Seeing Ourselves: Women's Self-Portraits

Seeing Ourselves

Women’s Self-Portraits

by Frances Borzello

Published by Thames & Hudson (May 17, 2016)

Newly released by Thames and Hudson, Seeing Ourselves: Women's Self-Portraits is an updated and rewritten version by author Frances Borzello. Borzello has created a vivid depiction of the lives of  female artists through the decades. She eloquently illustrates how women were suppressed by societal issues not recognizing the talent of many female artists and cultures that forbade their expression of confidence, pride and genius.

Mary Beale, Self-portrait (detail), c. 1675-80.

Oil on sacking,  (35 1/4 x 29 1/4).

Manor House Museum, Bury St Edmunds. Courtesy of St. Edmundsbury Borough Council

From the author: "A book that began as a passion. For years I collected copies of self portraits by women artists. One day when I opened the drawer that held them , I realized that I had over a hundred, dating back to the sixteenth century. 

It was inevitable that I would ask if the social pressures on women had dictated their depictions of themselves. What I found was fascinating. Forbidden by the conventions of past centuries to boast about themselves, to work in fields that were seen as exclusively male, and expected to know their place and to be forever feminine, they still managed to speak about their artistic convictions, to hold on to their femininity, and yes, to boast about themselves by exploiting the language of self portraiture to their advantage."

Berthe Morisot, Self-portrait with her Daughter Julie, 1885.

Oil on canvas, (28 3/8 x 35 13/16).

Private Collection

As salons and galleries slowly began to allow women (such as Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt) to exhibit their art, the Impressionist era ushered in a heightened regard for these female artists' resounding works and creativity . 

Frances Benjamin Johnston, Self-portrait, c.1896. Photograph.

The Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Marianne von Werefkin, Self-portrait, 1908-10.Oil on cardboard, (20 1/8 x 13).

Städtische Galerie, im Lenbachhaus, Munich

Gluck, Self-portrait with cigarette, 1925. Oil on canvas. 

Courtesy of The Fine Art Society, London. © Estate of ‘Gluck’ (Hannah Gluckstein)

The 20th century brought about an era where artists broke through the "forbidden" and where nothing was out of bounds in the creation of art. Finally many women expressed themselves freely in painting. Alice Neel's nude self portrait at the age of 80! Frieda Kahlo's painful existence and isolation depicted in lush, albeit often distressing detail. Cindy Sherman's depiction of female stereotypes and exploration of identity.

Florine Stettheimer, Natatorium Undine, 1927.Oil and encaustic on canvas.  

(50 1/2 x 60). 

The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, 

NY. Gift of Ettie Stettheimer, 1949

SELF-PORTRAIT WITH MONKEY, 1938

Oil on Masonite

16 x 12 inches (40.6 x 30.5 cm) 

Bequest of A. Conger Goodyear, 1966

Thank you to Thames and Hudson for providing a publicity copy of this eloquent book by Frances Borzello on women's self-portraiture through the ages.


You may purchase Seeing Ourselves: Women's Self Portraits at  Thames and Hudson.com

Thank you to my Family, Friends and Followers who support The Arts!

xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena

Featuring Artist Scott McBee

Artist Scott McBee's stunning, large-scale paintings are some of the most intricately rendered works that I have ever seen. His finely detailed nautical portraits of ocean liners and yachts are approximately 3 x 9 feet in size. The glorious marine life series is created with vivid colors and gold or silver leafing. Scott's exquisitely refined art will take your breath away! Please enjoy our conversation below.

Scott. thank you so much for participating in this interview for our readers.

1) When did you first become interested in being an artist?

At a very early age, I would say around 7. I always loved to draw and play with paints. Whenever I was handed an assignment in class or given home work it always came back to the teacher with artwork plastered on both sides of the paper. I had very little interest in doing my homework and my teachers were not amused. Needless to say there was a meeting with my mom. 

2)  At what point in your career did the intricate nautical portraits of ocean liners and yachts become a passion?  

I understand you have clients who commission your work from all over the world.

 I've always had a life long passion for ocean liners and steam yachts since I was a boy. I was always doodling or building a model of one or the other. I was fascinated by the design and construction as with all the details that go into the creation of a ship.  

   My passion for painting ocean liners and steam yachts emerged about 15 years ago. I started my career in NYC as a commercial artist  working in advertising.  As an experiment and gift to myself  I decided to take a month off and do something I loved to do. To follow my passion so to speak.

   Painting the ocean liners and yachts were and still are for my own pleasure.  The paintings are an extension of my love for model building I did as a kid. I manage to squeeze a model  in every so often in between commissions.

   I began receiving commissions after my first gallery show with the Chinese Porcelain Company here in NYC.  My clients range from bank executives in  Singapore, media presidents here on the east and west coast as well as yacht owners and enthusiast. They all share a common interest in nautical architecture, history and a passion for the sea.

 My two most recent commissions were of the Cunard liner, R.M.S. Queen Mary and the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Invincible. Both commissions were from a gentleman who had traveled on board the Queen Mary as a child and served on the Invincible as a naval officer. They were a pleasure to paint and I have a very happy client.

3) I also love your stunning Marine Life Series! What inspired you to create these incredible paintings?  

   Thank you Karena. I had recently taken a vacation to the Bahamas and was inspired by the natural beauty there. From birds to fish. Rather than painting in a traditional manner I decided to put a twist in the way of working with colors and metallic finishes such as silver or gold leaf. I'm fond of  working in hues of blue, corals and reds for that particular series.

4) Are there mentors in your life who have encouraged you in the arts? 

   My mentors are my high school art teacher, Mr. Floyd Nordwick, the late Terry Wilke, the amazing artists Basil Gogos, Marie Mutz and my partner James Andrew. There are many more. I believe everybody you encounter in your life makes an impact on who you become.

5) Who are some other artists that you respect and admire?  

   I draw a lot of  inspiration from the great nautical painters, Antonio Jacobsen and Stephen J. Card, Klimt, Cassandre, and John Singer Sargent in their incredible drawing skills, use of color and composition.

6) What interests and activities do you enjoy when not in the studio, painting?  

   I love to travel and explore new places. Reading a good book, building a model, cooking with James Andrew, movies, working out  and allowing myself to do absolutely nothing on occasion. 

7)  Scott, where can readers find your art and do you have any upcoming exhibits? 

   I have two web sites for my work.   

Scott Mcbee - Ocean Liners 

www.scottmcbee.com/illustration

I am currently represented by

 The Chinese Porcelain Company at 

232 East 59th street,5th floor

NYC, NY, 10022

Tel:212-838-7744 

The Island Store

P.O. Box N7776

Nassau, Bahamas

Tel: (242) 377-1050

Lindroth Design

312 B South County Road

Palm Beach, Florida, 33480

Tel: 561-249-1205

8) Finally, what advice would you give to the beginning artist of any age?

Don't be afraid to express yourself, to stand out.  

Don't be afraid to make a mistake or "mess it up".

STOP being afraid..... the daily home work assignment.  

Stay open to new ideas.

Learn to listen, be honest, true to your word.

Surround yourself with positive, like minded friends.

Please visit Scott's websites to view more of his extraordinary works of art or to contact him.

Thank you to interior designer James Andrew of What is James Wearing ? for the introduction!

Thank you to my Family, Friends and Followers who support the Arts!

xoxo

Karena

The Arts  by Karena

Featuring Sculptor Joe Gitterman

Stunning, breathtaking, and dynamic are just a few ways to describe sculptor Joe Gitterman's works of art. Using a unique array of fine metals and finishes, his designs become a focal point of interest whether in a residential, commercial, or public domain.

Mr Gitterman has an impressive list of private commissions and has the ability to fabricate his sculptures in many sizes. Please enjoy his fascinating story and our discussion below.

1) Joe thank you so much for participating in this interview. Your sculptures are stunning! After an illustrious career on the New York Stock Exchange, what propelled you into the life of a professional artist and sculptor?

I took my first art classes many years ago when my wife was working nights in the theater. I was working in the New York Stock Exchange at the time and my nights were free so I decided to put them to good use and nurture my interest in art. It became a hobby that I spent a lot of time on. I worked in plaster, wood and marble but really fell in love with metal. In 2011 I happen to participate in a gallery show and ended up selling a few pieces. It was a pleasant surprise to me that my pieces sold. I quickly mounted a website and became a full-time working artist.

2) When did you first become interested in the arts? 

Like many people I owe my interest in arts to a teacher.  My 6th grade teacher was fantastic and really encouraged me to express myself through art. 

3) Your sculptures are infused with movement. How does your thought process work when you begin a new piece or a new series of art?

It's a process in which I get a picture in my mind. I try to create what I am visualizing but sometimes I end up with something different than I originally envisioned. Sometimes that ends up being a really exciting surprise

4)  Who has influenced your style and creativity? Are there mentors or other artists that you respect and admire?

To name just three I would say Brancusi, Hepworth and Moore. My mentors and other artists that I admire is a very long list of amazing talents and contemporaries that have helped me. Too many to mention. 

5) Joe, I understand you do many private commissions from clients such as the renowned interior designer Robert Couturier to Norwegian Cruise Lines. Would you tell us more about that? 

For me the most exciting aspect of doing a commissioned piece or pieces is creating something that fits into and compliments the aesthetic of a specific location or design need. It is very different than creating something I love for myself. I recently installed a piece in a luxury residential building by architecture icon Robert A.M. Stern in Washington DC. It is the only sculpture in the building. 

6) Where can readers find your sculptures and do you have any upcoming exhibits? 

I'm working on some future exhibits and more information is available on my website - WWW.JOEGITTERMAN.COM  I am also on Instagram, Pinterest, FaceBook and some art exhibition sites. 

7) What is your advice to the beginning artist of any age? 

Be passionate about what you do and always keep exploring. 

Thank you again, Joe! 

Thank you to my Family, Friends and Followers who support The Arts!

xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena

Artistic Design: Carrier and Company: Positively Chic Interiors

Jessie Carrier and Mara Miller first met during their senior year at the Fashion Institute of Technology. They both worked at several of the AD 100 interior design firms before starting their own company, Carrier and Company Interiors in 2005.

They are widely recognized and published for their unique style is exquisitely detailed and enticing.  Having two children of their own, they also make sure that a comfortable home with personalized space is a priority.

Please enjoy some of these gorgeous images from their newly released book Carrier and Company: Positively Chic Interiors  by Jessie Carrier and Mara Miller, with Judith Nasatir. The thoughtfully written Forward is by Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of American Vogue and Artistic Director of Conde Nast.

This dynamic couple seems to have an innate sense of color and how it unifies the design of a room and especially of the importance of fine art and art objects.

AD 100 has named Carrier and Company to their coveted list twice, and has stated with high regard:

" They have established a reputation for spicing the appropriate with the strikingly unusual" and again cited " the spirited, winning nature of this Manhattan couple, who in less than a decade have attracted the attention of media and fashion heavyweights." 

Add this design book to your library and enjoy the more than 200 color illustrations within the 248 pages. You will be so thrilled with this publication! Carrier and Compnay: Positively Chic Interiors is available at  Amazon or your local book seller.

Thank you to The Vendome Press for the publicity copy of this fine book.

Please do leave a message as it makes my day!

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Karena

The Arts by Karena

The India Hicks Holiday Collection is now available and is a stunning addition to her finely crafted Lifestyle Collection.  There is something for everyone on your list, even you!  Shopping made so easy! Please visit my site at www.indiahicks.com/rep/karenalbert

The Fascinating Art of Lesley Schiff

Lesley Schiff is an artist who is continually thinking outside the box. Her works of art are mesmerizing, inspiring and dramatic. Please enjoy this interview with Lesley and visit her websites which are listed below.

After Dark, from The Distant Systems Series

Lesley your works of art are incredible and so fascinating.

1) When  did you become interested in creating art?

Thank you!  That’s quite a compliment.

Art found me. My mother is an artist. When she decided to go to The Art Institute of Chicago, my older brother and I also began our art education, at the museum’s junior school. I was seven years old.

Dragonfly

2) Have you had mentors or people in your life who have encouraged your endeavors?

The first mentor, obviously is my mother…..very encouraging.  Also, many of her enormously, talented artist friends were part of my upbringing. When I graduated from The Art Institute of Chicago, I left the following day for New York City, because at that time, it was where you went if you wanted to be a ‘serious artist.’  I became very close with another family of very talented artists and textile designers. In fact, they were connected to Albert Hadley and Sister Parish!

I have many mentors…..they come in all different sizes, ages, and they come from this time and going back to the beginning of recorded artistic expression.

Gabrielle's Secret

3) What inspires you? How does your thought process work when you begin a new piece or a new series of art?

I think of what I do as a Thank You Card. There’s always so much to be grateful for, enchanted by, and curious about. My thought process is more of a quiet retreat. I stop Time, whenever possible, and wait. I wait to be directed. I wait for Vision to make an appearance. When that occurs, then I follow and obey. When I trust that approach, the pictures usually work. I look for a connection between my contrary aspects: body, mind, spirit. When there’s alignment, then a story begins. Usually, the story tells you what to say.

3.1) How did your current genre in art come about?

I developed what I do using the structure of painting which was my focus of study.

I wanted a more direct way to put the ideas down and see if the concepts were worth investigating. Being aware of the world and the array of tools, I landed on an unconventional way to achieve the same result. I discovered that a color copier works as a combination of silk-screening and photography. But for me, it was a way to put all the elements necessary to paint with, into one device: light, color, paper, and a ‘tabletop’ to set up the pictures from.

Italy

4) Does being part of a renowned family of artists create synergy?

Yes!  It also allows for continuity. You don’t have to explain your angle to someone unfamiliar with an artistic quest. You are free to use shorthand and stay in the excitement.

Dylan Times For

5) Your current event is very unique, would you tell our readers about this special exhibit?

I was fortunate to do a large commission for Columbia Records, which is owned by Sony Music.

It also happens to be Bob Dylan’s label.  Of the 100 portraits I did for 3 floors of their NYC corporate offices, 4 of the portraits were of Dylan.  I ended up being introduced to his manager and made a proposal to do a limited edition portrait of Dylan. Each portfolio contains images of Dylan, songs of his that I’ve illustrated and icons, synonymous with his persona.

This first exhibit in Boston shows the portfolio art, as well as large-scale prints and works on brushed aluminum.

6) Lesley, that is an amazing story! Where will you be showing your art next, any upcoming exhibits?

I’m in the midst of finding other locations for the Dylan Portrait. As soon as we have dates, they will be posted on the website.

 7) What is your advice to the beginning artist of any age?

Listen. Follow the prompting. Listen only to that quiet inner voice. Trust the eyes of your heart.

Thank you again Lesley for this insightful interview. I know readers will be following you to see what exhibit is next on your tour!

Lesley's website is http://lesleyschiff.com. Also visit her amazing,  A Portrait of Bob Dylan exhibit at http://www.schiff-dylanexhibit.com 

Harvard University's George Martin Lane Professor of Classics, Richard F. Thomas attended the LIT Exhibition with several students on Oct.25.  Professor Thomas had this to say to Bob Dylan's management about his experience at LIT:

"I thought it worked really well.  The juxtapositions of lyrics, fonts, colors, texture, evocative images, most recognizable but transformed in the new medium, all made for a pleasing hour and a half."

To read Richard Thomas' The Performance Artistry of Bob Dylan, co-edited with Catharine Mason, Oral Tradition 22.1, online only, please reference the link:  http://journal.oraltradition.org/issues/22i 

To read Richard Thomas' bio, please reference the link:  http://scholar.harvard.edu/rthomas/home

To listen to an interview on NPR's (WBUR Boston) Morning Edition with Bob Oakes, please reference:
http://artery.wbur.org/2015/09/17/pop-up-bob-dylan

Lesley's art ranges in size from 16" x 24" up to 60" x 90" -- as unique works, multiples & limited editions.

Lesley finalizes all of her work on a Canon ImagePROGRAF and Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Archival Paper.

Many thanks to Paula Winke, marketing and public relations consultant at Creative Business Affairs, who made the introduction. Paula is based in Kansas City and works with clients here in North America and abroad.

Thank you to my Family, Friends and Followers who Support The Arts!

Please do leave a comment as they make my day!

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xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena

The India Hicks Holiday Collection! I am very excited to share my venture with India Hicks and Living an Extraordinary Life! indiahicks.com/rep/karenalbert