The Metropolitan Museum of Art

I am working in Long Island, New York this week and the day of my arrival I was very brave, took a train downtown and then a taxi to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The effort was so worth the trouble.  There is no way to describe the paintings of great artists by photos online and especially with my poor photography skills per my iPhone but I wanted to share some of my favorites with you.  (This museum actually allows photos as long as no flash is used.)  The painting above is entitled "Arabs Crossing the Desert" by Jean Leon Cerome.  I am usually drawn to Impressionistic paintings but this one was so amazing that it caught my eye.  There were no visible brushstrokes and the painting actually looked "real".  The colors were vibrant and the detail was superb.  I hope you enjoy!

Madame Manet by Edourad Manet

Despite the seemingly rapid brushwork and the summary treatment of detail, this painting was preceded by at least two drawings and an oil sketch. Manet's Impressionist style was always founded on careful study and planning. This is Manet's last portrait of his wife; it was painted at Bellevue, a suburb of Paris, where they spent the summer of 1880.

Dancers Pink and Green by Edgar Degas

This painting was equally as lovely.  Degas used thick impasto to create a surface that had almost the same look as his pastel drawings. 

Comfortable Friends - SOLD

My friend Deb and I recently spent several days in Cancun to celebrate a momentous Birthday and we tried not to whine and compare ourselves to the skinny little girls in teeny bikinis.  One day we saw these three lady friends and we were so proud of them because they were completely comfortable with themselves.  They became our inspiration.



Thanks for visiting!

Poppin Peacock

The Daily Paintwork challenge this week was to take a photograph that had a subject that blended with the background and make the subject "pop".  I decided to paint the subject without the background. So this is my "Poppin Peacock". 

Rockin Robin - SOLD

8" x 10" oil on linen.