The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali (1931)

This Surrealist piece, famous for its melting pocket watches in a desolate landscape, was painted by Dali when he was 27 years old. The story goes that the idea came to him one night after dinner while he was staring at a piece of melting camembert cheese.

The soft drooping texture symbolizes the fluidity of times, the subjectivity of memory and the inevitability of decay. It became one of the most recognized paintings of the Surrealist movement, capturing the anxieties of the world between WWI and WWII. 

It's a small painting, just 9 ½ by 13 but its influence on modern art has been huge. It's housed at the Museum of lModern Art (MOMA) in New York City.

I think it captures a bit of the anxious mood in the world today. How would you paint an anxious and unstable period in time?

 

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

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

Lake George Reflection.

 

Lake George Reflection

Oil on Canvas

I thought I was very familiar with Georgia o"Keeffe's paintings. Yet I had never seen this one before. I live  ½ block from a lake and have become very interested in lake art. 

Lake George Reflection was created from 1921-1922 and is owned by a private collector. Such a tranquil painting.

What would your creative version of a favorite lake be?

Dreaming City

 

Dreaming City (1921)

Paul Klee (1879 - 1940)

What would your creative version of a Dreaming City be?

I Will Not Lose Hope

"Hope" by GF Watts (1817 - 1904)

Many artists have created works about hope. Watts painted a female figure sitting on a globe. Besides the feeling of gloom, and being blindfolded, "Hope" puts her head close to her to a lyre to listen to music.

These are dark and difficult times. I am working on a hope image. It will include dancing and a river, two symbols I use often in my work.

What is your creative version of hope?