Visual Artist Collaborations

 

Untitled - Warhol and Basquait

All kinds of creative collaborations take place in the art world - set designers and choreographers, film makers and costume designers, architects and sculptures. The collaboration that I find most fascinating are when two painters come together to create one piece. 

So why would two painters collaborate? Well for one thing it can spark innovation and growth. By combining their skills, perspectives and creative energies, the artists can push their individual creative voice.

One of the most successful and famous collaborations was Andy Warhol and Michael Basquait. They created over 160 pieces from 1980-86.  Usually Warhol would begin first working on the piece and then Basquait would enter adding his street art style over Warhol's work. 

The above untitled piece was huge, 10 feet by 13 feet, done in 1984. Southby's eventually sold it for 19.4 million dollars.

Olympic Rings, 1984-85, Warhol and Basquait

Zenith, 1985, Warhol and Basquait

Other painter collaborations exist from the 17th century, like the collaborations between Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders. Rubens would usually sketch the overall scene and paint the human figures while Snyders would paint animals and still life. 

Ceres and Pan, 1610, Ruben and Snyders

Rubens collaborated with a number of other painters. In 1617-1618 he worked with Jan Brueghel the Elder on a series called The Five Senses. Breughel created the detailed settings while Rubens painted the allegorical figures.

Smell, 1617, Rubens and Brueghel

A more modern collaboration were the abstract expressionists Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenburg. They had a close personal relationship and both liked to include everyday objects and iconic imagery in their work. They collaborated for about seven years in the 1950s.

Minutia, 1954, Johns and Rauschenburg

Even Picasso collaborated. He worked on a series called Painting with Light with Life Magazine's photographer Gijon Mili. Mili visited Picasso's studio in 1949 and showed him some images he had created of ice skaters with lights attached to their skates, jumping in the dark. Picasso was intrigued.

Picasso Drawing a Centaur with Light, 1949

So what does it take to have a successful collaboration?

1.  A clear commitment

2.  Mutual respect

3.  A willingness to navigate through challenges

4.  Being open to new ideas

5.  Being flexible in your approach

6.  Have a clear vision and theme

7.  Establish roles and responsibilities

8,  Know each others expectations upfront

and if money is involved a written agreement.

Other interesting collaborations to check out are...

Gilbert and George

Sophie Taeuber Arp and Jean Arp

Hera and Akut

Osgêmos - Identical twin Brazilian brothers

Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp

Would you ever be interested in doing collaborations? If so with who? 

Find Your Artistic Voice - A Book Review

 

Author, Artist, Illustrator Lisa Congdon describes the artist voice as a combination of style, skills, subject matter and choice of medium. It also reflects your personality, experiences and values.

I can tell you from experience that you do not "find your voice" over night. It took me years of experimenting, practicing and sending my art out into the world. My voice only became clear when I started making art nearly every day.

Congdon confirms my experience that your artistic voice is a journey, not a one time event. It is an evolution that changes as you change.

This book includes interviews with artists and also suggests strategies for developing your unique voice like...

• making art every day

• create personal challenges

• seek feedback from those you trust

• embrace solitude and mindfulness.

Although at my age I have a pretty good sense of my artistic voice, this book was a good confirmation and worth the read.

Make Even More Art

 

Do You Make Art When You Can't Sleep?

The Starry Night - Vincent van Gogh

 It's 4 a.m. and I am wide awake. It doesn't make any difference if I go to bed at 10 p.m. or midnight. I am wide awake at 4.  My mother and grandmother would do the same thing. Mom would get up, make herself toast and then meditate or read. My grandmother would write letters. 

I sometimes get up and make art. However I know as soon as I throw my legs over the side of the bed I am up for good. This morning I was wondering if famous artists got up to create in the middle of the night. I was awake anyway, so decided to do a bit of research.

Vincent van Gogh often worked until 3 or 4 in the morning while he was in an asylum.  He created some of his most famous pieces in the middle of the  night like The Starry Night.

Lee Krasner, one of the most important Abstract Expressionists had insomnia after the death of her husband Jackson Pollock. It was during this period that she created her "Night Journeys" series. 

The French author Coletter said that "insomnia is almost an oasis in which those who have to think or suffer darkly take refuge."

There's even a term for it... "Creative Insomnia." It seems that there are a lot of creative folks awake in the middle of the night. It is common for people in creative fields to not be able to turn off their thoughts at night. 

There's good news an bad news about Creative Insomnia. It can lead to new ideas and periods of high productivity. It also can be detrimental to your health and mental well-being.

What about you. Do you have times of Creative Insomnia? Do you get up and create?

The New Yorker Covers - A TED Talk

 

My Favorite Quote About Art

Girl Before a Mirror, Pablo Picasso, Paris 1932

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

The quote about art washing away dust is widely attributed to Pablo Picasso and speaks to the transformative power of art. It suggests that whether creating art or viewing art, it can make us feel renewed, transform our spirit and offer a break from the mundane struggles of every day life.

Art, from this point of view, is a revitalizing power that offers fresh perspectives of the world. It lets us see things anew. It was Picasso's strong opinion that art is not just decorative but is necessary for spiritual and mental well-being.

 

A Very Cool Artist I Just Recently Discovered - Wifredo Lam 1902-1982

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City is exhibiting a major retrospective of Wifredo Lam's work called Wifredo Lam: When I Don't Sleep, I Dream 

The Jungle 1943

The Jungle is probably Lam's most famous work. It depicts figures that are part human, part animal and part plant in a sugarcane field. It is a statement about colonization and Afro-Cuban culture.

Wifredo Lam was born in Cuba and is known for his large scale paintings that blended modern aesthetics with Afro Cuban imagery, focusing on themes of social justice, spirituality and rebirth. Santerìa, a Cuban/African religion was a reoccurring theme. His heritage was a combination of Chinese, Spanish and African.

Untitled, 1938

In 1923 Lam left Cuba to study painting in Spain. Fifteen years later he moved to Paris with a letter of introduction to Pablo Picasso. Through Picasso he met other artists in Paris and his work began to move toward a more modern style, incorporating elements of Cubism and Surrealism.

"With regard to life, modern painting is a revolutionary activity... 
We need it in order to transform the world into a more humane place where mankind can live in liberty... We must accept these things with passion. It means that we must live imaginatively."

Zambezia, Zambezia 1950

Lam created the oil painting Zambezia, Zambezia in oil as a part of the Surrealist art movement.  The subject is part human and part mythical creature. One of the things I like about it is the combination of geometric and more organic lines. This piece is part of the Guggenheim collection in New York City.

The onset of World War II forced Lam to leave Paris in 1941 and returned to Cuba. At this point he further embraced his Cuban roots and included more flora and colors of Cuba as well as more symbolism from Santerìa. 

The Eternal Present (1944)

Lam painted The Eternal Present as a comment on the racial inequality and political corruption he found still in Cuba.

Wifredo Lam and Picasso, 1966

The MOMA exhibition features over 150 pieces and will run through March 28, 2026,

Why Make Art During Difficult Times

Did you know that Vincent van Gogh created "Starry Night" while hospitalized at a mental institution?

These are difficult times that sometimes make us want to get back in bed and pull the covers up over our heads. Now, like during COVID and 9/11 makes many of us ask the question "What's the point in making art when the world is turned upside down?"

Creating art is not only a distraction and hobby but is also a way to process, understand and transcend difficult experiences. 

Recent studies show that making art creates new neural pathways. It re-wires our brains. Neuroscientists describe creating as a "bottom up" approach to healing and engaging sensory, motor and emotional systems. It helps with problem solving, pattern recognition and emotional regulation. (In other words it helps to make me less cranky.)

Picasso created "Guernica" in 1937 as an anti-war statement in response to the bombing of the Basque Country town in northern Spain by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

The research is clear, art-making during difficult times...

• reduces stress hormones

• helps with emotional processing

• creates shared understanding

• often breaks social isolation

• takes internalized chaos and externalizes it into something tangible

• interrupts cycles of worry and anxiety

• transforms feelings of being a victim into being active in ones own healing and growth.

Frida Kahlo created the Two Fridas painting in 1939, shortly after her divorce from Diego Rivera. It shows the two sides of her personality. One is her broken hearted self in a traditional Tehuana costume. The other Frida represents her modern, independent self.

So why are you just sitting there? Get up and go create something. I am working on a new piece about the Explorer Archetype. It's keeping me from watching the news and hopefully is re-wiring those new pathways.

Novels about Artists and Art

 There actually are quite a number of novels about art. There are the very popular ones like Girl with a Pearl Earring and The da Vinci Code. But I've been wanting to read some lesser known novels that have had good reviews.

 Here are some I have on my "To Read" list, in no particular order.

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline  is a 2017 historical novel that fictionalizes the life of Christina Olson, the woman who inspired Andrew Wyeth's 1948 painting "Christina's World."

Seek My Face by John Updike is a 2002 novel that looks at the American art scene in the second half of the 20th century. The story unfolds over a single day in the spring of 2001 and is structured as an interview between a young journalist and an elderly, famous painter.

The Unknown Masterpiece is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was first published in 1831. It is set in 17th century Paris and revolves around three painters, exporing artistic creation and the relationship between art and life.

Girl Reading is a novel by Katie Ward that explores the lives of seven different women throughout history. Each of the vignettes is inspired by a real or imagined portrait of a woman reading., spanning from 1333 to 2060.

The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro is a historical novel that weaves art, politics and a family mystery in pre WWII New York City. The story alternates between 1939-1940 and Alizé Benoit, an American artist working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and her great niece Danielle Abrams in the present day.

Claude and Camille is a historical novel that chronicles the relationship between Monet and his first wife. It focuses on the 19th century Paris art scene and group who would later for the impressionist movement.

The Matisse Stories, a collection of three stories was published in 1993. The stories are not just about paintings, they use Matisse's art  to explore the characters' lives.

Sacré Bleu takes place in 19th century Paris. There seem to be quite a number of novels written about the early impressionists. It combines art history, mystery and the supernatural and focuses on the "Sacre Bleu paint that seems to be a supernatural source of inspiration and madness for many artists.

Lisette's List, Susan Vreeland historical novel takes place in France during WWII. It revolves around Lisette, a Parisian woman, who moves with her husband André from Paris to Provence. The theme of the story is about awakening to the power of art and the beauty of provincial life.

Life Studies is another book that looks good by Susan Vreeland. It is a collection of 8 historical stories about the creation of art and the lives of people who either make the art or are touched by it.

So these are the top ten on my reading list. I hope you are inspired. The question now is which one should I read first? Think I will dive in with Vreeland's short stories.

Still Singing. Still Creating. Still Protesting.

At the beginning of chapter one in Rollo May's classic book The Courage to Create, May asks...

"Shall we, as we feel our foundations shaking, withdraw in anxiety and panic?"

Once again 50 years later we are feeling our world turn upside down. Last month as I sat cutting paper up for my latest collage, I was asking myself why bother making art? I decided to get on a plane to the U.S. and march in a protest. As I marched with thousands of other baby boomers I thought we know how to do this. We have done this before. We are meant for these times.

The highlight of that protest was the presence of Joan Baez. She is 84 years old, still marching and still sharing her gifts in song. What an inspiration.

Since coming home I have been searching for what artists and writers are saying about creating during difficult times. I have started a collection of their thoughts to inspire me when the world feels like too much. Hope they inspire you as well.

Toni Morrison: "This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. That is how civilizations heal."

Vincent Van Gogh: "Art is to console those who are broken by life."

A collective of artists: "When people in power try to remove our humanity and our dignity, art and music provide a raison d'être. The simple act of making music in difficult times becomes an act of defiance and self-determination."

Dorthea Tanning, painter: "Art has always been the raft onto which we climb to save our sanity."

Shane Koyczan: "If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces."

Willie Nelson: "I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times."

Are you finding it difficult to create during these dark times?

Selfies: a celebration of a modern-day obsession

Nearly 500 female and female identifying photographers responded to the open call for this exhibit at the Royal Photographic Society.

Selfies as an obsession these days is certainly an understatement. As a photographer I rarely took a self portrait and still rarely take a selfie unless texting friends a picture of my new haircut.

Some of the 50 self-portraits in this exhibit are pretty straight forward some have been manipulated and are more complex. I find nearly all of them interesting. A link to the complete 50 follows my favorites, I posted here.

Do I Sit Well

Dee Robinson

Robinson won second prize for Best Black and White - Peoples' Choice. So simple but so elegant.

Garden Lockdown Selfie

Wendy G. Davies

I love taking photos that are reflections. This selfie in a wine glass is so clever. Going to have to think about how she took it from such a distance without with camera showing. 

Pandemic Ghost

Nina Stangle

Self, 2022

Julie Derbyshire

I often cut up my paintings and re-arrange them as a collage. On my To Do list, cut up a portrait.

Torn Apart

Helena Jones

At first I thought this torn self portrait was framed. Then when I looked closer I saw that it was a selfie screenshot taken on her computer. 

See more of the show here ... https://rps.org/groups/women-in-photography/selfies-gallery/

Farmers Markets

 I have traveled a lot and there is one thing I always love to do no matter where I am - visit a farmers market.

Farmers Markets are so universal across generations and cultures. If you are in a large city like Paris or New York City, are in a small rural village or beach town, you can always find a farmers market to visit. It's such a familiar experience...

vendors displaying their goods

locals picking out produce for dinner

neighbors greeting neighbors

Many artists have painted farmers markets. I have often photographed them but have yet to paint one. It's on my paintings to do list.

Here are some farmers market paintings to inspire you. What is your creative version?

Henry Charles Bryant (1835-1915)

English

19th Century

Barbara Jaskiewicz

Polish

1957

Obès Faustin

Haitian

Okearts African Exhibitions

Armando Romanelli

Brazilian

Tom Hill (1829-1908)

American

Leora Wenger

American

Zana Bihiku

Carol Boudreau

George Rodrigue

Renaato Guttuso

Personal Symbols

Gather together a page of symbols that have personal meaning to you. They can be based on your heritage, where you live, symbols that just keep reappearing in your art or symbols you are strongly drawn to. Try googling "symbols" to see what attracts your attention.

I made 20 boxes on a piece of paper and lined them up in a grid, measuring them out like I did in Exercise #1. I like symbols and have been collecting them for years, so I knew there would be a lot.

I photographed the squares and printed out several copies of the blank template.

I then started drawing symbols into their individual squares or I printed them out from online or magazines and cut and paste them into the squares. Every time I see a symbol that resonates with me I add it to a square. If I feel stuck on a painting, I will pull out my pages of symbols and see if anything calls to me.

What symbols call to you?

Painting To Rain

Wassily Kandinsky, Landscape with Rain, 1913

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to my friend Evan about painting to music. He said he likes to paint to meditation music. I regularly meditate to music but have not listened to that music while painting.

One of my favorites is an album with only one song that is 55 minutes long. It is music to the rain...

I wonder while listening if I would be tempted to paint rain. I love this abstract piece by Kandinsky. What would your painting of rain look like?

Here are a few more artists' take on rain...

Edward Munch, Karl Johan in the Rain, 1891

Krishna Protects Gopis from the Rain, 18th century

J. M. W. Turner, Rain, Steam and Speed

Vincent van Gogh, Rain, 1889

Edgar Degas, Jockeys in the Rain, 1886

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, The Umbrellas, 1881-86