ArtShowCentral.com

Stephanie Cash

“Imagining America: Icons of 20th-Century American Art,” an upcoming two-hour program on PBS, presents a concise introduction to a number of important artists, along with an overview of some of the major movements and ideas in art of the last century. Co-created by art historian and University of Illinois professor Jonathan Fineberg, who also makes onscreen appearances, and John Carlin, CEO of Funny Garbage, a New York City-based media production company, the show is divided into chapters addressing such topics as nature, society, identity, mass media, “spiritual wilderness” and “the space between art and life.”

Narrated by actor Peter Coyote, the show is enlivened by engaging archival film footage of its subjects. Marcel Duchamp is seen in front of his Large Glass explaining how it became cracked; Georgia O’Keeffe discusses her love of the desert and her relationship with Alfred Stieglitz; Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg are seen working in their studios. Vast differences in style and intent are apparent in scenes showing Andy Warhol in nonsensical interviews and a comical Braniff Airlines advertisement, while others artists such as Stuart Davis and Jacob Lawrence discuss their work and its social implications. Interviews with curators, critics and artists such as Lowery Stokes Sims, Carlo McCormick, Elizabeth Murray, Mike Kelley, Fred Tomaselli, Ed Ruscha and John Baldessari provide insight into the impact of these figures and others, including Thomas Cole, Edward Hopper, Dorothea Lange, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Robert Smithson, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kerry James Marshall, Cindy Sherman and David Wojnarowicz.

Perhaps given its titular focus, the undeniable influence of European art on the U.S. scene in the early 20th century is conspicuously missing, despite the fact that a number of important artists immigrated from overseas. The show would almost seem to imply that all great modern art originated in America, in a historical vacuum. Minor flaws aside, it is an engrossing and accessible overview of American art since the late 19th century. Production was funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Henry Luce Foundation, with additional support from the University of Illinois, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the National Endowment for the Arts. The show is accompanied by a 208-page book by Fineberg and Carlin, published by Yale University Press. “Imagining America” is set to air on Dec. 28 at 9:00 P.M. (EST).

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The wedding is considered to be one of the happiest moments in the life of two lovers. Though this can happen again should one of the spouses die or decide to have a divorce, there is nothing compared to the first time.

Since the wedding may last less than an hour while the reception may go on longer, the best way to preserve this memory in time is through pictures taken by a talented photographer.

People who want to start a career here should first take classes on the basics of photography. Some think it is just a matter of looking at a lens and pushing on the button but there is more to it than that. There are factors such as lighting, color and timing has to be considered to be able to get the right picture especially for the candid ones.

When the person has learned this, it is time to get that camera. More people are using digital cameras these days that can hold more than 200 images or more depending on the size of the memory card.

This makes developing faster than the conventional one, which is taking out the film from the camera and working on the pictures inside the dark room.

Some people who want to become digital wedding photographers do it because of the money. The individual must realize that it is only through devotion that the quality of the shots taken is consistent.

It takes awhile to be a good wedding photographer. It may be months or even years so during this time, the photographer will be able to develop a certain style or technique that will surely be remembered by the client years after the wedding took place.

Some of the lessons in digital wedding photography can be self-taught. Since there are other ways to shoot pictures, it is best to talk with other artists or to attend seminars.

Another way to excel in this art will be to enter in competitions. The individual may not win but there are valuable lessons that can be learned which can be incorporated into the style used in taking those photographs.

Research has shown a good wedding photographer can make $24,000 annually or more. This means serving one client well will open the doors to others such as the friends and relatives of the couple who will also be getting married in a few months or years.

Pod Casts, the wave of the future. We are reaching a technological age where anything and everything is broadcast over the internet. From sites like YouTube, MySPace, Blogger, and Odeo.com can make you famous in your private digital world. Digital information is passed through the internet like a chain letter with no end. In some ways it is frightening because you can never see who is receiving on the other end, but it can also be exciting because there are limitless ways to share your world with someone else. Pod Casts have become extremely advanced and will only get better. Ipods and other electronic devices can practically download and play anything these days. If you are looking to expand your business, market a new product, advertise a new website, or just communicate with friends and family, there are literally more than a dozen choices to pick from.

Podcasts are an excellent way to get started. They give your product, name or service a personalized voice that people can trust. Rather than just reading text on a page or seeing the product, your customers get a personalized introduction. Radio advertising is one of the most effective types of advertising because of how personal it can be, so why not start your own Podcast and let the world know who you are.

Odeo.com is a great resource for starting your own Podcast. It is free to sign up and takes less than two minutes to sign up. All you have to provide is a name, email and password.

Clickwhell.net is another great service. This site deals more with comics, but it easily creates great video podcasts. You can create comics or stories about anything, upload them and broadcast your content to the world.

There are tons of great services out there to help advertise your art so take the time to search around and find something you really feel comfortable with. Many services are free, but do have an advanced paid service, which give you all the upgraded features. If you are looking to do anything long term and want to look professional. The upgrades are well worth the price.

This is another art video I came across on YouTube. Not only is the art good but it is animated and morphed to create some brilliant effects. Definitely a must see.

A great step-by-step canvas stretching demo I came across on YouTube.
Materials: Staple Gun, Raw Canvas, Canvas Pliers, Staples, Stretcher Bars, Hammer, Scissors, gesso, medium grade sand-paper.

Store bought canvas is great, but there is nothing like being able to stretch your own canvas especially if it is linen. Also, most pre-stretched store bought canvas is cotton and you don’t have a choice of size or texture, only what you can find on the shelf. Yes, pre-stretched cotton canvas is easy to buy and use, but knowing the basics is always essential. Master painters like Monet, Cezanne, Winslow Homer, & Rembrant stretched their own canvas. Why not stretch yours! It’s really not that hard and only takes minutes. Once you learn, you can set some time aside just to stretch and prime your canvas. You’ll feel more in control and get the texture you really want for your individual paintings. Enjoy the demo!

ARTISTS HELPING CHILDREN FOUNDATION JUST LAUNCHED
By Rachel Goldstein

Remember when you were a kid and you had to go to the hospital? Remember the strange sights, the sounds, unpleasant smells, and strangers entering your hospital room? You had no idea what was happening to you and no one could explain in a way you understood. You waited a lot with nothing to do except worry about what was going to happen next.

Artists Helping Children Foundation (http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics, and shelters by brightening their environment with murals and other art. By painting murals and creating other art for and with the children, we create enriching and happy places to ease the children’s fear and pain, to take their minds and their hearts out of the cold and into warm and wonderful places. It is amazing how a piece of paper and crayons can divert his attention away from pain. This is because children respond to and use artwork as tools for coping.

The people who work with Artists Helping Children provide art that brings joy and happiness to the lives of ill, mistreated, and needy children in communities everywhere. Through the generosity of artists, patients and community members, Artists Helping Children helps create murals, pieces of art, and provides arts and crafts supplies for the kids we serve.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS WE BRING JOY TO ILL AND NEEDY CHILDREN

(1) Professional Muralists - Our muralists change the look of hospitals for the better. A team will visit a site to meet with the facilities’ staff. With their help, we plan out a theme, the colors, and images that we will use within the mural. Then, we present sketches of designs appropriate to the space. Once the designs are approved, we begin recruiting volunteers and budgeting for the project.

(2) Paint-A-Mural Community Events - Community organizations are instrumental in helping us bring beautiful murals in to as many institutions as we can. Paint-a-Mural events are entertaining, stress-relieving, and a great way to bond with your community members. We provide a color-coded canvas with the mural drawn in, almost like a big coloring book. The volunteer’s job is to paint, paint, and paint.

(3) Local Stores are Getting Involved - Stores are even getting involved. Some stores have decided to
Display our pre-drawn canvas murals, cut in to smaller pieces for easier handling. These stores are able to show the local community that their store is a charitable organization and at the same time get eager children into their store to help paint the murals. After completion, we clean up the mural and donate it to an organization of their choice.

(4) Patients Can Join In - Patients enjoy the chance to get out of their rooms and do something uplifting and entertaining. Their minds are focused on happiness and they forget about their pain, if only for a short while. And even when they can’t participate first hand, we try to get them involved in the experience by providing outlets such as coloring and watercolor paint-by-number books that they can enjoy in their beds.

Please visit ArtistsHelpingChildren.org to see more about what we are doing, and how you can help our cause.

About the Author

Rachel Goldstein is Founder of Artists Helping Children Foundation - ArtistsHelpingChildren.org - A non-profit charity dedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics, and shelters by brightening their environment with murals, artwork, toys, and art supplies.

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Art is a part of life and for some, it is their way of life. Others usually consider art as a worthy investment. Regardless of how you see art, restoring and preserving art pieces are important techniques to maintain their value. Painting restoration is a serious matter; that is why most people prefer to have their paintings professionally restored. However, if you like the thought of restoring your own pieces, lots of practice and familiarity with techniques are necessary. Because according to statistics, more paintings and art works are destroyed each year by inept restoration and cleaning than by accidental burning or fire.

Clouded varnish, dirt, and smoke are the usual culprits that cause paintings to become dirty. Restoring paintings by cleaning it is the logical step of most owners. However, wiping paintings with rags or whatever liquid is damaging. Art restoration professionals recommend researching restoration techniques on the internet or attending seminars on restoring paintings before embarking on a restoration mission.

Art works look more elegant and classic when preserved in their original frames. As it is, detaching paintings from their frames is necessary and important before the actual cleaning. Non-removal of the frames not only causes discomfort and unease in cleaning, it also causes scratches and abrasion. Remove the frames by laying the picture backside up on a flat surface layered with foam or cushion to avoid scratching the frames. Vacuum accumulated dust on the frames’ back and remove nails gently with a metal ruler and pliers. Secure the nails on board with labels of their previous positions. For example, secure and label the nails plucked from the lower right side of the frame as “lower right”. This way, each nail fits exactly on its previous place without causing added strain on the frame. Marking the frame is also a good idea to be able to return it to its original position.

After removing paintings from their frame, it is better to inspect the kind of dirt build-up on the paintings. Knowing the kind of dirt to be removed is necessary in finding and using the right product and tools. Anti-mildew solutions remove mildew build-up or “foxing” effectively. However, soaking the painting in these solutions damages the colors and the painting. To prevent this, soak or spray the solution on a cotton pad and wipe on the area affected with foxing. Follow up with a water-dipped cotton pad and wipe dry. Periodically check cotton pads to see if some color or paint was dissolved. For dirt build-up that requires light to medium cleaning, slicing an onion in half and dipping it in lemon juice remove grime and dirt off art work. Rub paintings with lemon-soaked onion using a circular motion for even application. Slice the onion regularly to expose a fresh layer. An alternative is using warm water with lemon detergent or washing soda. Finish either treatment by wiping their painting with a moist sponge and leaving it to dry. Art works respond to this treatment with improved depth of color.

Experts recommend leaving varnish removal and painting repair to the professionals. Art works do not sell well or look good if extensively damaged. As these types of restoration require complicated techniques, the chances of botching the job are high if done by amateurs. The job is expensive but make the value of your paintings appreciate.

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Justin Clayton paints fruit, see it from start to finish in time-lapse.