Critique Corner -‘Germany before the war’

‘Germany before the War’ by Lynda M Roberts BA Hons

Here’s an abstract piece I did a while ago.  I thought it would be a good one to critique.  When I was young I loved anything which was ‘free’ like most children.  I would go into wallpaper shops and beg old wallpaper books to cover my school books.  I loved the patterns colours and textures of these books – they have probably contributed to my fascination with surfaces.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

I used to go into travel agencies  and get lots of free brochures.  I loved the colour pictures in these free brochures.  They  showed places  that seemed romantic and very far away.  I liked the silver mountains and blue skies, the very green grass and the  ‘outdoors’ wholesome  feel of those ‘healthy’ places.  Living in a smokey city, I longed to go to these places.  In this painting, ‘Germany before the war’ some of the ideas are there, but by using  colour relationships, I wished to convey something extra.  At the time of the painting, I was writing about the use of German myth in art and design and how it was used, and this very much influenced this painting.  I think my favorite fairytale authors the  brothers Grimm  may got into the fabric of the painting somewhere and Johanna Spyri’s  book ‘Heidi’, when she comes down from the mountains and goes to Frankfurt (a kind of reverse wishful thinking on my behalf).

Anselm Kiefer ‘Pallette’ 1981

“Germany before the War’ attempts to idealise the calm, folklore, passed down through images in books  that informed me of Germany as a child.  It contains a hint of German Expressionism, in as far as the painting is gestural.  I have muted down the German Expressionist colours, (they used a much brighter palette).  I have cited Anselm Kiefer as an influence on this painting, not because of the style  (worlds apart) but because of the way he retells German History.”

Please feel free to critique this work – all constructive criticism and any questions are always  welcome.

Acrylic paint on canvas

Measurements Approx 34in x 20in

My Surfaces: Alchemy

 

 

alchemy-book-cover

In the ‘Alchemy’ project, the objective was to experiment with unusual media.  Of course I had a field day!  This is the cover, which consists of two cardboard covers (back and front).  The pages are held in place with a big clamp.

The media use  consists of silver paper rolled up and shaped into the letters, painting in acrylic paint.  I was aiming for a nacre mother of pearl effect.

To be continued

Favorite Artists: Anselm Kiefer and my Birthday

 

 

kiefer-the-milky-way-1985-87-emulsion-paint-oil-acrylic-shellac-on-canvas-wires-and-lead

Hooray it’s my birthday today!  One of many, too many and I celebrate it with one of my favorite artists Anselm Kiefer, German painter and sculptor b.1945 …….. and by going to work.  A bit of a drag eh, but I really couldn’t get the time off this time.

 

 

josef-beuys remarkable likeness to Von Hagens?

Kiefer studied under fellow German artist Josef Beuys b. 1921 -1986.  Beuys was a performance artist, his art is kind of ritualistic.  Rescued by Tartars in the Crimea he then started to use lots of animal fat and felt in his work.

 

 

beuys-coyote-1974 I like America and America likes me

Kiefer’s work is about the Germany’s past.  He uses collective memory, folklore and unusual media like straw, glass ash and clay.  His art processes the past and gives new meaning to the present.  He works on a very large format which is impressive, his work has an air of fragility about it (through the use of his materials), yet it’s statements are strong.  He loves to use lead, nails, and other strange materials.  His work has a creative alchemical feel to it that I love.

 

 

nigredo-kiefer-1984

This is what The Independent said in a review of Kiefer’s February 2007 exhibition at London’s White Cubes Gallery:

“Great art is about transformation  And transformation experience and transforming materials are what Anselm Kiefer specializes in.  The contrasting  themes of destruction and recreation, violent upheaveal and spiritual  renewal, underin much of the artist’s work.”

twilight-of-the-west-1989

Altered art book Page 19 Behind the Curtain

Continuing my Altered art book: page 19: the words I have chosen are;

He had a moment of clairvoyance

He turned cold inside and something tightened in his head……

I had a bit of a job with this.  Why had I chosen those words so long ago?

page-19with curtain up

 

‘A moment of clairvoyance’ what does it mean? a sudden enlightenment? a revealation? the moment you just ‘knew’?  I think everyone gets glimpses every now and again.  I think ‘clues’ are all around us about what is going to happen, or what direction we are heading.  It’s a matter of interpreting them, being aware and sensitive to slight changes.  This made me think about lifting a curtain up, or a veil and taking a peek what lies beyond it.

page-19-with-curtain-down

 

I printed out a small picture of Aleceister Crowley (why him?  I honestly don’t know), but its likely because he tried to get beyond the veil…into a few dark corners lol!  I then placed a ‘curtain’ over him.  I suppose I was thinking of the Magician (so above, so below) and subverting this to ‘so underneath, so over (the top lol) or so is hidden, so is revealed.  The artist relating to this page will be myself………….

Media used; handmade paper, oil pastel and water colour, photocopy, organza ribbon

To be continued

Shaking the dead by the Finger

styx

In this painting , I used ink, some acrylic and filler.  I tend to use a lot of this as an impasto, it mixes well with acrylic and gives a nice surface for painting on using inks etc.  Originally this painting was called St Michan’s, after the Church in Dublin, where I spent my birthday shaking hands, (well a finger actually) with an old dead crusader (traditional) in the crypt.  So from one old crusader to another ………happy to meet you mate, but I can’t say you brought me any luck, though, at least I AM still here, so that will have to do to be going on with lol!

st-michans-dublin

Read here about it in this interesting blog 

st-michans-mummies