JMG Artblog

Great NY Times Interactive Article: Van Gogh Letter

Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait: Three Quarters to the Right (detail), 1887, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; Vincent van Gogh, letter to Émile Bernard, Arles, 18 March 1888, Letter 2 (detail), Thaw Collection, The Pierpont Morgan Library; Vincent van Gogh, Olive Trees (detail), 1889, National Gallery of Scotland.

The New York Times writers, Gabriel Dance and Tom Jackson, in conjunction with one of The Morgan Library &  Museum curators, Jennifer Tonkovich, created an extremely interesting analysis of a letter from Vincent Van Gogh to Emile Bernard.

NY Times:
Click here to check out the interactive letter.

For more information:
Morgan Libaray & Museum exhibit of Van Gogh's Letters.

Interactive Morgan Exhibit:
Van Gogh's Letters

Daniel Smith Art Supplies: Packing To Paint

Scott Burdick has posted a great article for Daniel Smith Art Supplies called "Packing To Paint" that gives some great advice on packing art supplies when traveling.

Also check out "A Guide to Daniel Smith Watercolors" while visiting this essential art supply site.

Philadelphia Art Classes: Fall 2006

Here are a list of schools in the Philadelphia area that have classes for artists this Fall:

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Wayne Art Center
Mainline Art Center
Woodmere Art Museum
Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Studio Incaminatti
Cheltenham Art Center
Abington Art Center
Fairmount Art Center

Check out the different sites for some great teachers and classes. Sign up for one and enjoy.

Color Workshops with Robert Gamblin

Robert Gamblin will be conducting two Color Workshops for Painters in New York City on Wednesday, March 8, 2006. Please visit www.gamblincolors.com/workshop.html for the workshop details. Reservations are required.

For more information about Robert Gamblin and Gamblin Oils click here.

Susie Short: Split Primary Color Palette

Susie Short, an internationally known watercolor artist and instructor, has posted an article about color mixing on Daniel Smith's website that is worth reading. She lays out the basics of color mixing for watercolor artists (and for artists in other mediums as well) in a very clear and easily understood way. Her insight and instruction on the split color paletter is a valuable tool for artists wanting to learn more about color mixing.

Ms. Short writes "Although watercolors obey the same color laws as other mediums, there is one very important difference: Watercolor is transparent. It's the unique transparency of the paints and the translucent quality of the colors that make watercolor so popular."

Click on the following links for additional information:
Daniel Smith article
Susie Short's website
Subscribe to her newsletter

Image shows the "Split Primary Color Palette" by Susie Short.

2006 Art Classes: Philadelphia

Check out the following web sites for information on Art Classes, Workshops and Exhibitions in the Philadelphia area starting in January.  They all have great classes and teachers. I highly recommend a class at the Wayne Art Center with one of my favorite teachers, Karen Fogarty.

Wayne Art Center: Wayne, PA
Mainline Art Center: Haverford, PA
Woodmere Art Museum: Chestnut Hill, PA
Philadelphia Art Museum: Philadelphia, PA
Schuylkill Academy of Fine Art: Philadelphia, PA
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: Philadelphia, PA

Two new places with a unique and fascinating history that I want to add to the list are:
Plastic Club, 247 S. Camac St. 215.923.6549
Philadelphia Sketch Club, 235 S. Camac St. 215.545.9298

I have visited the clubs and encourage a visit if you are in the vicinity. Both clubs are downtown on Camac Street and have been around over a hundred years. Their histories are intertwined in that the Sketch Club was formed for male artists and the Plastic Club for female artists to allow more artistic freedom.

Coffee and Tape

Can you tell I like Dunkin Donuts coffee? This drawing was made in about three minutes as my drawing instructor told me that I was taking too much time on the landscape I was working on. She wanted me to pick something quick. Well here it is....

Coffee and Tape
Charcoal Drawing
Jefferson Green

Drawing Class: Cups and Bag

Cups and Bag
Charcoal
Jeff Green

I had my first drawing class this past weekend. It was a blast. I posted my drawing not to show off my impeccable drawing skills (as my son would say "Yeah. Right Dad.") rather I wanted to show this as a reminder of a fulfilling activity. I would encourage anyone that has never painted or drawn to give it a try. It is fun. And in a weird way satisfying. Even when the results are quite scary. I work with numbers all day. All of the time. I am usually too tired or too busy or too focused to use the part of my brain that sees the world in a different way.  But when I paint or draw my viewpoint changes. I am not sure why or how but it clearly does. Give it a try.

Art Classes: Philadelphia, PA

I have justed moved to Philadelphia for work and have been looking for new art classes to take. Here are a few that I have found. Check them out. I took a class this summer at the Wayne Art Center and loved it.
Wayne Art Center: Wayne, PA
Mainline Art Center: Haverford, PA
Woodmere Art Museum: Chestnut Hill, PA
Philadelphia Art Museum: Philadelphia, PA
Schuylkill Academy of Fine Art: Philadelphia, PA
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: Philadelphia, PA

Daniel Smith: Easy Steps to Painless Acrylics by Dianna Shyne

Ordering Drinks
Dianna Shyne
Acrylics on Canvas

Daniel Smith Art Supplies has just published an excellent acrylic painting overview by Dianna Shyne. She discusses her challenges as she moved from painting with oil to painting with acrylics. The advice she gives concerning the fast drying time of acrylics and how to prolong it is worth the read. Check her article out here. You can also read more about Ms. Shyne's work at her website www.gotzshyne.com.