Rothko, Bellows, and Johns

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To celebrate Diane’s birthday, father’s day ,and my birthday, Diane, Carly, Joshua,(wife and children) with Jen and Scott (their sweethearts) spent the day in Washington, DC. Our plans included visits to the National Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, and Jaleo’s restaurant.

The National has just acquired three of Mark Rothko’s paintings commission by the Seagram’s Co to be displayed in a New York City restaurant http://www.nga.gov/collection/rothko.shtm.

These paintings are of particular interest to us after seeing the broadway play “Red,” which is about Rothko and the Seagrams’s commission. Seeing the play and loving Rothko’s work upped the anticipation. The paintings lived up to our very high expectations.

Good fortune allowed us to see the unscheduled early opening of a major George Bellows show http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/bellowsinfo.shtm at the National Gallery.

I think George Bellows is one of the best painters of light and mood of the American regionalist period. Of particular interest and delight for me is the buttery application of paint he used in his early works and his simplification of form that edges up to abstraction. Oddly, his later works evolved toward a more illustrative, tight style, losing that lush freedom that I love.

The highlight of the day was the extensive exhibition of the works of Jasper Johns at the Phillips Collection. Wow, what a show! Johns is famous for saying that art is the result of “Do something, do something to that, and then do something to that.”Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jasperjohn360567.html#Vq2cVBrqeCxo6Yxx.99

This show features exactly the philosophy stated in his quote. .http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8473

Art is my life and seeing great art is always inspiring and motivating. I must admit however that the best part of the day was having the chance to share it with the people who are most precious in my life.When eye weary and leg weak we ajourned to Jaleo’s http://www.jaleo.com/ for great food, drink, and conversation. There were many different points of view about the art ,but unanimity in the belief that we were having a very special day.On Wednesday we leave for Maine. I look forward to the chance to visit with many long time friends who are all dedicated to making art that is unique and personal – just like Rothko, Bellows, and Johns.

cartoon from Chuckle Bros,


Skip Lawrence

Skip Lawrence

I love everything about painting. I love feeling the paint, seeing a rich color spread under my brush onto a surface, and the play between colors coming together. I love watching my idea take form until a painting finally says “it” and I am surprised and delighted every time. I love sharing my art and knowing that someone is moved by it.