seen home movies, photographs, and memorabilia. The movie Jupiter’s Darling was filmed on the island so is prominently featured in the show. Check on these and future exhibitions at www.catalinamuseum.org and find more information. Starting June 20, 2020 the museum will present Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray. Muray was a friend, lover and confidant of Kahlo and his intimate photos of her span the period of 1937 – 1946. This is a traveling exhibit and will be at the museum through September 27, 2020.
The Laguna Beach Art Museum is truly a museum dedicated to collecting California art. Beginning February 23, 2020 the museum will feature Travels in Mexico: Watercolors from the Gene and Diane Crain Collection. Among the artworks featured are those by Millard Sheets, Rex Brandt and Milford Zornes. The exhibit runs through May 25, 2020. Information about the exhibit and the museum is at www.lagunaartmuseum.org.
On the horizon at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is a very special show. Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic opens March 7, 2020 and runs through August 30, 2020. On display are more than 400 items such as costumes, original artwork, and props. Included are sketches for Fantasia and maquettes from Frozen. Take a look at www.bowers.org for more facts and interesting information.
Opening January 15, 2020 through May 18, 2020 the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena comes together with many institutions worldwide to celebrate the life of Renaissance artist Raphael. Raphael 2020 commemorates the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death. The exhibit centers around Raphael’s painting Madonna and Child with Book, which dates from around 1502-03. To learn more about this exhibit go to the museum website at www.nortonsimon.org where you will find information on this and other exhibits.
Among many exhibitions on view currently at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is Rufino Tamayo: Innovation and Experimentation, which is on view through July 11, 2020. It focuses on his graphic work known as Mixographs and covers his 60 year career. Known as one of the great Mexican painters of the 20th century along with Rivera, Siquerios, Orozoco and Kahlo, Tamayo was inspired by Mesoamerican sculptures and they are represented here with works from the museum’s own collection. At the same time artist Raul Baltazar will continue to work with students from Charles White Elementary School creating an original art installation based on Tamayo’s work. More information is available at www.lacma.org about this and other exhibits.
Flight of Fancy is currently in place at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The exhibit focuses on The Galle Chandelier, which was created by the artist in 1818-19. It is an extraordinary work intended to look like a hot air balloon. Incorporated are the signs of the zodiac and a glass bowl for goldfish. The show runs through April 19, 2020. Getty Center also has many Online Exhibitions as well as Traveling Exhibitions. Information at www.getty.edu will fill you in on what is going on as well as dates and times.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has been undergoing a renovation, and a very special exhibit is planned upon its completion. Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources will debut October 11, 2o2o. It will be worth the wait as it features various artists’ works as well as literary works that influenced him. The show will include first editions that fired his imagination as well as paintings by Delacroix, Monet, Gauguin and artists of the Barbizon school. This will be a major traveling exhibit. I can’t wait to see it!
Highlights of the Permanent Collection celebrates the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s 75th anniversary. The ongoing exhibit features some of the museum’s most well known pieces. The Armand Hammer Foundation has loaned some amazing Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Of course, Portrait of Mexico Today, painted by David Alfaro Siqueiros while living in political exile in Los Angeles in 1932, has a home in the front façade of the museum. It is intact and is in a protected spot. We are so lucky to have it. Check on line at www.sbmuseart.org/ for more details.
Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983 is at the de Young Museum in San Francisco and is up until March 15, 2020. Organized by the Tate Modern, the show focuses on art made by African American artists over the span of two decades when issues of race came to the fore. Check www.deyoung.famsf.org which will have all you need to know. The de Young prides itself on making its exhibits accessible and has instituted a plan for people who are unable to come to the museum whether for medical reasons, distance or finances. They have two robots that will take visitors on a tour via the Internet. Rebecca Bradley is the Accessibility Curator. You can email her office at access@famsf.org if this great idea is of interest.
Elemental Calder, at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, touches on how nature inspired the artist. This isn’t surprising since Calder’s mobiles are about movement as experienced in fire, water and air. There is still time to see the show since it does not leave until May 3, 2020. Visit the museum’s site at www.sfmoma.org for images and much more on their many exhibits.
Beginning March 5, 2020 the Seattle Museum of Art hosts Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstract Variations. This exhibit will focus on her early work in the 1920s and ‘30s and is centered on her masterpiece, Music, Pink and Blue, No. 1. The museum brings together loans from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe as well as articles from the Whitney in New York and promises not just her paintings and drawings but photographs by Stieglitz. It is open for viewing until June 28, 2020. Finally, continuing at the Seattle Museum is Big Picture: Art after 1945. The show includes some amazing works by various artists including Rothko, Motherwell, Newman, and Hoffman. There are many interesting videos on the museum website. Go to www.seattleartmuseum.org in order to obtain more information. All are wonderful and the interactive videos online are great!
Ansel Adams: In Our Times comes to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas on May 23, 2020 and leaves in September. Touring the American west with the photographs of Mr. Adams is inspiring. In fact, many photographers credit his work for prompting their interest in environmental causes. More than 20 pieces by these photographers will join in this show. Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere, seeks to expand on what we know of the silversmith and patriot. We are all familiar with the portrait in Wordsworth’s poem and Mr. Revere’s midnight ride…”the British are coming, the British are coming.” The exhibit, which features over 150 objects, helps us learn more about the man. Just in time for the 4th of July celebrations, it is on view through October 2020 so go to www.crystalbridges.org to find out more.
The Clyfford Still Museum in Denver is showing the third installment of the artist’s early work beginning January 17–April 26, 2020. The Early Years: Clyfford Still in Canada, 1920-33 covers the period when his family moved to Bow Island and then later relocated in Killam, Alberta. Bow Island is subject to sharp changes in weather, but Still’s work here does not reflect the harshness of the weather or terrain but instead focuses on large atmospheric studies. Killam was north and had more promising farm conditions. Still continued to paint the fields around his family farm but added a nod to architecture such as grain silos and his color palette brightened. Still was one of the earliest and foremost color field painters as well as a wonderful teacher. The museum has done an excellent job chronicling his life and work. Check out www.clyffordstillmuseum.org for all the details.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Missouri is hosting Queen Nefertari: Eternal Egypt. She was the wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II. The exhibit, which is up until March 29, 2020, is intended to offer museum visitors a view of life in Egypt during her lifetime. Her burial chamber, which is considered an artistic masterpiece, will be on view. When I was in grade school the students in my class were challenged to make something out of clay. I chose the head of Nefertari probably because it was intriguing and so different than anything I had ever seen. Needless to say I was entirely out of my league. While I could make a decent copy of the head, not being an engineer or even being so inclined, I could never make it stand on its own. It continued to tip over rendering it what would be labeled politely as a failure. I do remember the struggle. The museum’s website is at www.nelson-atkins.org and will provide more information.
The Art Institute of Chicago presents The Impressionist Pastel. This exhibition features the work of Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzales, and Edgar Degas. Many Impressionist artists favored pastels because of their immediacy. The show is up until March 8, 2020. The grand Tiffany Stained Glass Window purchased by the museum several years ago is scheduled to be installed soon and will be unveiled sometime this year. The window is 23 feet by 16 feet, is comprised of 48 panels, and was designed by leading landscape designer for Tiffany, Agnes F. Northrop. More details are at www.artic.edu for these and other fascinating exhibits.
Beginning February 8, 2020 the Detroit Institute of Arts will host Guests of Honor: Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali. This show, which runs through September 27, 2020, is very special since the artwork of Kahlo and Dali will be installed adjacent to Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals from 1932-33. The murals are magnificent and will add to the appreciation of the artist’s creation of a subjective surrealistic world of myth, dream, mirage and magic. Opening a week later on February 15, 2020 is From Bruegel to Rembrandt: Dutch and Flemish Prints and Drawings from 1550 to 1700. The show, on view through July 26, 2020, is from the museum’s collection and features more than 70 works on paper by these artists. Check the museum website at www.dia.org to find information on these shows and its collections.
ONE EACH: Still Lifes by Pissarro, Cézanne, Manet & Friends is at the Toledo Museum of Art until April 12, 2020. From the museum’s own collection, Pissarro’s Still Life of 1867 serves as the centerpiece for this exhibition which will focus on French paintings created in a single decade - the 1860s. Paintings by such masters at Edouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, Henri Fantin-Latour, and Gustave Courbet provide context for the Camille Pizarro painting. For further information go to www.toledomuseum.org and see photos of the exhibit.
The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. is a large institution with 11 museums and galleries including a National Museum of African American History and Culture, an African Museum, a Museum of American History, an Air and Space Museum, an American Indian Museum, a Visual Art Museum, the Cooper Hewitt, the Hirshhorn and a National Zoo among others. The Cooper Hewitt (part of the Smithsonian but located in New York’s Upper East Side), is our country’s only museum dedicated to historic and contemporary design. The Hirshhorn boasts a wonderful sculpture garden and features a wide range of sculpture from Auguste Rodin to more modern examples like those of Jean Arp. It is a great outdoor space with an ongoing display of many of the finest sculptures in the world. Make sure to check out Kusama’s Pumpkin. In honor of a recent gift, currently it is displaying Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection. The gift includes over 35 seminal works by the artist. This is the first of a two-part exhibit and is on through October 12, 2020. The second part begins April 18, 2020 and will run concurrently with the first show. At the Renwick Gallery Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists will be on display through May 11, 2020 when it will go on to its 4th and final stop in Tulsa. The exhibit, which started in Minneapolis, shows the spirit and creativity of Native women who have largely been ignored in the past. The show finally gives them their due and recognizes the contribution they have made to the art world. The only permanent art exhibit on the mall will be Visual Art and the American Experience, which focuses on the contribution Americans of African descent made to the history of American Art. The galleries will also feature changing exhibits so check out www.nmaahc.si.edu for information.
Opening on February 16, 2020 and running through June 14, 2020 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is Raphael and His Circle. Joining in on the 500th anniversary of his death, the Gallery will display 25 prints and drawings. Nine works of art will be by his closest followers including Caravaggio. Five paintings by the master will be on display and 10 engravings are included. Find more details at www.nga.gov with several examples for you to enjoy.
While you are in Washington D.C. you might also want to take a look at the Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens, the final home of Marjorie Merriweather Post. She was a collector and her home is open with special exhibits. If you are a lover of the decorative arts this is a good place to go. Bouke de Vries: War and Pieces explores the contemporary work of the Dutch artist and his take on the Eighteenth Century Banquet Table. He has created seven tableaus that are inspired by the trend toward elaborate centerpieces at the time. They are comprised of classic porcelain, sugar and modern plastic. The exhibit is available for viewing until April 5, 2020. Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works of Minerals and Gems is on display February 15–June 7, 2020. Included are close to 100 pieces either from Hillwood’s collection or on loan. The exhibit will focus on the history and beauty of the precious stones. The museum’s website at www.hillwoodmuseum.org will give you information and reveal some of Post’s amazing pieces of eye candy as well.
The Mark and Judy Bednar Collection of Chicago Imagism celebrates a gift from the couple to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Wisconsin. The gift of more than 100 works by these artists attending the school of the Art Institute of Chicago during the 60’s and 70’s is rich in work from their formative years. The exhibit, which includes paintings by Roger Brown, Robert Lostutter, Gladys Nilsson, Jim Nutt, Ed Paschke, Christina Ramberg, Barbara Rossi, Karl Wirsum, and Ray Yosida runs from March 14 – July 19, 2020. For more information go to www.mmoca.org and get a look at this and various other exhibits.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a vast collection of works by artist Marcel Duchamp. These works have been on tour and recently returned home. They have been reinstalled in the Duchamp Galleries and will be on view until December 31, 2030. Off the Wall: American Art to Wear is on display through May 17, 2020. This American movement started in the ‘60s and used new materials and methods to create works designed around the body. Go to www.philamuseum.org to see more information about other shows as well.
Esther & The Dream of One Loving Human Family is at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore through March 3, 2024. The exhibition consists of 36 needlework and fabric collages of holocaust survivor Esther Nisenthal Krinitz. At 15 she was in Poland in the middle of World War II. Her embroideries were stitched as memories for her family but they are also on display to remind all of us about the great danger inherent in demonizing anyone. This exhibit also includes a facsimile of Esther’s farm home. Also on view until September 6, 2020 is The Secret Life of Earth: Alive! Awake! ( and Possibly Really Angry!). The show seeks to explain the difference between weather and climate, to help understand the preciousness of our planet, and to build hope for the future. It coincides with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in April 2020. The museum website at www.avam.org will take you there.
One of my favorite museums, the Albright-Knox Museum in Buffalo, New York, is expanding and is closing temporarily. It was scheduled to reopen in January 2020 with the expansion expected to be complete by 2022. The museum’s website at www.albrightknox.org will keep you up to date with some interesting information and a timeline for this project.
The Neue Galerie in New York currently is displaying a new exhibition which commenced on February 20, 2020. Madame D’Ora traces the life of this Viennese portrait and fashion photographer during the many phases of her career. In the ‘20s she created a stylish Art Deco studio in Paris and counted Picasso, Josephine Baker, and Collette among her many models. She later survived the Holocaust. This is the largest show of her work to be seen in the United States. Go to www.neuegalerie.org for the scoop on this show.
The New York Historical Society has a beautiful website that you must see. The fourth floor of the museum has been turned into a Gallery of Tiffany Lamps from the museum’s extensive collection. This ongoing exhibit features 100 lamps, many designed by women. Also ongoing is Audubon’s Birds of America Focus Gallery which will display watercolor models for the artist’s work, The Birds of America. The society also has Picasso’s Le Tricorne on display. The painted theater curtain from the ballet was produced in 1919. Visitors can also have a look at Ed Ruscha’s Fanned Book from 2013. If you have ever looked at antique jewelry I’m sure you have seen mourning jewelry or maybe you have inherited some pieces. Very popular during the Victorian era, hair or mourning jewelry was composed of a lock of hair encased in a piece of jewelry to serve as a memento of a loved one who has passed away. Life Cut Short: Hamilton’s Hair and the Art of Mourning Jewelry is on exhibit through May 10, 2020. The show contains about 30 bracelets, earrings, brooches and other articles of hair jewelry. Highlights of the exhibit are pieces of hair jewelry belonging to Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and John James Audubon as well as one designed by Tiffany. There is much to see at the New York Historical Society so check out www.nyhistory.org and prepare to be surprised by all the wonderful historical pieces on view.
Epic Abstraction: Pollock to Herrera is an ongoing exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. With over 50 large paintings, sculptures and assemblages, the show covers the 1940s through the 21st century and has works by Pollock, Frankenthaler, Herrera, Twombly, and Nevelson as well as abstract work by artists from different countries. In Pursuit of Fashion: The Sandy Schreier Collection continues until May 17, 2020. The collection is a gift to the Met and this exhibit features more than 80 examples including French and American couture and prêt-à-porter as well as accessories and illustrations. More information on these special shows is at www.metmuseum.org so look for highlights there.
Several interesting shows are coming to the Museum of Modern Art in New York this year. Opening in February Dorothea Lange: Words and Pictures is her first retrospective in fifty years and shares many of the photographer’s images and words focused on the human condition. Judd opens March 1, 2020 and is the first retrospective of the sculptor’s work in thirty years. His work, though using industrial materials, combines sculpture, painting and drawing. Félix Fénéon: The Anarchist and the Avant-Garde – From Signac to Matisse and Beyond opens at the end of March. Mr. Fénéon was a collector, critic, publisher, and anarchist. The portrait that Signac painted of the influential gentleman is at the center of this exhibit along with over 160 artworks that Fénéon admired and championed. Artists that he collected included Matisse, Signac, Bonnard, Seurat, and Modigliani. The museum website at www.moma.org has more information.
Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925-1945 is at the Whitney in New York through May 2020. While many American artists traveled south, many Mexican artists came to the U.S.A. and their influence on American artists was profound. This exhibit features over 300 works by 85 Mexican and American artists. The major Mexican Muralists, such as Orozco, Rivera and Siqueiros, spent extended amounts of time here. In fact, we have several of these murals in California such as the Siqueiros mural at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. By the way, the Rivera mural in Detroit is extraordinary. For more about this exhibit go to www.whitney.org and find much more information.
Several ongoing shows are at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Since the museum has an extensive collection it is featuring the work of Constantin Brancusi, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. The Guggenheim started collecting his work in the 1950s and it is their impressive collection that is on display. Also ongoing at the museum is the Thannhauser Collection which features many French masterpieces by such artists as Degas and Picasso. Don’t forget to check out other museum locations such as Bilbao and Venice. Bilbao has a great Giacometti show as well as one from van Gogh to Picasso. Feel free to go to www.guggenheim.org for information and make sure to listen to various curators talk about the challenges of restoring Red Lilly Pads, as well as an Alexander Calder mobile. Also on view is an amazing and unique Kandinsky painting which is oil on glass…make sure to see Lion Hunt painted in 1911.
African Arts-Global Conversations seeks to place African art in an international historical context. The exhibit features 33 works and shows shared themes and ideas and how they developed in different parts of the world. The show, which runs February 14 – November 15, 2020, contains many pieces that have not been exhibited before. To learn more go to www.brooklynmuseum.org for more details.
At the Boston Museum of Fine Art through May 3, 2021 is Women Take the Floor which seeks to fill in the gaps where women have been excluded in art history with a focus on the 20th Century. The exhibition has been divided into various sections including Women on the Move: Art and Design in the 1920s and ‘30s, No Man’s Land and Women of Action among others. Please be sure and look at www.mfa.org to find more information and continue to check so you don’t miss anything.
Golden Prospects: California Gold Rush Daguerreotypes moves to the Peabody Essex Museum from the Nelson Atkins Museum on April 4, 2020. California’s gold rush began in 1848 with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill and searchers for the precious metal descended on the state. Early photographers followed. The daguerreotype, along with the better known tintype, were non-film, non-paper photographs. The tintype is magnetic and two dimensional, while the daguerreotype is more magical and can be seen only from certain angles. This gathering of early photos of the gold rush informs the viewer about the circumstances, the people, and the transformation of the American West. It will be on view through July 12, 2020. One place to find more information is www.pem.org where photos of the exhibit are on view.
Currently at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Collecting Photography: From Daguerreotype to Digital is going on until September 4, 2020. Featured are highlights from the museum’s own collection which includes a range of processes, daguerreotypes and digital images. For more information check these out at www.vam.ac.uk if they are of interest.
Arriving at the Tate Britain on March 4, 2020 and on view until May 25, 2020 the museum displays Aubrey Beardsley. The artist, who worked at the end of the 19th Century and died at 25, produced black ink drawings that remain very influential and inspirational. This is the first show of his work at the Tate since 1923 and the first show in Europe since the landmark 1966 show at the V&A. Over 300 works will be shown including work that inspired him by the likes of Edward Burne-Jones, Gustav Moreau, and some Japanese Scrolls. Meanwhile at The Tate Modern until March 15, 2020 is Dora Maar. The surrealist photographer came to the fore in the 1930s due to her provocative photos. While she and Picasso worked together on some projects during their relationship, both of their individual work was also affected. He immortalized her in the painting Weeping Woman and she documented his work on Guernica. This large retrospective covers her long career in the context of her contemporaries. Steve McQueen, is a show featuring 14 works by the award winning artist and is comprised of film, photography and sculpture. Included is his film homage to Paul Robeson, the great actor/singer and activist. The exhibit ends May 11, 2020. Beginning March 12-September 6 2020 is Andy Warhol. This is a major retrospective of his work and the first exhibit at the Tate in nearly 20 years. More information on these exhibits is at www.tate.org.uk which will have everything you need to know. While you are there, check out the amazing videos at the site about various exhibitions and van Gogh’s Starry Night over the Rhone.
At the National Gallery in London, Titian: Love, Desire, Death begins March 16 and runs until June 14, 2020. In 1551 the artist was commissioned to paint a group of canvases based on Classical myths. After four centuries all six paintings are back together again. They travelled from Boston, Madrid and London and depict moments of high drama. Find more details at www.nationalgallery.org.uk when you look for information.
Upcoming April 1, 2020 at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris is an exhibit featuring the work of Italian painter Giorgio de Chirico: Metaphysical Paintings. It will be on view until July 13, 2020. At the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, Soutine/de Kooning will begin October 7, 2020 and run through January of 2021. Soutine’s paintings were shown in the United States extensively in the 1930s and up until the 1950s. Willem de Kooning was a big fan of his work and Soutine had a great influence on the younger painter. He appreciated the tension Soutine brought to his work. This show is comprised of a dialogue between the two painters with around fifty paintings. Check out www.musee-orsay.fr if you will be in Paris for any of these shows.
The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Albi, France is adjacent to the Palais de la Berbie which was built in the 13th Century. The second floor houses early 20th Century work by artists such as Bonnard, Denis and Bernard. The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, which is opposite the north side of the Palais, hosts an important collection of the artist’s work which includes 31 posters, 219 paintings, 563 drawings and 183 lithos that are on display. Albi, the artist’s birthplace, is where you will find a majority of his work. The office of tourism has a helpful site at www.albi-tourisme.fr/en/toulouse-lautrec-museum which has more information.
The Musée Unterlinden in Colmar, France underwent a renovation and expansion in 2016. In the Alsace region, the museum has been in existence since 1853 and is home to Gruenwald’s Medieval masterpiece, Isenheim Altarpiece, as well as one of only three tapestries of Guernica approved by Picasso. It also has a large collection of Dubuffet artwork. The National Geographic station aired the made-for-television series on Picasso’s life which features a dramatization of the making of Guernica and how it came to be and why. I had the privilege of seeing the work at MoMA years ago. As I got off the elevator in the museum I came face to face with this large masterpiece. I have never forgotten the experience. The museum’s website at www.musee-unterlinden.com, is very informative.
Soulages au Louvre is at the museum until March 9, 2020. The artist is known as the painter of black because of his fascination with the color. In fact, he is more interested in the reflections created by these thick black surfaces. If you are interested the museum website at www.louvre.fr has many more details.
There seem to be many museums around the world dedicated to the work of Pablo Picasso. One of them is in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and is dedicated to and rich in the work done in his formative years. The Museu Picasso, which has one of the largest permanent collections of the artist’s work, also has special exhibitions. Currently, Pablo Picasso, Paul Eluard. A Sublime Friendship focuses on Picasso’s relationship with his friend, the poet, Eluard. More information can be gathered at www.museupicasso.bcn.cat/ about the museum and current exhibits.
Before his death Dali set up the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation which oversees the Dali Theater-Museum in Figueres, Spain, the Gala-Dali Castle in Pubol, Spain and the Salvador Dali House in Porilligat, Spain. All are open to the public and contain much of the surrealist’s work. His home still has his Cadillac on the grounds. For an interesting experience go to www.salvador-dali.org and find out how to make reservations for tours.
Many artists designed spectacular stained glass windows. Matisse designed the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence in France at the end of his life and many windows are included. It is well worth the visit. Marc Chagall’s beautiful and whimsical windows have homes throughout the world, including in Chicago and Jeruselem. Possibly the most well-known are in Zurich, Switzerland in the Fraumünster Church. Google these artists to find times and available tours.
The Paul Klee Museum in Bern, Switzerland houses over 4,000 artworks by the artist. His works are rotated and are shown among other modern artist’s work at the “Zentrum.” Go to www.zentrum-paul-klee-bern/ for information. Another museum of interest is in Lausanne, Switzerland. Collection De L’Art Brut Lausanne was founded in 1945 by the French artist, Jean Dubuffet. It is dedicated to displaying “outsider art.” Check out www.artbrut.ch/fr for details.
Continuing the theme of museums dedicated to a particular artist, the Mucha Museum in Prague features seven sections. The Czech native was an Art Nouveau master and this museum holds Decorative Panels, The Parisian Posters and Czech Posters, for which he is most known, as well as Oil Paintings, Drawings, Pastels and personal memorabilia. Currently items from the Mucha family home in Prague are on display. Alphonse Mucha’s history can be found at www.mucha.cz/en/exhibition with information on the museum itself.
Simply the Best:
Arcana: Books on the Arts is the best place to find books on the arts. It is a very special bookstore located in the Helms Bakery complex in Los Angeles. I have known owner Lee Kaplan for decades and his selection of books is as superb as his taste is impeccable. Arcana: Books on the Arts is at 8675 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232. For information go to http://www.arcanabooks.com or call 310.458.1499.
Michiko Jewelry Design is an incredible jewelry store in downtown Seal Beach, CA, featuring excellent one-of-a-kind gifts. The shop owner and artist, Carol Matsumoto, custom designs beautiful pieces. Michiko is at 228 Main Street. Call 563.431.3237 for more information or check www.michikojewelrydesign.com
Places to Go, People to See
Come to the Central Coast of California. We have wonderful beaches and countless wineries. You will find a Danish village, beautiful Moroccan architecture and exotic gardens. Special events abound. Did you know that Pismo Beach has a Dinosaur Cave? Apparently in the ‘40s a concrete brontosaurus stood at the base of the sea caves as part of a tourist attraction. The main cave subsequently collapsed and now access is only available through the ocean in kayaks. Tours are available so if you are interested in guided tours of Shelter Cove try www.pismobeach.org. While you are here you can check out an interesting exhibit in the Danish village of Solvang at the Wilding Museum. The website, www.wildingmuseum.org has the details.
As we head toward spring there are garden tours in almost every community. The 75th annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show takes place March 13-15 this year. To celebrate, Orchids – A World of Adventure, find out everything you ever wanted to know about orchids and go to the show where plants are for sale at the Earl Warren Showgrounds. Check out the website at www.sborchidshow.com for more information and a virtual tour. Then head north for a whole lot of fun and a whole lot of sea glass at the Cayucos Sea Glass Festival in the charming coastal town on March 14 and 15, 2020. There will be plenty of sea glass and sea glass art as well as food and live music. All the particulars are at www.cayucosseaglass.com for those who plan on attending.
Southern California has much going on also. The Queen Mary is docked in Long Beach and has an onboard exhibit called The Cunard Story, which traces the history of the line and its various ships. The Queen Mary sailed for the first time in 1936 and the exhibit is replete with photographs, table settings, menus, and officers’ uniforms. Many celebrities sailed on these ships, Gary Cooper and Greta Garbo among them, so there are photos of these guests. Most important was the role the Cunard line played in transporting thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Look for tickets at www.queenmary.com as well as more information.
The Gene Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles is the place to find An Art Exhibition and Sale which began February 8 and ends March 22, 2020. On view will be paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists. Check out www.theautry.org for all you need to know.
Ramona, the early California story of star-crossed lovers and racial inequality has been performed at Hemet’s Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre for many years. If you’ve never had the opportunity to see it now is the time. The production, with more than 600 performers, dancers and musicians, comes to life for several weeks starting April 18 - May 3, 2020. For the quintessential California experience, the historical story is a must see so go to www.ramonabowl.com for details.
April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. There are many celebrations and festivals marking the event. They start April 17 and some are as late as April 25, 2020. Check in your area. Locations include Santa Barbara, Claremont, Los Angeles, San Diego, Huntington Beach, Vista, and San Pedro.
My mother made many quilts so I have a soft spot in my heart for them. To celebrate spring there are many quilt shows popping up throughout California. Some of the larger ones are in Glendale, Palos Verdes, Long Beach, La Habra, and Camarillo. Many quilts will be available for purchase and the shows will have exhibits, demonstrations, and some will even have food. Check in your area to find out if there is one in your neighborhood.
Continue to check back as we will be posting upcoming shows here and on the exhibits page of my website…and again, there is always Facebook.
