Iryna Yermolova is a Ukrainian artist now based in the the UK. She primarily paints figures and still life. I find her loose, gestural style and rich color palette particularly appealing in the latter.
She often defines her forms in brusquely textural blocks and planes of color, giving her work a tactile, sculptural quality that is a nice complement to the sketch-like immediacy of her approach.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Drawing Materials is a short (5 minute) video in which a conservator from the Royal Collection Trust describes and demonstrates some of the drawing materials available to Leonardo and other Renaissance artists.
It was produced in conjunction with the exhibit “Leonardo da Vinci: Ten Drawings from the Royal Collection” that is on view at the Royal Collection Trust until 24 April 2016, and then travels to several other venues in the UK.
Helena and Hermia, Edward John Poynter
Link is to a zoomable version on the Google Art Project; downloadable file on Wikimedia Commons; original is in the Art Gallery of South Australia.
Victorian painter Edward Poynter gives us a beautiful and sensitive portrayal of the characters from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
At once idealized and naturalistic, the sumptuous marble and tile — that form a stage of sorts for the two women — are set against lush foliage and tree bark through which we glimpse a backdrop of distant mountains across a darkened sea.
Theodore Penleigh Boyd was an Australian painter active in the early 20th century. Boyd was born in England. His parents were both established artists, and he studied with them as well as at the National Gallery Art School in Victoria.
He traveled in Europe and was influenced by the painters he met in Paris to take up the practice of plein air painting, which he practiced in in Australia, drawing comparisons to Arthur Streeton.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many examples of his work online. Perhaps that’s partly because he isn’t as well known outside of Australia as he might be, and partly because his career was not long. Boyd’s life and career were cut short by a car accident at the age of 33.
Originally from Vitoria, Spain, Arantzazu Martinez moved to New York in search of 19th century style classical training. There she studied with Jacob Collins, both at the New York Academy of Figurative Art and the Water Street Atelier.
Martinez frequently puts her classical training in service of the interpretation of fantastical literary subjects, both historic, as in her take on the Dracula story (images above, top); and contemporary, as in the commission she accepted from Lucasfilm Ltd. to participate in the 2009 “Star Wars Visions project” (image above, second from bottom).
Her work shows an appreciation not only for the classical draftsmanship and painting techniques of previous masters, but for the refined value and color relationships found in the best 19th century painting.
When viewing the gallery on her website, be sure to use the “Zoom (+)” button to the upper right of the individual images. You can find additional large images of her work on the Art Renewal Center site.
Ma’agalim is a beautiful short animation (3:30 minutes) directed by Uri Lotan. It is the music video for the song of the same name by Jane Bordeaux.
It portrays a mechanically animated wooden doll in the revolving scene of an arcade amusement, walking in pace as the landscape rolls beneath her feet.
If you click the “Read more…” link on the Vimeo page, you will see someone’s translation of the song lyrics, as well as a more complete credit list for the film.
Given Lotan’s film credits — which include Hotel Transylvania II — I have to assume that this is done with CGI; but the textures are so real and visceral, I have to wonder.
However it was done, it is wonderfully realized, emotionally touching and superbly art directed and produced.
View it in full screen mode.
[Via Jim Nelson]
