"The Beatniks" Trailer

My friend Ted Salins teaches a film production class at Randolph Macon. His students concentrate on writing, directing, art directing and doing all the filming and sound recording themselves with Ted supervising. He edited some of their footage together into this faux "Coming Attraction". Ted assigned the Beatnik theme to his students so that they learn how to research an era for props, lingo, acting style and costumes.
They write scripts and then translate them into " beatnik" language.

Nudes in Nature

Painting by Emile Chambon

 Painting by Henri Rousseau

 

A couple of paintings I recently discovered - one by Emile Chambon of two nude women in the woods. One girl is standing up and displaying a just little bit of herself. The other girl is revealing absolutely nothing of herself with a cloth draped perfectly over her private parts, but she is looking intently at the other one. This painting has a wonderful sense of humor as does some of the other work by this artist. Chambon seems to rely heavily on compositional elements taken directly from Balthus in many of his paintings, but this is a nice example of his unique work.

The other painting is by Henri Rousseau. It is a charming scene of a big black dog getting it on with a lovely nude who happens to have a mirror in her hand.

(Just noticed the mirror!) This is a painting that I had never seen before.

Henri, you are a bad boy!

This is yet another example of humor in art history.

The great masters of art knew how to have fun.

Thank god for these artists. They keep me on track.

Now, back to painting....

I am finishing up my two new ones. Stay tuned!

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

 

(Thanks, Ralph Paine for sharing Henri Rousseau image) 



A Very Talented Bear!

I could not resist posting this.
Yes, that is a bear playing a trumpet and mastering the hula hoop.

(For Raleigh Powell)


Tickler Ukulele #3 progress!

Tickler uke #3 progress showing green inlay and carved bridge, a photo by Amy Crehore on Flickr.

Here is the front of Tickler Uke #3 showing green and black inlay design and carved ebony bridge. Lou Reimuller has constructed this concert uke with amazing attention to detail. It is almost ready for me to paint the front. The back is made of beautiful figured mahogany. (See more progress shots in my Tickler Uke #3 2013 flickr set.)
Design: Amy Crehore, Luthier: Lou Reimuller

Shary Boyle represents Canada in Venice 2013

I've always liked Shary Boyles' surreal, imaginative art ever since I first saw it many years ago online. Well, I just discovered that she will represent Canada at the Venice Biennale 2013. Wow. What an amazing honor. It's wonderful to know that Canada recognizes this gifted woman as a major artist.
And, she's only 41.
The actual Venice preview opens tomorrow, May 29, 2013.
Here's a link to some of her work: Jessica Bradley Art + Projects
She paints, sculpts porcelain, does performances and installations. She made all brand new work for the Biennale. Can't wait to catch glimpses of it online. A Globe and Mail article says she worked 80 hour weeks, 14-hour days in Canada, preparing for this show, after visiting the location in Venice. She embraced the project for a year and I'm sure it will be a fabulous environment full of her own personal brand of wit, charm and artistry.
LINK 
I just wish I could see it in person.
UPDATE 5/29/13: A few photos and news story: LINK

 Virus, 2009, Shary Boyle

"Bad Boy"- a new memoir by Eric Fischl

I am spending my days working away on my new paintings and at night I am reading Eric Fischl's memoir. He starts out remembering the night of his retrospective at the Whitney Museum in the 80's. He mentions that Alex Katz had a show on the floor above. As soon as I read that, I realized that I had actually seen those shows in person just before moving out west.

I am reading it as an ibook (on my ipad) which enables me to look up paintings and people mentioned in the book as I go. So far, it's a fascinating read!

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

New Works in Progress by Amy Crehore

I'm working away to try and finish two new canvases on my easel.

Here are some glimpses of my progress.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

 



Happy Birthday, Henri Rousseau!

Today is the day that Henri Rousseau was born in 1844. LINK 

He is shown above 8 years before his death.

Rousseaus' Sleeping Gypsy 1897 LINK 

One of my favorite paintings of all-time.



Is that my cat napping in a pot?

My cat today-, a photo by Amy Crehore on Flickr.

Or am I growing a furry-looking plant?

A Papa Charlie Jackson song performed by The Hokum Scorchers

This song is from 1929. Lou is playing the guitar-banjo and I am playing the washboard. I painted the portrait of Papa Charlie Jackson. We recorded this in 1995.
Here is the link to the Hokum Scorchers songs on soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/hokumscorchers

The Art of Amy Crehore
 

Gibson Guitar Design Using Headstock for the Body

Clever guitar design using a large replica of Gibson headstock for the body and a
miniature of the same Les Paul guitar (upside-down) for the headstock. Early 50s-60s style.

I like this design. A switcheroo.

Thanks, American Blues Scene FB page



A Blue Ball for Today

"Blue Orb" by Amy Crehore 2005, oil on paper, image size 6 3/4"

 

Since artist Jeff Koons has a new show in NYC of blue balls (must be "in"), I am posting a painting that I did exactly 8 years (May 10, 2005) ago called "Blue Orb". It is part of my "Little Pierrot" series. Most of these paintings can be viewed HERE.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

 

Yale Art Gallery Collection

Young Woman Reclining in Spanish Costume 1862-3 by Edouard Manet

This great Manet painting is in the Yale Art Gallery Collection. Check out the cat.

To see the collection online: LINK 

My grandfather went to Yale, but I have never been there.

Would love to visit this gallery in person, 

which has a superb collection of masterpieces, but for now,

I will be content to view the collection online.

Adam and Eve 1509 by Mariotto Albertinelli

LINK

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Ray Harryhausen RIP

Thanks, boingboing.net

Father of the Modern Comic Strip: Wilhelm Busch 1832-1908

Max and Moritz (A Story of Seven Boyish Pranks)

Wilhelm Busch was a German painter and poet, best known for his drawings and funny verse. His sketches with verse for weekly magazines are considered precursors of the comic strip. He really wanted to be a great painter like the Flemish master painters and indeed he did execute 1,000 oil paintings over the course of his life, living like a hermit.

But by 1910 (2 years after his death), half a million copies of his Max and Moritz from 1865, a black comedy children's story about himself and a real life friend, were printed in German. 

The book was the forerunner of the Katzenjammer Kids and is still popular today in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

LINK

Covered in dough!

Read this book online.

(Thanks, Suzanne G for reminder)

This Says it All

Dorothy Lamour and chimp from Cult of Aphrodite Vintage

Black Cat Roller Derby Woman (1800s)

What a super photo! From Cult of Aphrodite Vintage: LINK 

(Thanks, Laquita)

Photo of the day!

Now, you know I love this one!

A beautiful photo of Buster Keaton with a pet monkey in a sailor suit.

 

(Thanks Decaying Hollywood Mansions)

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Cat tricks

 Cat with a hula hoop.

(Thanks, Gisele Metten FB)

Bottom photo: I captured my own cat standing on my porch. Isn't she cute?

She kind of resembles the cat with the hula hoop

don't you think? I will have to get her a hula hoop!

You can see how inspirational my own cat is.  

(Photo by Amy Crehore)

Watch Bootsy show you how to play funk

Thanks go to Benjamin Phillips on twitter

A Rauch with Guitar

Neo Rauch, Rauch, 2005,

Privatsammlung, courtesy Galerie EIGEN + ART Leipzig/Berlin und David Zwirner,

New York/London - Photo: Uwe Walter, Berlin

This is one of my favorite paintings by Neo Rauch.

It is a small self-portrait with a guitar.

There is an exhibit in Brussels at the BOZAR of

his work thru May 19th, 2013. Here's a link with a video of the show:

BOZAR 

I heard that his birthday was April 18th.

Tickler #3 - A Concert Ukulele (Crehore)

Tickler # 3 is getting near the point where I will soon be painting the top and headstock. This is a photo of the bridge being set up. As you can see, the bridge is made of carved ebony (lovingly carved by luthier Lou Reimuller) - it is my original design, as is the uke itself. There will be bridge pins and a saddle, so this is just a glimpse of what it will look like. There are also many other great features that this photo doesn't even begin to show. I will reveal them a little later on. Stay tuned!

The Art of Amy Crehore

Photos of Lou Reimuller's work bench (luthier).
Lou has worked so hard on this and his craftsmanship is near perfection.
Here's the link to a couple more photos of this # 3 uke in progress on flickr.

Also, Link to Tickler #2 which is a soprano pineapple model (that I designed and Lou built).

Back to Work- (Amy Crehore Studio)

Back to work. Two at once.

Amy Crehore Studio April 18, 2013

 

The Art of Amy Crehore 

artofamycrehore.blogspot.com

 

 

The Stick- Jonathan Winters RIP



Life on the Moon Imagined in 1836

 

Imagined Life on the Moon (from Smithsonian Picture Libraries)

Leopoldo Galluzzo in 1836

LINK

 Thanks Mark, boingboing.net

 

 

These reminded me a little bit of Marcel Dzama's art.

He is having a show at David Zwirmer (London) right now.

 



Yanna's Donut performed by the Hokum Scorchers

This is the Hokum Scorchers's adapted version of a Spark Plug Smith tune of 1933 called "Mama's Donut". We recorded this in 1995. Lou Reimuller plays National guitar and I play the washboard.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Caturday: Andy Prokh's photos of his daughter and cat

See a series of wonderful photos by Andy Prokh at My Modern Met:

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/andy-prokh-daughter-cat-photos 

Durer's self-portrait and my painting "The Bribe"

 Albrecht Durer, Self-portrait at 13, 1484

"The Bribe" by Amy Crehore, oil on linen, 18" x 24", 2003

 

This is a painting called "The Bribe" that I completed in 2003. It is based on Albrecht Durer's earliest known work, his self-portrait at age 13. I was always intrigued by this drawing (done in 1484) by Durer. I think I was also looking at Martin Johnson Heade's landscapes at the time. Some of my earlier works have references to images in art history.

Here's the actual painting hanging on my wall above my computer. It has never been shown anywhere (although it did win a chosen award in a national AI competition).
The Art of Amy Crehore
artofamycrehore.blogspot.com

 

Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie (by Amy Crehore)

 

Here's a small detail of a much larger painting I did in 1993 called "The Story of Memphis Minnie".

These people are Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie.

They were married at one time and played together.

His real name is Joe McCoy and her name is Lizzie Douglas.

"Bumble Bee Blues" was their 1929 hit song.

After they split up, Joe teamed up with his brother Charlie to form the Harlem Hamfats.

 

Here are the lyrics of the Bumble Bee Blues song with a link to youtube.

 

(See full painting hanging on my wall in earlier post: here 

Also on my website in painting section)

 

The Art of Amy Crehore 

also: artofamycrehore.blogspot.com



Pick Poor Robin Clean performed by The Hokum Scorchers

Listen to Luke Jordan's "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (a song from 1927). Lou Reimuller guitar/ kazoo, Amy Crehore washboard/kazoo. Recorded by The Hokum Scorchers in 1990.
The Hokum Scorchers channel on soundcloud with free downloads.
 

More Painting Progress (Amy Crehore Studio)

Here's my progress (from yesterday) on one of the new paintings (oil on linen).
I am "playing it by ear", as they say. I want to see where the paintings take me.
The journey will unfold as I paint.
 

The Art of Amy Crehore
artofamycrehore

(See my earlier post for beginning of process)

Scenes from old Virginia where the peanut grows

Here is an item that floats my boat!

I saw this rare, illustrated Mr. Peanut box from the 1930s online-

LINK

We have a large wooden Mr. Peanut sign at home (perhaps from this era).

Painting Progress (Amy Crehore Studio)

Working on a couple of new paintings in my studio.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

David Zwirner

Standing next to a gorgeous Neo Rauch (from what I can see of that trademark green) is dealer David Zwirner. I love so many of the artists that his gallery represents: Neo Rauch, Marcel Dzama, Yayoi Kusama, R. Crumb, Alice Neel, Michael Borremans, Lisa Yuskavage, to name a few. There is a new article about him in the New York Times Style Magazine:

LINK

 

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

artofamycrehore

"The Tutu" painting by Amy Crehore

Here's an earlier painting of mine that is hanging on one of my walls. Oil on linen, 20" x 24". The girl was inspired by Matisse. This painting features a vintage Regal tenor guitar (one that I own) and a yawning cat. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

artofamycrehore.blogspot.com

Gibson's Banner Guitars Were Made By Women During WWII

The workers at the Gibson guitar factory during WWII were nearly all women (photo 1944). 

In a new book, John Thomas uncovers the story of the Kalamazoo Gals and the Gibson "Banner" guitars that were built by these women during that period.

They are some of the finest guitars ever made.

LINK to book (by John Thomas)

Voice of America Story (Tom Banse)

Thanks, T. Tex Edwards

"Please Don't Wake It Up"- performed by The Hokum Scorchers

In 1992, the Hokum Scorchers recorded the Mississippi Sheiks' "Please Don't Wake It Up" (a song from 1931). Lou Reimuller is on National guitar and I am playing a snare drum. We both sing. Have a listen.

The Art (and music) of Amy Crehore

Paintings on Walls (Crehore)

One side of the room...

...the other side of the room.

These photos show some earlier works of mine hanging on walls:  I exhibited a couple of these paintings at the Portland Art Museum (Crosscut show) and they also won "best in show" at the Corvallis Arts Center. Others were winners in Communication Arts Annual Competions or were exhibited at the Hult Center (in OR). You can see some of my vintage ukes that were painted for my Los Angeles solo show, "Dreamgirls and Ukes" in the top photo. At least one of these paintings has never been exhibited anywhere. And so it goes..the life of an artist.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Enjoy An Interactive Armory Show 1913, Chicago

After NYC, the historic 1913 Armory show travelled to Chicago. The Art Institute of Chicago has a new website feature where you can click on the gallery map and visit each room of the Armory Show of 1913. Mouse over each painting and you can read information about it.

LINK 

Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, Gauguin, Rousseau, Maurice Denis, Jules Pascin, Augustus John and many more were included in this show. Americans saw their "modern" work for the first time and many were shocked. It is so beautiful to see these photos and take the tour.

 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Pietro Antonio Rotari Portraits

 

Pietro Antonio Rotari was an Italian painter (1707-1762) of the Baroque period.

Here are some of his unusual portraits of young women -shyly peeking out from behind a book or a cape, dozing and crying. There is something wonderfully modern about these compositions.

Art history never ceases to amaze me. I keep on discovering.

Out with the new and in with the old.

 



Armory Arts Week ArtSlant Feature: Amy Crehore

 

Armory Week is important to me because it is the 100th Anniversary of the 1913 Armory Show in NYC. That particular show opened American eyes to a "Modern Art" movement that was happening in Europe at the time. Organized by the Association of American Painters and Sculptors, it also travelled to Chicago and Boston. ArtSlant did a special feature on me to help me celebrate and I could not be more thrilled. Check it out!

Here's the LINK.

"Song of the Sea" was painted for my L.A. solo show, "Dreamgirls and Ukes".
I have a signed, limited edition print available: LINK
Inquire about collecting my original work: amy@amycrehore.com
 

See also: Amy Crehore ArtSlant profile.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Art of Amy Crehore

And, thanks, boing boing 

Song of the day

Shammy and Famous Ruis Family- "I'm Just A Little Girl" 

Another Look at Margaret Kilgallen

I love this little film of artist Margaret Kilgallen. (Art21)
Her Wikipedia entry says: "Kilgallen was an avid reader and thinker, looking to Appalachian music, signage, letterpress printing, freight train vandal art, and religious and decorative arts to inform her work. Her work demonstrates her respect for and engagement with craftsmanship and the stories of everyday peoples' lives. She was especially interested in "the evidence of the maker's hand."

She explained- "I like things that are handmade and I like to see people's hand in the world, anywhere in the world; it doesn't matter to me where it is. And in my own work, I do everything by hand. I don't project or use anything mechanical, because even though I do spend a lot of time trying to perfect my line work and my hand, my hand will always be imperfect because it's human. And I think it's the part that's interesting, that even if I'm doing really big letters and I spend a lot of time going over the line and over the line and trying to make it straight, I'll never be able to make it straight. From a distance it might look straight, but when you get close up, you can always see the line waver. And I think that's where the beauty is." Quote from Wikipedia 

She died at 33 years of age in 2001 of breast cancer, 3 weeks after giving birth to her daughter Asha.