Today's Artist

Bansky is an anonymous English graffiti artist and activist. His works are known worldwide and showcase social and political issues in a riveting way. Bansky has distinct work that uses stencils and pops of color. Some critics consider his work to be vandalism, but he has a very large support system that protects his identity and love his paintings. Bansky's works have sold for almost a million dollars. His methods are mysterious, satirical and controversial everything has a purpose.



 



I would ask him:
How do you feel that your followers take on your causes as their own?
How can you continuously stay anonymous especially being in the spotlight?
How much preperation goes into the painting and location?
What makes you decide to pair the topics and pictures that you do?

1950's-2000's Artist

Vladmir Kush is a Russian surrealist artist who makes striking images with oil paint. His pictures are very colorful and visually stimulating. He got his first gallery in 1987, but is still very relevant today.

His website characterized Kush's works as the "art of imagination."

I have always been fascinated with this artist. His surreal paintings always remind me of Salvador Dali's stunning paintings.

Each of Kush's paintings have deep meanings.. Here are some examples:

Above the Sea Level

This painting reconstructs the human brain where the border between consciousness and unconsciousness floats at sea level. Above the sea, glowing with lights, is the smaller but brighter part of our conscious - the visible portion of our brain "iceberg." The larger section of the "iceberg" is sunk in the depths of subliminal and instinctive feelings..."

Departure of the Winged Ship

The image symbolically conveys to us the feelings of happiness and beauty of the world arousing in everyone bound on a distant voyage. In Japan, the image of the butterfly has inspired the artists for hundreds of years. It is always associated with the best moments in life. Here, traditional celebrations and marches begin with "the dance of the butterfly." Butterflies also accompany wedding ceremonies in Japan. But not all know that butterflies are the amazing and courageous travelers. In favorable winds Monarch butterflies from North America can cross the Atlantic to reach England, resting as needed on the decks of ships.

http://vladimirkush.com

1900-1950's Artist

The great Salvador Dalí!

Dalí was a Surrealist painter, born in Spain in 1904. He studied art at a young age, then later went to study at an academy in Paris in the 1920's. There he met legendary artists such as Picasso and Magritte. The Spanish rise of Franco led to Dalí's expulsion from the Surrealist Movement, however he continued to paint til his death in 1989.













Dalí's first painting in 1931, The Persistence of Memory, is one of his most famous works. 






 
Swans Reflecting Elephants


What I really like about Dalí's paintings are all the variables that go into them. His paintings are very interesting to look at and make you think. I appreciate Surrealism and even though the subjects are very random, they all seem to work together which creates an alluring image.



http://www.biography.com/people/salvador-dal%C3%AD-40389 

1800-1900 Artist

Edgar Degas was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas in France, credited as one of the founders of Impressionism, though he preferred to be considered a realist. What drew me to Degas was his paintings of dancers. Although I don't dance myself, I've always admired the movement of dancers and how they always look so graceful.

"By bringing the traditional methods of a history painter to bear on contemporary subject matter, he became a classical painter of modern life."

Degas practiced drawing by copying paintings at the Louvre. He entered into the army in 1870 and found that he had eye problems during rifle training. When Degas returned to Paris after the war, he returned to painting and joined a group of artists who formed the Impressionist Movement. As the years progressed, this artist isolated himself and eventually died in 1917, never married and lonely.

Scrolling through his complete works, I noticed there were many ballet pictures. Oddly enough, there were scattered nudes, self- portraits and strange scenes as well. 


"Dance Class at the Opera 1872"


"Dancers in Green"

http://www.edgar-degas.org/

1600-1800 Artist

Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto (little Canal) was born in Venice in 1697.
His father and brother were also painters whom he served an apprenticeship under. Later in his success, Canaletto had many pupils who learned their artistry from him.

Canaletto painted large scale landscapes of the canals in Venice and the Doge's Palace. He was known for his accuracy and may have "anticipated Impressionism." His early paintings are considered his best works.

The War of the Austrian Succession caused Canaletto to lose his market, leading him to relocate to London. Once in London, he attempted to paint England the same way he painted Venice, but the reception to his work was less than impressed. In fact, Canaletto suffered from so much repetitiveness that he was criticized by many. Unable to gain his reputation back, he moved back to Venice and painted until his death in 1768.



"The Grand Canal and the Church of the Salute"



"The Molo Looking West with The Doges' Palace"

The reason I found Canaletto's paintings so appealing is because I have actually been to Venice and it was one of my favorite places. It was interesting to see how similar Venice looks all the way in the 1800's to present day. The architecture is the same as I remember! Though, nowadays Venice is set up to cater to tourists, with carts of souvenirs and the hoards of gondolas with their stereotypical gondolier costume (which is nothing like the outfit in the painting above). I liked Canaletto's paintings of classic, realistic paintings of a beautiful city.



http://hoocher.com/Giovanni_Antonio_Canal/Giovanni_Antonio_Canal.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01738/canaletto8_1738195i.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Canaletto_-_The_Grand_Canal_and_the_Church_of_the_Salute.jpg
http://www.canalettogallery.org/biography.html

Top 20 Influences

http://www.zazzle.com/polish_irish_flag_poster-228528735516211533 

http://funny-pictures.picphotos.net/new-york-skyline-wallpaper-with-twin-towers-dragon-tattoo-shoulder/wallchan.com*images*thumbs*22879.jpg/ 

Taken by myself

Taken by myself

Taken by myself

https://www.flickr.com/photos/southerncalifornian/137799613/

http://www.shinyshack.com/product.php?prid=211321

http://365til30.com/tag/buddhism/page/3/

 http://weheartit.com/entry/group/18049799

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Cyprus

http://likestrawberrytea.com/2013/01/07/things-that-inspire-me-to-write-21-the-giving-tree/

 https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1525&bih=729&q=travel&oq=travel&gs_l=img.3..0l10.3504.4259.0.4450.6.6.0.0.0.0.125.558.5j1.6.0....0...1ac.1.52.img..0.6.553.KbeGWT9-U8Y#hl=en&q=hamsa%20tumblr&revid=951472007&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=E89m2vQBVUDVVM%253A%3BxuQJK3c17CVV3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F38.media.tumblr.com%252Fb0ebd796ac29a34488789dcb8ef88554%252Ftumblr_mu1zv2OXbk1qem0zfo1_500.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftumblr.com%252Ftagged%252Fhamsa-print%3B500%3B616

http://www.simplemehndidesigns.org/bridal-mehndi-designs/

http://www.clipartbest.com/drawing-a-lotus-flower-backgrounds

http://www.fixmypcfree.com/blog/university-professor-develops-algorithm-to-help-you-get-free-pizza-from-reddit/

https://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/bottled-dressings/original-ranch/original-ranch/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/318981586080570595/

http://hqwallbase.com/91635--sunflowers-/

http://pushkar.com.au/collections/mobiles-chimes-dream-catchers/products/turquoise-with-shell-16cm-medium-dream-catcher

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105529131/24x36-large-watercolor-map-print-world?ref=market