The early 20th century marked a significant period in the development of modern art, particularly through the emergence of Fauvism and Cubism as groundbreaking styles that departed from traditional artistic conventions. This paper compares and contrasts two works of art that are emblematic of these movements: Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) and André Derain's … Continue reading Comparing and Contrasting Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon to André Derain’s Charing Cross Bridge, London – An ‘Isms’ Overview
An ‘Ism’ Overview – Cubism vs. Abstract Art
Cubism and abstract art are two of the most influential movements in modern art history, both pushing the boundaries of representation and abstraction. While both movements are often associated with a rejection of traditional artistic conventions, they differ significantly in their approach to the concept of representation and the role of the artist. Cubism emerged … Continue reading An ‘Ism’ Overview – Cubism vs. Abstract Art
An ‘Ism’ Overview – Cubism vs. Fauvism
As I gaze upon the striking canvases of Cubism and Fauvism, I am transported to a world of vibrant color, fragmented forms, and revolutionary techniques. These two movements, emerging at the turn of the 20th century, were born out of a desire to break free from the constraints of traditional artistic conventions and to explore … Continue reading An ‘Ism’ Overview – Cubism vs. Fauvism
Reflecting on the Wabi-Sabi-ness of Picasso’s Guernica
As an art teacher and artist, I find Pablo Picasso's Guernica to be one of the most compelling and thought-provoking works of art in history. The painting depicts the horrific bombing of the town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, and it captures the chaos, pain, and destruction of war in a way that … Continue reading Reflecting on the Wabi-Sabi-ness of Picasso’s Guernica
Cubism as Interpreted by my Grade One Students
Originally, I intended to give a full lesson on Picasso, but I kept hearing a nagging voice in my ear telling me that is overdone in art education. Maybe I could approach this from a different angle (pun intended!). Maybe I can get them to interpret portraits through Cubism... or as I introduced it, by … Continue reading Cubism as Interpreted by my Grade One Students
Portrait Project Five – Finding the right combination of isms to ask a question
Cubism is or can be a simple form of expressionism. One can pull in colour combinations from Fauvism; play with minimalism, and still stay inside the concepts of expressionism. For me, there is always one point of reference for what the portrait is trying to say... it's usually in and/or around the eyes. With or … Continue reading Portrait Project Five – Finding the right combination of isms to ask a question
A Cubist Momento Mori
I think I might have deviated a little from my usual process of using some specific inspiration as a base for new work. I say, "I think" because I've come to realize that my head is overflowing with millions of images I've ingested over the years and I no longer know where inspiration comes from. … Continue reading A Cubist Momento Mori
Casualty of War
Charcoal sticks and a little coloured charcoal rubbed over the page, blended, rubbed again, and blended again, then outlined... the end result is filled with pain and anguish. It reminded me of photographs of wounded soldiers, where it was hard to tell if the moment the camera captured was of them immobilized by their pain, … Continue reading Casualty of War
Post-Punk Picassoid
I actually didn't model this one off a Picasso image, but he does seem to show up a lot. This was modelled after a random portrait where the model had Cubist makeup and thick, almost unrealistically solid hair. I wasn't sure of the colours, but found the Eastern European features and African colours played a … Continue reading Post-Punk Picassoid
The New Renaissance Mindset 