Greyhounds!

Jared Joslin's Circus Self Portrait featuring a greyhound.

The top illustrations are from a medieval book called "The Book of the Hunt" (15th century). One painting even shows veterinarians tending to dogs. I'm fascinated by greyhounds at the moment. I saw someone walking a miniature Italian greyhound not long ago in an argyle sweater (yes, the dog was wearing it). I hear they can move very fast, but they also have fragile bones. Greyhounds were popular in the 1920s (shown: Margaret Gorman and Dog 1925). LINK and LINK 

Here's an antique bronze sculpture and a vintage crate label for Greyhound Brand lemons. And last, but not least, is Jared Joslin's amazing Circus Self Portrait from 2007. Here is the link to his website.
They all inspire me and I'm a cat person!

UPDATE: The first "Book of the Hunt" was actually written in 1387 by Gaston Phebus.
The Art of Amy Crehore (website)

Art of Amy Crehore (blog featuring my new work)

Demonio!

Strikingly beautiful "Demonio" image from the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, Dutch Illuminated manuscript (1435-1460)

LINK (The Morgan Library)

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People that live underground

Click on image to enlarge

There is something about children who live underground and play with big ants and other bugs that appeals to me. Illustrations by Sibylle Von Olfers for this 1906 book can be found on 50 Watts. Read the Story of the Root Children at the Digital Children's Library.

Another New Painting: "Basker's Cove" (by Amy Crehore)

"Basker's Cove" painting by Amy Crehore copyright 2012, oil on linen, 18" x 24"
Click on image to enlarge
(see it large here, too)

Detail of "Basker's Cove"

Another Detail of "Basker's Cove"
Thanks for blogging this painting, BoingBoing.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Leap Year- Birthday Of Balthus

I always envied people born on Feb. 29th. Balthus, the painter, was one of those special people. He was born on Feb. 29, 1908. I am celebrating Balthus and everyone else who has a birthday today. Here he is as the "King of Cats".

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Very unique instrument: Gibson Mando-bass

I used this antique Gibson Mando-bass from 1917 that we have at home as an inspiration for my dream-like "Feed the Bear Blues" painting (shown above, Amy Crehore 2007, oil on linen, approx. 9"x 9"). The gorgeous pod-shape of the mando-bass reflects the wonderful art nouveau sensibility of Gibson at the time. The mando-bass can be played standing up or sitting down (horizontally). I exhibited this painting in my Brooklyn show at Ad Hoc Gallery in 2008. (By the way, the painting is still available.) You may have seen the band Smashing Pumpkins play one of these in a music video. The mando-bass was generally used in mandolin orchestras of the time.
 The Art of Amy Crehore

Looking at Klimt's Landscapes

Auctioned off two years ago at Sotheby's in London, this painting "Church in Cassone" (1913) by Gustav Klimt was saved from the Nazis, but it was also lost for a good while. (It sold for about 26 million pounds.) Read the story here. (Guardian)

I have been looking at Klimt's amazing landscapes recently in a gorgeous book about them.

I like them better than his figurative works. To view more, click on buildings or landscapes in this link.

The Art of Amy Crehore