August 2011 ~ Blog of an Art Admirer

Wednesday

Contemporary Art - Lorraine Christie

Lorraine Christie, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is known for creating romantic love scenes in the streets and often in the rain, and now resides in in Roswell, Georgia. She is represented by Huff Harrington Fine Art Gallery.

Lorraine Christie - 47 Minutes

Lorraine Christie - Patience

Lorraine Christie - And Still She Doesn't See

Lorraine Christie - Sweet Surrender

William Kay Blacklock (1872-1922) British Painter

William Kay Blacklock - Picnic on the Ouse

William Kay Blacklock - Sewing by the River

William Kay Blacklock - The Toilet

William Kay Blacklock - A Day at the River

Contemporary Art - Slavko Krunic Serbian Artist

Contemporary Art - Slavko Krunic Aura

Contemporary Art - Slavko Krunic Stuntwoman

Contemporary Art - Slavko Krunic Instructor

Paul Jacoulet (1902-1960) French Printmaker

The renowned printmaker Paul Jacoulet, born in France and raised in Japan, was dubbed the “Frenchman of the woodblock print” by post war collectors. Known for a style that mixed the traditional ukiyo-e printmaking and lavish techniques developed by the artist himself, Jacoulet became famous after WWII. Queen Elizabeth II,Pope Pius XII,Greta Garbo were among his admirers and collectors.
His draftsmanship and technique were of very high quality, he worked only with the very best engravers and printers, sometimes using up to 60 different blocks for a single print.

Paul Jacoulet - series Chinese royal court

Paul Jacoulet Femme Tatouee de Falalap 1939

Paul Jacoulet Sandalwood Smoke 1948

Paul Jacoulet The Birds of Paradise1937-39

Allan Ramsay (1713-1784) Scottish Portrait Painter

Allan Ramsay was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest son of Allan Ramsay (1686-1758),an important Scottish poet of his day, and also playwright, publisher, librarian and wig-maker.
He studied in London under Hans Hysing, and at the St. Martin's Lane Academy. He then worked for three years in Rome and Naples. Ramsay made an astonishing progress during his two years away, when he came into contact with Imperiali and the young Batoni in Rome and worked under Solimena in Naples.
Upon his return, Ramsay setled in Edinburgh, where his talent was recognized - his full-length portrait of the Duke of Argyll was later used on Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes. Also his father was able to use his social connections to advance Ramsay's career.

Allan Ramsay - Portrait of Queen Charlotte 1761-62

Ramsay moves then to London where he was employed by the Duke of Bridgewater.
With a good classical education behind him, excellent manners and taste in dress, the young Ramsay became popular. Besides, the Act of Union (1707), which brought the great Scottish magnates to London and to position of influence, benefited his career significantly. One of the most influential Scotsmen in London Lord Bute, who was a nephew of Ramsay's earlier patrons the Dukes of Argyll, proved to be a loyal supporter to the artist and secured patronage for Ramsay which eventually blossomed on a scale unknown since Van Dyck.

Allan Ramsay - Richard Grenville, 2nd Earl Temple 1762

Ramsay executed Lord Bute's particularly fortunate full length portrat and many commissions followed. The artist was also largely employed in decoration, an industry which involved an army of assistants.
According to Dr. Alexander Cunningham, Edinburgh physician, even 'before he had the luck to become a favourite with the king, he was perfectly independent as to fortune, having, in one way or another, accumulated not less that forty thousand pounds, a sum which almost justified the jeremiads of Hogarth over the popularity of face-painting. What is perhaps more remarkable, however, is that he was not only highly in request as a portrait painter, but ws even preferred to Reynolds. It was the opinion of Walpole, for instance, that Ramsay excelled Reynolds as a painter of women. "Mr. Reynolds seldom succeeds in women; Mr. Ramsay is formed to paint them" (Letter to Dalrymple, 25 Feb.1758).

Allan Ramsay - Self Portrait

With the accession of George III his favour with the court increased, and in 1767 he succeeded John Shackleton as portrait painter to his majesty, an appointment with had the effect of turning his studio into a manufactory of presentments of royal and official personages, in which little but the head (and often not even that) was executed by himself. The king's inveterate habit of giving away elaborate full-lengths of himself and Queen Charlotte kept him constantly employed.
(Dictionary of national biography, Volume 47 By Sir Leslie Stephen, Sir Sidney Lee)

Contemporary art - Anne-Marie Kornachuk, Canadian Artist

After completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal in 1993, Anne-Marie Kornachuk participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Canada and the US.
Among recent shows - a solo exhibition at the Miller Gallery in Cincinnati, 2010; International Art Fair in Toronto, 2009.

Anne-Marie Kornachuk - Airs Above the Ground, 2006

Elected as a member of the Ontario Society of Artists in 2000, Anne-Marie served as councilor, Vice President, and President of the society. She teaches part-time at the Art School of Peterborough (ASOP), Lakefield College School, and privately.