Two Hearts of the Same Soul.

Just as yesterday was about True Love's Kiss, today is about True Love's Fist - yes, the other side of two hearts beating together.

I spend a great deal of time studying artists and their muses.  Artists seem to be drawn to each other in unmistakably passionate and sometimes destructive ways and I'm fascinated by their personal dynamics.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are perfect examples. Frida is that uni-browed woman who painted self-portraits with the monkey's on her shoulders that you find in Mexican towns and stores. She was an incredible artist, literally pouring her pain and her feelings figuratively into her work. Her husband Diego, quite a few years her senior, was a cubist and muralist in Mexico and a communist supporter. If you haven't studied them, I would recommend it. Start with the movie Frida. This colorful, artistic production is fascinating to watch and gives you a peek into the lives and relationship issues of both Frida and Diego. I teach about Frida in my week long classes because in viewing her work we can learn a great deal about putting one's soul into one's art.

Here's a clip of the real Frida and Diego:

Can you feel the love... the connection?  Frida and Diego shared a love of painting and had a deep respect for each one's artistic abilities. Their passionate personalities both fueled their love and their destruction. Their marriage was riddled with many infidelities and violent fights. Diego even slept with Frida's sister!  The couple divorced and eventually remarried, living together till Frida's youthful death.  For whatever reason they could not stay away from each other. I like to think it's because they were true soul mates to the core but their social skills were in dire need of an upgrade.

Here's a compilation of scenes from the movie that show the passionate and sometimes crazy nature of their love.

Frida and Diego teach us how fragile relationships can be. Certainly it is a lesson for those of us who tend toward the "passionate" side of things to learn to listen and be kind to those we love. They remind us to treat our loved ones with respect because as deep as love is, it can be destroyed by the things that we do or neglect to do. Spend some good quality time with those you love. Don't take them for granted, people need to feel cherished. Listen, hug, kiss, squeeze and love on them today. It's good for the soul!

How to View an Art Exhibit

Yesterday I took my "artist's day" at the MFA and spent some time in the Alex Katz exhibit. Here are some of my favorite images from the show. 

When I view a special exhibit, I go more than once. Since I have a membership to the art museum (money well spent) I can go as often as I like.

The first time I go through an exhibit, I read all the comments on the walls and the paintings and get a feel for who the artist is. Then I take another spin around the room to look more closely.

Here is an example of what to note:

1. Content - people, landscapes, etc. 

         

2. Color and Contrast- is the color bold, subdued, monochromatic. 

3. Relationship of the artist to his subject matter? 

4. Style - contemporary, pop, impressionist, realism, etc

5. What is the artist trying to say through is work?

6. Do I like this artist? How does the work make you feel? (happy, sad, pensive, etc). 

7. If I could choose one image to take home, which would it be and why? 

Now you can take it further and incorporate it into your own work.

1. How does this compare and contrast to my own art?

2. Does the artist use any technic, color, or crop that I may be able to incorporate into my work to make it more effective?

At this point you can purchase the exhibit book or some postcards to take home for further study and reflection. You may also want to google the artist and the exhibit and see what others are saying about the work. 

Take it to the next level.

If you like, you can take your growth to a whole new level by emulating the artist -  copy some of his paintings or make photographs that resemble his images. I suggest this for your own personal growth, not to copy someone's style. Even the great painters of old used to sketch and paint off each other's work for educational purposes. Through this process you will have a deeper appreciation for the skill of the artist and you may develop a new style of your own.

Visit the exhibition as often as you would like. With each time you will take something new back with you and your art appreciation and knowledge will grow.