Andrew Wyeth RIP

[TMMKC]

The world got a little less beautiful today. Andrew Wyeth, my favorite American painter from the modern era passed away at the ripe old age of 91.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/16/and...rss_topstories

[Miket61]

Originally Posted by TMMKC

The world got a little less beautiful today. Andrew Wyeth, my favorite American painter from the modern era passed away at the ripe old age of 91.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/16/and...rss_topstories

Fortunately we've got decades of his work to enjoy.

A gentleman of my acquaintance is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of noted artists. His father expressed disappointment that he didn't become a painter as well, "because then we'd have beat those damn Wyeths!"

[TMMKC]

We are lucky enough to have four Wyeth paintings in the permanent collection at the Nelson-Atkins here in Kansas City, including "Battleground."



My wife and I were at the Nelson last night to view another show, but on the way out, we sought out this one too look at for a few minutes. Though I've viewed it numerous times before, I somehow felt it was a little tribute to an artist who meant so much to so many. Elitists in the art world often derided Wyeth for being nothing more than an illustrator. I couldn't disagree more. Wyeth's technical prowess aside; his work always spoke to me in a very personal way. And after all, isn't that what art is supposed to do?

To your point, I find it amazing how thick the talent is in the Wyeth gene pool.

[Miket61]

Originally Posted by TMMKC

Elitists in the art world often derided Wyeth for being nothing more than an illustrator. I couldn't disagree more. Wyeth's technical prowess aside; his work always spoke to me in a very personal way. And after all, isn't that what art is supposed to do?

The phrase "nothing more than an illustrator" could arguably be applied to the creator of the pictures in the Sherlock Holmes stories, or Winnie-the-Pooh, or even the detailed and surreal sketches for Alice in Wonderland. But N.C.Wyeth's work - well, I was going to say it transcended the literature he illustrated, but it didn't. It completely assumed all of the characteristics of the work, leaving nothing to the imagination. I'm sure there's a generation of boys who couldn't imagine Treasure Island looking any other way than he depicted it.

His style was just this side of hyper-reallism, perhaps most closely related to Maxfield Parrish. Parrish's best-known work has a gauzy fairyland feel to it, which is never seen in a Wyeth painting.

[Kav]

I have this personal, anonymous goal. I love going to gallery showings, private exhibitions and sidewalk sales of unknown artists.
I see myself, a little drunk from white wine and cheese, standing unsteadilly on my feet looking at a future Starry Night or Christine's World and spontaneously buying it with rent and food money, which is what the unsold artist will use the badly needed funds for along with more oils and canvas.

[Miket61]

Originally Posted by Kav

I have this personal, anonymous goal. I love going to gallery showings, private exhibitions and sidewalk sales of unknown artists.
I see myself, a little drunk from white wine and cheese, standing unsteadilly on my feet looking at a future Starry Night or Christine's World and spontaneously buying it with rent and food money, which is what the unsold artist will use the badly needed funds for along with more oils and canvas.

This reminded me of the Christmas that Cole Porter decided to give his friends folk paintings as presents. Then he decided he could be even more decadent by writing a message on the back and sending them as Christmas cards. The artist, recommended to him by a friend, was an elderly lady who had recently taken up painting. We know her today as "Grandma Moses."

[jackmccullough]

Apropos this discussion, you might be interested in the linked article, which, in a discussion of Billy Joel, raises the question of whether Wyeth's work is art or schlock.

I'm not familiar enough with Wyeth to express an opinion. As to Billy Joel, the absolutely most favorable thing I can say about him is that he may not be quite as bad as Barry Manilow or Neil Diamond.

[TMMKC]

Originally Posted by jackmccullough

Apropos this discussion, you might be interested in the linked article, which, in a discussion of Billy Joel, raises the question of whether Wyeth's work is art or schlock.

I'm not familiar enough with Wyeth to express an opinion. As to Billy Joel, the absolutely most favorable thing I can say about him is that he may not be quite as bad as Barry Manilow or Neil Diamond.

^Thanks, Jack. Interesting. I think some people throw Wyeth's work into the schlock corner because he chose to primarily paint the people and places that were immediately around him (kind of like Terry Redlin or Norman Rockwell...now THERE are smaltzy illustrators). However, IMHO, his work had a depth of feeling, an eye for irony and nuance, and social commentary that escapes those who choose not to examine his work.

Barry Manilow IS the King of Schlock. As far as Neil Diamond goes, after hearing his two latest Rick Rubin-produced CDs, I am forced to reevaluate his "schlockiness." The man can really write a song, and he's starting to exude a depth of emotion a singer only acquires in the final chapters of his/her career. Of course there's always the possibility I may be totally wrong about Diamond...the depth of emotion may be a mirage created by a $150 million divorce and the fact he finally gave his sideburns back to the 1970s.