The Enemy of Average! Wild Surfwear- USA Made / Christian Franzen
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Photos Thomas Green
Posted on November 17 2015
By Christian Franzen
Paul Wonner was born in Tuscon, Arizona on April 24th 1920. He later moved to California to study painting. He settled in the Bay Area and received his B.F.A from California College of the Arts in 1941. Once graduated, Wonner was recruited into the Military and served until the end of WWII. After the War he returned to the Bay Area and attended the University of California Berkley receiving his M.A in 1953 all thanks to the GI bill.
By Christian Franzen
Paul Wonner was born in Tuscon, Arizona on April 24th 1920. He later moved to California to study painting. He settled in the Bay Area and received his B.F.A from California College of the Arts in 1941. Once graduated, Wonner was recruited into the Military and served until the end of WWII. After the War he returned to the Bay Area and attended the University of California Berkley receiving his M.A in 1953 all thanks to the GI bill.
After graduate school he became a prominent figure in the second generation or "Bridge Generation" of the Bay Area Figuration School. This movement, which was headed by David Park and Richard Diebenkorn, turned away from the popular style of abstract expressionism and began to reincorporate the figure as well as the real world back into painting.
In 1962, he was asked to teach at UCLA and moved to southern California. Towards the end of the 1960s he lost interest in the loose painterly expressions of the figure and shifted his focus to creating hyper-realistic still life. Wonner died in San Francisco on April 23, 2008.
Drawing in the Studio (1964)
Photos Thomas Green
Photos Thomas Green
Posted on November 03 2015
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) Picasso
By Christian Franzen
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) Picasso
By Christian Franzen
Cubism was introduced to the masses by Braque and Picasso in 1907. Their new style shocked the art world while sending it into a cubist frenzy. The two painters where now the center of attention in the art scene.
One major factor lending itself to the development of Cubism was the 1906 death of famed French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. The following year there was a retrospective held to commemorate Cézanne's life of painting. This retrospective gave a large scale audience a look at Cézanne's radical new approach to depicting space and form. Georges Braque was one of the huge number of young artists that visited this retrospective. He was deeply impacted by Cézanne's work which would lay the foot work for Cubism.
Braque began to experiment with depicting form and space in the fashion of Cézanne. After experimenting for a while he went of over to his buddy Pablo Picasso's house and showed him what he had been up to. Picasso loved the new direction and together they began to develop what is now cubism. The two began such a close collaboration that they moved in with each other and they became inseparable from their work. They also didn't want anyone to steal their artistic vision so they told no one or showed anybody what they were up to. The final result was Analytical Cubism. In their paintings the artists deconstructed the subject, closely analyzed it, then reconstructed it within space. Structure is the signature element to Cubism and sets it apart from other popular movements of the time such as Fauvism.
Harbor in Normandy, 1909, Braque
With their vision completed, Braque and Picasso held a show exhibiting their new ideas in 1907 in Paris. The show was a huge success and vaulted both artists into even higher standings amongst the artistic community. Cubism became super popular and as a result many artists try to imitate Braque and Picasso. These copiers become moderately successful riding the coat tails but their paintings lacked substance and a true understanding of the reconstruction of space that Braque and Picasso had mastered.
Braque and Picasso continue to work in the Cubist style. Around the end of 1911 Braque began to experiment adding sand and other things to his paintings to build up textures. He also began to incorporate wood wall papers and other collage-able items into his pieces. Picasso also liked the idea of collage and incorporated non art materials into his works so the two began another epic collaboration session. In 1912 Synthetic Cubism was born. Through this new era of Cubism collage was introduced as a high art form with the work Still Life with Chair-Canning by Picasso. Synthetic Cubism also lead to Picasso working in 3d sculpture, creating his brilliant series of guitars.
"Still Life with Chair-Canning" (1912) Picasso
The Musician's Table (1913) Braque
The whole Cubism movement wraps up in 1914 with the beginning of WWI. Both artists are successful after the war, but sadly Picasso's success tramples that of Braque. Cubism was a revolutionary movement that impacts art to this very day.
"Still Life with Chair-Canning" (1912) Picasso
The Musician's Table (1913) Braque
The whole Cubism movement wraps up in 1914 with the beginning of WWI. Both artists are successful after the war, but sadly Picasso's success tramples that of Braque. Cubism was a revolutionary movement that impacts art to this very day.
Photos Thomas Green
Posted on October 27 2015
By Christian Franzen
André Derain was born on June 10th 1880 just outside of Paris. He began studying painting on his own in the countrysides of France at the age of 15. Three years later he began a formal art education under the tutelage of Eugène Carrière. During his time with Carrière, Derain became friends with fellow painter Henri Matisse.
Following the ground breaking exhibit Derain went to London on a commission to create a series of paintings highlighting the city. He returned with a total of 30 paintings radically different than any other portrayal of the city previously seen. This series of paintings has become his most famous set of paintings.
Derain experimented with cubism and continuing his fauvism style, but the most drastic change to his paintings happened during WW1. In this new " Gothic Period", Derain began painting in the style of the old masters. Using reduced color, critical drawing, and glazes he created paintings reminiscent of the Neo-Classical days of French painters. He served in a majority of the war but upon return was praised for his new classical transcendence. Derain had reached the peak of his success and was highly prized for his return to classicalism. In the 1920's, now seen as an upholder of the traditional way of painting Derain was granted much more exposure to the masses than when he was an avant-garde painter. He won the Carnegie Prize in 1928 and was given numerous exhibitions globally.
By Christian Franzen
André Derain was born on June 10th 1880 just outside of Paris. He began studying painting on his own in the countrysides of France at the age of 15. Three years later he began a formal art education under the tutelage of Eugène Carrière. During his time with Carrière, Derain became friends with fellow painter Henri Matisse.
His artistic pursuits were put on hold from 1901-1904 while he fulfilled his military survive requirement. Once discharged from the military Matisse met with Derain and his parents to persuade them for the continuation of Derainn's art education. As a result Derain enrolled in the Académie Julian that same year.
The next year of 1905 would prove to be the most important year in Derain's life. In the summer of 1905 Derain accompanied friend and mentor Henri Matisse on a trip to the south of France. This trip was a pivotal experience for both artists whose collaboration and experimentation would rock the 20th century art scene. In the fall of 1905 Matisse, along with Derain and several of their friends held a far out exhibition at the prestigious Salon d'Autome. Exhibited were this groups new paintings utilizing bold saturated color and pattern. The use of overwhelming bold colors led famed critic Louis Vauxcelles to say the paintings looked like wild beasts or Les Fauve; and just like that Fauvism was born.
Following the ground breaking exhibit Derain went to London on a commission to create a series of paintings highlighting the city. He returned with a total of 30 paintings radically different than any other portrayal of the city previously seen. This series of paintings has become his most famous set of paintings.
"The Last Supper of Jesus" (1911)
In 1907, art dealer Daniel- Henry Kahnweiler purchased everything Derain had available making him a wealthy man. He then moved to Montmarte with many other of his artist friends where he continued to paint and engage in artistic endeavors with friends Pablo Picasso and American writer Gertrude Stein. Along with 1907 came the introduction of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso's analytical cubism. Inspired by this Derain's paintings began to become more structural and the palette became increasingly muted.
Derain experimented with cubism and continuing his fauvism style, but the most drastic change to his paintings happened during WW1. In this new " Gothic Period", Derain began painting in the style of the old masters. Using reduced color, critical drawing, and glazes he created paintings reminiscent of the Neo-Classical days of French painters. He served in a majority of the war but upon return was praised for his new classical transcendence. Derain had reached the peak of his success and was highly prized for his return to classicalism. In the 1920's, now seen as an upholder of the traditional way of painting Derain was granted much more exposure to the masses than when he was an avant-garde painter. He won the Carnegie Prize in 1928 and was given numerous exhibitions globally.
"Young Girl" (1925)
Much later during the occupation of France during WWII Derain excepted an invitation from the Nazi party to view a exhibition for officially Nazi endorsed Arno Breker in Berlin. The Nazi's used this visit as propaganda to discourage occupied France. After the war he was labeled a traitor and ostracized. He died as a result of being hit by a car in 1954.
Posted on October 20 2015
By Christian Franzen
Kazimir Malevich was a very influential Russian Painter who's artistic contributions helped usher the art world into the period of full abstraction. Born in Kiev, Russia in 1878; he later left Kiev to study painting at the Moscow School of Paining in 1904. While in school he became friends with a bunch of other young avant-garde artists that banded together to form Russia's second big artistic movement, Suprematism.
Kazimir Malevich was a very influential Russian Painter who's artistic contributions helped usher the art world into the period of full abstraction. Born in Kiev, Russia in 1878; he later left Kiev to study painting at the Moscow School of Paining in 1904. While in school he became friends with a bunch of other young avant-garde artists that banded together to form Russia's second big artistic movement, Suprematism.
This new movement of Suprematism was a tremendous breakthrough not only for the young Russian painters but for the global artistic community. These young painter were the first to break into pure abstraction. Yes, previous to their first exhibit in 1915 there where others who dipped into abstraction by altering visible subject matter. However, the Suprematists ventured into the unknown by creating paintings totally void of any subject matter. The though process behind this ideal was that the recreation of already existing beautiful objects in representational art will there by make that art beautiful, and in doing so it lacks originality as well as forethought.
Malevich was one of the biggest figures of this young group of artists. He published the Suprematist Manifesto in 1915 accompanied by the groups first big exhibition. The young Malevich looked at the past avant-garde breakthrough of Russian art and used them as a stepping stool for his own expression. His paintings began to break down and become more simple yet considered through out Malevich's life resulting in his perhaps most famous work , Black Square. The more simple and pure Malevich's work became the more it became to be filled with a deep mystic atmosphere.
The Supremacist movement came to an end in 1919 with the end of the WWI. Following the end of the Supremacism Malevich became a prominent teacher throughout Russia. He had a prosperous teaching career spanning from 1920 up until 1929.
Tragically in 1930 when the Stalinist regime turned against abstraction Malevich was ostracized from the Art world, stripped of his teaching titles, and forbidden to create art. Many of his previously praised works began to be heavily negatively criticized from Stalin's Regime. His paintings where taken out of museums and many destroyed. Living out the remainder of his life in an exhaled existence Malevich died of cancer in May of 1935.
"Rectangle and Circle, 1915"
Photo Thomas Green
Posted on October 07 2015
This awesome graphic was created by the beautiful and talented Veronica Fish! Make sure to check out her awesome blog HERE!
This awesome graphic was created by the beautiful and talented Veronica Fish! Make sure to check out her awesome blog HERE!
Posted on October 06 2015
By Christian Franzen
Guy Rose was born on March 3rd, 1867 in San Gabriel, California. Rose was born into a large family of eight children allowing him a lot of freedom at a young age on his families large Souther California rancho. When he was eleven years old, Rose was on a hunting trip with his brothers and was accidentally shot in the face. His injury took a substantial amount of time to recover so he passed the time drawing and painting in oils outside on his families rancho.
By Christian Franzen
Guy Rose was born on March 3rd, 1867 in San Gabriel, California. Rose was born into a large family of eight children allowing him a lot of freedom at a young age on his families large Souther California rancho. When he was eleven years old, Rose was on a hunting trip with his brothers and was accidentally shot in the face. His injury took a substantial amount of time to recover so he passed the time drawing and painting in oils outside on his families rancho.
Graduating from Los Angeles High School in 1884, he decided to move to San Francisco where he attended the California School of Design. While in San Francisco Rose began to contemplate his place in the world, as many artists do. The young artist looked to Europe in search of his true potential and moved to Paris in 1888 to study at the Académie Julian. While at the Académie, Rose became swept up in the Impressionist phenomena and won several awards for his brilliant light infused paintings.
In the mid 1890's Rose moved back to the United States settling in New York where he illustrated for Harper's and Century magazines. One day Rose realized the commercial art scene wasn't cutting it for him anymore and he decided to return to France in 1899. He settled in Giverny with his wife Ethel and created some of his most famous works during this period.
After a long stay abroad he returned once again to the United States. Spending his first year back in Narragansett, Rhode Island and then finally making his way back to Los Angeles, California in 1914. Rose began teaching at the Stickney Memorial School of Art in Pasadena. Tragically, Rose suffered a stroke in 1921 that left him paralyzed from the neck down and ultimately led to his death on November 17th of 1925.
Guy Rose was arguable the Great Great Grandfather of the historically crucial lineage of "The California Painter" that is still carried on today. He cultivated many pivotal themes of The West, Spanish influence, and the activeness of the California landscape throughout his career that are still staples of the California Painters experience today.
Laguna Coast (1910)
Posted on September 29 2015
Tony
By Christian Franzen
Cragg was born on April 9th 1949 in Liverpool, England. Beginning in 1969 he studied art at the Gloucestershire College of Art and Design in Gloucestershire followed by attending the Wimbledon School of Art from 1970-1973 specializing in sculpture. During the following years, Cragg spent his time in a concentrated sculptural program at the Royal College of Art until 1977.
Having completed school Cragg began working with sculptural installation. By combining different mixed media materials Cragg created complex reliefs on the walls of galleries and walls around his neighborhood in England.
Tony By Christian Franzen
Cragg was born on April 9th 1949 in Liverpool, England. Beginning in 1969 he studied art at the Gloucestershire College of Art and Design in Gloucestershire followed by attending the Wimbledon School of Art from 1970-1973 specializing in sculpture. During the following years, Cragg spent his time in a concentrated sculptural program at the Royal College of Art until 1977.
Having completed school Cragg began working with sculptural installation. By combining different mixed media materials Cragg created complex reliefs on the walls of galleries and walls around his neighborhood in England.
At the turn of the decade Cragg left England to pursue a teaching job that he was offered at the Kunstakademie of Dusseldorf in Germany. While in Germany, Cragg began to turn away from his focus on installation sculpture and started to concentrate on the power of individual pieces and the media used. Cragg continued to play off of this idea throughout the 1980s; taking everyday objects, reshaping them to create more dynamic forms, but still keeping them recognizable in order to evoke a subconscious response from the viewer.
In more recent times Cragg's work has become more figurative. Using the figure as loose guidelines, Cragg will create abstract sculpture reminiscent of the human form that speaks to the human struggles of trying to obtain balance and stability in the modern world. Cragg is still alive and making today while he lives and teaches in Germany.
Photos Thomas Green
Posted on September 24 2015
By Christian Franzen
Pavel Filonov was born on January 8th 1883 in Moscow, Russia. He moved with his family to St. Petersburg in 1897 where he began several apprenticeships under various artists in the area. Filonov applied to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1908 and was accepted his first try; which was a big deal. Even though the Academy tought Art in the classical fashion young Russian artists where heavily exposed to the collections of modern art in the east. Russian collectors had the most expansive collections of post expressionism art from Matisse to Picasso and Ganguine to Vango. Students where given free entrance to all the galleries and took inspiration form what they were seeing and used that inspiration to change the face of Russian painting.
By Christian Franzen
Pavel Filonov was born on January 8th 1883 in Moscow, Russia. He moved with his family to St. Petersburg in 1897 where he began several apprenticeships under various artists in the area. Filonov applied to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1908 and was accepted his first try; which was a big deal. Even though the Academy tought Art in the classical fashion young Russian artists where heavily exposed to the collections of modern art in the east. Russian collectors had the most expansive collections of post expressionism art from Matisse to Picasso and Ganguine to Vango. Students where given free entrance to all the galleries and took inspiration form what they were seeing and used that inspiration to change the face of Russian painting.
Just two years after being accepted into the Academy, Filonov was expelled in 1910 for not following the rules of painting put in place by his instructors. Leaving school he became apart of a group of painters known as the Neo-Primitivists. However, Filonov's work differs greatly from any other artist in this group and strives to tackle more diverse issues in composition and form. Filonov found problems with cubism, and other popular styles of the time, that he wished to address with his self proclaimed style of Analytical Realism.
He became highly recognized as one of the best avant-garde artists in Russia and gained a large following. Just as Filonov had reached success WWI erupted. Filonov enlisted and served in action throughout most of the war. After the war he began to work once again creating even more visually and symbolically complex work with the help of his WWI experiences. He was asked to teach at St. Petersburg Academy of Arts; the school that had previously expelled him. He accepted and was viewed as a naturally gifted teacher inspiring many of the future Russian artists.|
One very unique characteristic of Filonov was that he never sold his work. No matter how many times someone asked or offered him he would not sell a single piece. This was because he believed in the idea that all the works as a whole create an enormous work of their own, a cohesive time line of the artist evolution. He would not sell a painting because he didn't want to separate them from one another because then the timeline would be incomplete. Filonov had made arrangements to donate his entire body of work to the Russian Musuem to be displayed together. Tragically before this was able to happen Filonov was killed in the Nazi siege of Leningrad in 1941.
Soon after his death both his studio and residence where looted and a majority of the collection was lost. However, everyone who stole one of Filonov's paintings died rather soon after do to out of the ordinary causes. Soon the whole collection was restored and now hangs in the Russian Musuem.
Photo Thomas Green
Posted on September 08 2015
By Christian Franzen
Anselm Kiefer was born March 8th 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany. Born the son of an art teacher Kiefer was encouraged to create from a young age. Despite his artistic background he went to the University of Freiburg to study law; however, in 1966 he dropped out of law school in order to study Art at the Academies in Freiburg, Karlsruhe, and Dusseldorf. During his time at the Academy in Dusseldorf in the 1970s Kiefer studied under artist Peter Dreher which had a large influence on his work.
By Christian FranzenAnselm Kiefer was born March 8th 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany. Born the son of an art teacher Kiefer was encouraged to create from a young age. Despite his artistic background he went to the University of Freiburg to study law; however, in 1966 he dropped out of law school in order to study Art at the Academies in Freiburg, Karlsruhe, and Dusseldorf. During his time at the Academy in Dusseldorf in the 1970s Kiefer studied under artist Peter Dreher which had a large influence on his work.
Growing up in post WWII Germany had the biggest effect on Kiefer's work. Being born only a few months after the end of the war, Kiefer witnessed first hand the aftermath of the destruction and atrocities committed during the war. The evils of the Nazi regime and the horrors of the Holocaust are a large themes throughout Kiefer's entire body of work. In addition, Kiefer looks to Germanic history and folklore for inspiration.
Kiefer's work is characterized as being dark subject matter and large in size. Being an artist of the 20th century Kiefer was also known to venture outside of the conventional media of painting. He often looked to etching and printmaking in order to get the result he wished to achieve. In the 1970s Kiefer abandoned traditional media all together and used glass, straw, wood, and other natural materials to emphasize his message of fragility. Since then he has returned to painting for the majority of his works and is still a practicing artist today. He lives primarily in Paris, France where he is still currently creating art.
Posted on September 01 2015
By Christian Franzen
Frank Stella was born May 12th, 1936 in Malden, Massachusetts. After completing high school Stella was accepted into Princeton University where he studied History. In his spare time Stella would paint and also visit the galleries in New York where he was heavily influenced by the new school of Abstract Expressionism. Upon graduating from Princeton in 1958, Stella moved to New York to pursue the life of an artist.
By Christian Franzen
Frank Stella was born May 12th, 1936 in Malden, Massachusetts. After completing high school Stella was accepted into Princeton University where he studied History. In his spare time Stella would paint and also visit the galleries in New York where he was heavily influenced by the new school of Abstract Expressionism. Upon graduating from Princeton in 1958, Stella moved to New York to pursue the life of an artist.
Getting in to the art world Stella found himself dissatisfied with the expressive and excessive use of paint by the expressionists and opted to try to achieve flatter surfaces on the canvas. Stella also began to work on emphasizing that the paintings as an object rather than the depiction or representation of something. Circa 1961 he is famously quoted saying that the painting is " a flat surface with paint on it -nothing more". This mindset ushered him into a different direction than his contemporaries of the time. Do to the idea that the painting was nonrepresentational Stella's work throughout the 1960's and 1970's relied on color and line for much of its aesthetic appeal.
During the 1970's Stella's methods of creation expanded further than strictly paint. The artist began using printing presses and wood reliefs to achieve the qualities he wanted in his pieces. This ushered in a new dimensional look into his work which led him to pursue sculpture. Into the late 1970's through the 1990's Stella began to primarily work in sculpture on a larger scale. In 1997 he over saw the "Stella Project" in which he installed and painted the centerpiece to the Moore Opera House located at the University of Houston. It was an enormous 5,000 square foot project. Today Stella lives in New York where he spends time going between his apartment in the West Village and his studio in Newburgh.
Photos Thomas Green
Posted on August 25 2015
By Christian Franzen
Richard Long was born in Bristol, England on June 2nd of 1945. After grade school he went on to study sculpture at the University of the West of England's College of Art from 1962-1965 followed by studying at Saint Martin's School of Art in London for two more years. About the time that Long graduated St Martin's the new emerging sculpture sensation of Land Art was on the rise across Europe and the United States. Long began to incorporate more natural objects into his sculpture and quickly resorted to only using materials found in nature.
Long gained international fame in the 1970's as a result of his sculptural walks. These walks would take long into the remote areas surrounding his home in rural Britain where he would fully immerse himself in nature; often spending more then one day out without returning home. Along these walks Long would create natural sculptures by altering elements of nature without disturbing the sanctity of the virgin land. He would then photograph these sculptures and publish books detailing his experiences.
Today his work still consists of natural objects incorporated in an organic free flowing nature reminiscent of the energies found in the rural landscapes of his home in rural England. Long often still takes walks throughout the English as well as the Canadian countryside in order to find inspiration.
Red Slate Circle (1988)
By Christian Franzen
Richard Long was born in Bristol, England on June 2nd of 1945. After grade school he went on to study sculpture at the University of the West of England's College of Art from 1962-1965 followed by studying at Saint Martin's School of Art in London for two more years. About the time that Long graduated St Martin's the new emerging sculpture sensation of Land Art was on the rise across Europe and the United States. Long began to incorporate more natural objects into his sculpture and quickly resorted to only using materials found in nature.
Long gained international fame in the 1970's as a result of his sculptural walks. These walks would take long into the remote areas surrounding his home in rural Britain where he would fully immerse himself in nature; often spending more then one day out without returning home. Along these walks Long would create natural sculptures by altering elements of nature without disturbing the sanctity of the virgin land. He would then photograph these sculptures and publish books detailing his experiences.
In the 1980's long turned to working more with objects placed inside of a gallery in order to create a physical stimulating environment for viewers. Long would incorporate all natural objects to create structures and environments within the gallery even going as far as to paint the walls with different muds and sediments.
Today his work still consists of natural objects incorporated in an organic free flowing nature reminiscent of the energies found in the rural landscapes of his home in rural England. Long often still takes walks throughout the English as well as the Canadian countryside in order to find inspiration.
Red Slate Circle (1988)
Posted on August 20 2015
By Christian Franzen
Emil Nolde was born August 7th, 1867 in Southern Jutland, Denmark. He was raised on a small farm but at a young age realized he was not the farming type and decided to apprentice woodcarving and engraving from the areas masters. In 1889 he was accepted to the School of Applied Arts in Karlsruhe, Germany. Upon graduating from school he went directly into teaching in Switzerland from 1892-1898.
By Christian Franzen
Emil Nolde was born August 7th, 1867 in Southern Jutland, Denmark. He was raised on a small farm but at a young age realized he was not the farming type and decided to apprentice woodcarving and engraving from the areas masters. In 1889 he was accepted to the School of Applied Arts in Karlsruhe, Germany. Upon graduating from school he went directly into teaching in Switzerland from 1892-1898.
Nolde left teaching in 1898 to pursue the life of a full time artist but upon being rejected to the Munich Academy of Fine Art that same year he decided to move to Paris, France. During his time in Paris he became familiar with the rising style of impressionism and honed his skills as a painter. In 1902 he moved to Berlin, Germany and became close to famous art collector Gustav Schiefler who introduced him to many other German artists of the time. Between 1906 and 1910 he was apart of the expressionist group Die Brüke in addition to being a member of the Berlin Secession. He shortly left both groups due to him not being able to work well with others.
In 1921 Nolde became a member of the National Socialist Party and promoted expressionism as the major artistic style of Gemany. However, when the Party announced that they viewed all forms of modernism as a disgrace Nolde was dismissed from the Party. Up until this point Nolde had held a level of prestige in the German art world but after the National Socialist Party took full control of Germany nearly all of his works were seized by the government and was forbidden to paint.
After World War II ended Nolde was awarded the German Order of Merit which is Germany's highest civilian decoration. He continued paint and make prints into his old age and died at the age of 88 on April 13th, 1956 in his home in Seebüll, Germany.