Romare Bearden 1912-1988

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1912, Romare Bearden was relocated to a Harlem neighborhood of New York City in 1913. His childhood was greatly influenced by a hard working father who served as an inspector for the city sanitation department and his mother, who became well known for her community activism, school board chairwoman position and work as treasurer for the Council of Negro Women. Through a strong influence and encouragement from his maternal grandmother, at a young age Romare Bearden discovered his talent for drawing.

Although mathematics was his study program at New York University, Bearden never gave up his love of and interest in drawing. In 1933, later than many of his artistic peers, Bearden started to paint. The depictions of social realism and political commentary on his canvas were the foundation for his later exploration of abstract design. These led him to the medium for which he is best recognized: collage.

The "cut and paste" expression of collage was well suited to Bearden's subjects that suggest the interwoven components of contemporary black life presented in a simple, flat style full of implied textures and drama. He concentrated on the African heritage, his connection to Southern culture and customs through his paternal grandparents, modernist painting styles of the time and the everyday street life around him in New York City. The conglomeration of character, pace, emotion and heritage ooze from the flat images created in the collage work of this innovative artist, who is often credited with helping to chronicle the African American experience in 20th century America.

Bearden's marriage to Nanette Rohan in 1934 was one of the major influences in his career. She was instrumental in helping him realize his talent as a painter and later as a collagist. He continued to work full time at the Department of Social Services as a liaison between immigrants and the community but used his spare time for creative work.

Throughout his middle years, before discovering his talent for and love of collage, Bearden struggled to find his artistic vision. After serving in the military during World War II, he returned to New York where he presented three solo exhibits between 1945 and 1947. With limited success in these shows, he fell into intense study of the old master's works, recreating them from black and white enlargements in the privacy of his studio. Here he created the colors and textures he desired without regard to the hues used in the originals. This use of brilliant color would later influence his collage works.

Bearden's life-long love of music and his friendship with several musicians made possible a brief career in music. He founded the Bluebird Music Company and went on to publish 20 of his original scores. But music did not fulfill the creative needs, so he returned to art. In 1966, after 14 years of social work, he was making enough money to give up his job and devote full time to collage and paintings.

The most monumental decision of Bearden's career came in 1964 when he gave up painting, choosing collage for his preferred medium. In 1977 he was a featured artist at the Museum of Modern Art. It was at that time that he received recognition as an influential and important contemporary artist. His work with young African American painters established their careers, and he founded the Cinque Gallery in 1969 to showcase young talent.

Bearden's work to document what might have been forgotten African American history, his recognized talent and his devotion to the youth of his day were instrumental in his induction into the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1972. The last two decades of his life were very prolific, and he continued his productivity until his death in 1988.

See images by Romare Bearden at www.artnet.com and www.globalgallery.com.

Bearden on Exhibit

The Art of Romare Bearden may be viewed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., through January 4th. This exhibition, the most comprehensive retrospective of his work ever, explores the complexity and scope of Bearden's art. It includes not only the collages and projections (Photostats) for which he is best known, but also a selection of watercolors, gouaches and oils, many of which have rarely been exhibited. And jazz musician Branford Marsalis has released "Romare Bearden Revealed" (Marsalis Music), a CD that presents music to accompany Bearden's paintings.

Marbled Holiday Ornaments

Christmas is the perfect time to create unique and beautiful swirled, twirled, and marbled ornaments for the tree and mantle or to give as gifts to special friends, teachers and family. The ornaments are easy and fun to make by artists of all ages. You will need a few supplies: clear plastic ornaments (glass for older artists or with parental supervision), acrylic craft paints in holiday colors (see note), newspaper work surface covers, and glitter, if desired. (It can be mixed into the wet paint inside the ornament.) Note: Colors that work well together are the traditional red and green, blue and silver, red and gold, white and red, blue or green. But avoid using too many colors, as simple combinations work better than elaborate multi-colored decoration.

Remove the metal hanger at the top of the ball ornament (glass or plastic). Gently wash the ornament in a mild soap and water solution to remove any oil or dust. Rinse well and allow the ornament to dry completely. An empty egg carton will hold the ornaments and allow swift drying of the interiors.

When you are ready to start creating, select one color of acrylic paint and drizzle some into the ball. Gently turn the ornament to allow the paint to cover some--but not all--of the interior. Set aside to dry, placing the ornament upside down to let the excess color drain out. It is helpful to set the ornaments over the wells of empty egg cartons so that all the paint may drip out.

Once the first color is dry, drizzle some of the second color into the ball. Use enough to cover all the unpainted areas of the inside. Pour excess back into the paint bottle. Allow the ornament to dry upside down over an egg carton.

If desired, you can combine the paint with glitter for a sparkly and shimmery look. Pour glitter into the ornament after excess paint has been drained from the inside of the ornament. This can be either the first or second color.

Attach the metal hanger and tie on a ribbon to make a professional presentation. These ornaments look wonderful hung in profusion about the house, on the mantle nestled among green branches or in wreaths. In addition, they make wonderful and thoughtful gifts for anyone.

Another idea is to stuff sparkle shredded paper into a clear ornament. You can also include small trinkets or candies for interest. For a really special ornament, crush a few $1 bills and work them into the ornament. Use a Popsicle stick to position the bills to your liking. This is a special way to give a small monetary gift.

It's time to make great decorations and gifts for the holiday season. Try these and have some fun!

Best Illustrated Books

The New York Times Book Review has announced its choices of the 10 best-illustrated children's books of 2003. And the winners with appropriate age/publisher are: Brundibar (6+, Michael di Capua/Hyperion), The Man Who Walked Between Towers (5+, Roaring Brook), While We Were Out (4-8, Kane/Miller), Charming Opal (4-8, Little, Brown), The Wolves in the Walls (5-8, HarperCollins), Otto's Trunk (4-8, Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins), The Tree of Life (8+, Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (all ages, Little Simon/Simon & Schuster), Beegu (3+, Farrar, Straus & Giroux), and When Everybody Wore a Hat (4+, Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins.)

Crayola Sets Record/Names Colors

A record 15-foot-long blue Crayola crayon was unveiled recently at Crayola's 100th birthday bash in Easton, PA. Kids across the country contributed their leftover blue nubs to help create this colossal crayon that could color a straight line nearly ten miles long. As part of the celebration, Crayola retired Blizzard Blue, Teal Blue, Mulberry and Magic Mint; and contest winners named four new colors to the line-up: Jazzberry Jam, Wild Blue Yonder, Mango Tango, and Inch Worm.

Holiday Events

Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul Habitot New Year!- December 31, 6-8:30p.m. Attend a family New Year's Eve party where kids can create a wild party hat and a nifty noisemaker for the Early Countdown. 651-225-6004.

Children's Museum of Houston, TX Festivals of Light through January 4. Explore eight religious and cultural celebrations and see how light is used to enhance the holiday season through hands-on crafts, games, workshops, lively performances and more. Inspirations Gallery. 713-522-1138.

Capital Children's Museum Washington, D.C. composition, color and collage: Say It With Shapes! through January 5 Explore the way artists make art. Use magnet boards, mosaic manipulation and collage; view inspirational artworks by Romare Bearden and local artist Luqman Atif; then create your own masterpiece within the galleries. Also, throughout December there are many workshops scheduled: Family Art Attack: Mosaics, Digital Painting, Shell Ornaments, Quick Piñatas, Animated Holiday Greeting Cards, Tin Art Ornaments and more. 202-675-4120.

Art Institute of Chicago, IL Holly Days: Celebrations Around the World, December 27-30, all ages. Each day's program features a different storyteller to take you on worldwide adventures through stories of celebration and holiday traditions. Watch artist Willie L. Carter create images of people celebrating and draw scenes of your own; make a "stained glass" window out of colored tissue paper and other transparent materials inspired by the America Windows by Marc Chagall. Also, the 22nd Annual Holiday Treasure Hunt and Tea Party will be held December 14. Follow a sticker book treasure hunt, create a work of art to take home and join a holiday party. 312-575-8000.

The holiday season is upon us, and it's time to purchase gifts for friends and relatives. Whenever you select individual art and craft supplies, sets and kits for kids or adults, or books and videos, please patronize the fine retailers and manufacturers who bring you ARTtalk each month. And remember that art supplies make great stocking stuffers, too--pencils, brushes, erasers, paints and inks, dyes and pigments, small sketch books, airbrush jars/needles, canvas stretching pliers/tools, hand cleaner, brush conditioner, lino/carving tools, stamps/pads, cropping scissors and more.

New Light Box from Gagne

Gagne has introduced its new [Thin] Light, a new thin profile light box with bright, even color-corrected light. Its -inch profile easily fits into a briefcase or portfolio and stores conveniently in a desk drawer. It has two media clips for securing media, keyholes for wall mounting in either profile or landscape orientation, and offers a generous 8-1/4" x 11-3/4" viewing area. Overall size is 14" x 9" x 1", color temperature is 5400K, and an AC adapter is included. Gagne's new [Thin] Light is a must-have for artists, designers and photographers! See www.gagneinc.com.

Strathmore Introduces New Multi-Media Pads

Strathmore makes it simple to choose a work surface with the introduction of two new multi-media pads: 400 Series Dry Media and 400 Series Wet Media.

The 400 Series Dry Media Pad contains 100 lb. all-purpose drawing paper that performs beautifully with all dry media. It has a medium finish that makes it an ideal surface for pencil, charcoal, pastel and conte crayon. The paper is hard-sized so that it will take repeated erasures and, when using ink, it creates uniform, non-feathered lines. The 400 Series Dry Media Pad is spiral bound with micro-perforated sheets that allow for clean edges when removed. Available in over-sizes: 9.5x12, 11.5x14 and 18x24.5 that become standard size sheets upon removal.

The 400 Series Wet Media Pad is made with an all-purpose textured paper that is designed to work with all wet media such as watercolor, gouache, acrylic and tempera. The pad contains 90 lb. watercolor paper with a cold press finish. Spiral binding allows it to lie flat--a good choice for on-location or classroom use. The textured surface is also great for pastels, allowing acceptance of several layers of color. The 400 Series Wet Media Pad comes in sizes 9x12, 11x15, and 18x24. Both pads have a heavy chipboard backing that makes them ideal for field use.

When using several media at once to create your work of art, choose Strathmore's new 400 Series Pads. They are great for the student and intermediate and professional artists for on-location studies and finished artwork. See www.strathmoreartist.com.

Paint and Draw Video from General Pencil Co.

General Pencil Company and artist Kathi Hanson have paired up to create the long-awaited new video, "Learn to Paint and Draw with Watercolor Pencils." Watch and have fun with over 55 minutes of projects, tricks, techniques and ideas to inspire your creativity. See. www.generalpencil.com.

Fat Over Lean in Oil and Pastel
How It Can Work for You

The old masters perfected a painting system that streamlined not only their painting process, but ours as well. Rather than paint directly onto a fresh surface, they first did an underpainting of dilute pigment to establish the shapes and forms within the work. Each layer of paint had a specific goal. The underpainting became the first layer over which subsequent coats of paint were applied to achieve the luminous qualities they desired. In this underpainting, there can be no color to speak of, or the palette to be employed in the finished work can be used. But, in any case, the paint is thin.

To dilute the density of the oil paint, many artists use a medium that has little or no oil (such as turpentine or Turpenoid). Oil will retard the drying time and that is not what you want for this layer. Once the painter establishes the layout of the work-- noting all tones, objects, creating a basis for all areas of light and dark--this first thin coat is allowed to dry completely. What this layer gives you is a foundation with drawing and tonal work completed. It can mean all that remains is to lay on successive layers.

Technically, "fat" over "lean" means a work that starts with an underpainting (lean), but it is not necessary to complete an underpainted layer. The subsequent layers of pigment define the term "fat." If used, the underpainting is created with thinned pigment. Each successive layer is applied with enough medium to make it more and more oil-rich. The purpose of this is to insure no damage to your painting. Your paint can crack, bubble or "orange peel" if you paint a very oily layer of paint over a layer that is not as oily. The less oily layer will dry faster and with less flexibility. Fast-drying layers over slow-drying layers will virtually insure an unacceptable surface.

With pastel, fat over lean refers to the use of soft pastel over hard pastel. Use hard pastel for initial sketching and light drawing, and then slather on the soft pastel for richness and impact. The hard pastel provides harder lines and is less easily blended. Soft pastel yields rich line and tone with slight pressure, insuring that it will cover hard pastel sketching. (Note: Don't use pencil in your initial sketch work for a pastel painting. Pastel will not cover graphite lines.)

Try using "dry" thinned oils or hard pastels for the initial layout of your painting (lean). Then you'll have the opportunity to lay over heavy pigments for richness and luminosity and create a substrate that is more uniformly covered with successive layers.

Holiday Memory Book Ideas

There is no time like the holidays to create scrapbooks to give as gifts or to create "special occasion" pages for scrapbooks you or your family already have in the works. There are dozens of ways to make pages that have the look and excitement of this joyous time of year. Color and topical decoration help you design personal pages that will be keepsakes for all the years to come and will be handed down like family heirlooms.

One very special idea is to give life to a group photo. All it takes is the solicitation of short quotes from everyone in the photo. To create such a scrapbook page, attach a photo with photo corners or your favorite attachment method in the center of the page. Create and attach a decorative border around the photo, one that has as its theme the designs and colors that tell the viewer what the occasion is. It is advantageous to use a narrow border so that you can attach your quotes on the page around the photo. With your quotes written down, create "balloons" for each quote and carefully print each one onto the balloons. Attach each quote above or near the person it relates to. It is fun to review previous group shots and read the quotes made. You can watch as youngsters mature or see the pride of parents and grandparents as they share feelings of celebration. These are the events that constitute your family history. They are important and you never have this time together again, so make it count.

If you are prepared at the time of the actual event, you can solicit written comments from guests right on the actual memory book page. These will be treasured in future years, a record of the actual thoughts written in their own hand. Most people who do this can relive the event and enjoy the comments for years to come. So remember to take along some decorated scrapbook pages and see what a stir you create.

Another artistic approach to memory books is to include actual "pieces" from the event. If it is a holiday party, collect bits of gift-wrap, tinsel, holiday tree needles, a holly leaf, and greeting cards along with lots of photos to be included in a very special, one-of-a-kind scrapbook page. The collection can be similar to a tiny time capsule and will be lots of fun to review in later years.

One special gift for a memory book/scrapbook person is to give her the components of her own special holiday history page. Collect as many small, flat items as possible so that she might use them to make up a page for her personal memory book. Assemble lots of tidbits in a clear sleeve along with decorative background paper, a special stamp or metallic stamp pad. It is a gift that will be enjoyed while allowing the recipient a creative adventure.

Stamping is one way to immediately dress a scrapbook page in holiday cheer. Along with personal quotes and/or photographs, stamped images and cutouts from decorative holiday papers make a simple sheet extraordinary. Use dimensional stamp ink and embossing powders to give texture to your stamped designs or cut out the designs and use elevators of double-sided tape to raise the shapes off the page. Even in a tightly closed journal or scrapbook, the 3-D element will not be lost because the spongy tape holds the shapes above the page.

If your collection creates a page that is too thick for the binding that you have, it is possible to create spacers in the binding to give a bit of ease to the over-thick page. To alter the binding, remove the cording or comb that holds the book together. Measure and mark the locations of the binding on a one-inch strip of mat board. Cut this strip shorter than the height of the page, thread the cording or comb through the mat board spacer and replace the other sheets and the cover. A double thickness of mat board can be used for really thick pages.

Travel journals or memory books are fun to make and can have as their theme an entire holiday season. From October through the first of the next year, there are events, parties and gatherings that warrant documentation. But it is the family gatherings, parties with dozens of friends and other special holiday events that are the most frequently recorded.

Maybe it's time you created a memory book to help you record your history. They are fun to make and not expensive. Any blank book can be used as your base and collected items can fill every page to overflowing. Remember last year's holiday parties and gatherings? Don't you wish you had photos and quotes and mementos from those experiences? Start now, be ready and capture everything that happens. It's fun and rewarding!

Airbrushing on Paper

Paper is the most common surface airbrushed on, and there isn't any type of paper that can't be used—from crepe paper to illustration board, drawing paper, inkjet paper and papier-mâché, etc. When you apply mediums with an airbrush, the tool does not touch the work surface. Unlike when using a paintbrush, because the medium is sprayed on there is no direct contact. The delicate paper surface will not be disturbed by a possibly abrasive application. There are many types of paper that can be painted with an airbrush that you would never attempt to paint with a brush. However, several things should still be considered:

1. The thinner the paper, the greater the likelihood that it will buckle when an overabundance of fluid is applied. Slowly apply paint to thin paper with overlapping passes and allow the paint to dry in between to build up to opaque color.
2. The compatibility of the paper with self-adhering frisket film, tapes or stencils must be considered. Make sure that adhesive will not tear the paper or distort the surface. A very thin paper--such as crepe, tissue or rice--would surely tear if self-adhering tape were applied. Always test the paper first; if the surface lifts, then the adhesive is obviously too tacky. So use a less tacky frisket material or a handheld stencil that contains no adhesive. A non-adhesive stencil can be held in place by using weights and working flat on the table. Use washers, fishing sinkers, lead pieces from typesetting, or anything with enough weight to allow gravity to hold the stencil in place. But be careful that weights are not so thick that they block the spray of the airbrush.

One hundred percent rag paper is the strongest; fifty percent rag will suffice. Paper of a lesser rag content will usually not work for self-adhering stencils. Papers such as pastel and watercolor will also present problems with self-adhering stencils.

3. The white of the paper is also important. Most artists work on white paper and wish it to remain so over the years. So work with paper that has a low pH acid content. The brighter the white of the paper, the more helpful it is to the airbrush painter because the white of the paper is used in many cases for highlights. It's difficult to paint white paint back into a painting and make it as intense as the original white surface.
4. The surface texture of paper must be considered. There are as many textures as there are papers, and the texture will be evident in the airbrush rendering because the paint is sprayed on in tiny dots. Therefore, when working on heavily textured surfaces such as watercolor, pastel and handmade papers, the artist should consider that texture in the composition.

Two surfaces that are generally used with airbrush are hot press (very smooth) paper and cold press (slight tooth). If you were working on a painting of a chrome object, it would be preferable to work on a hot press surface, which would lend itself to the subject matter. A cold press paper would lend itself to objects that have a more organic look, such as floral or figurative paintings.

With an airbrush an artist can utilize the paper surface to enhance work or render the paper to be an illusion. An exercise would be to crumple a sheet of paper and freehand spray color onto it. Then spread the paper flat and perhaps even iron it to its original flat state. The paper will still appear to be crinkled because of the paint's original attachment to the edges.

Sculpture Center Opens--The Nasher Sculpture Center has opened in Dallas, TX, and features a new 54,000 sq. ft. building and a one and one-half-acre sculpture garden. It provides a public home for the presentation of the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection and "places modern and contemporary sculpture at the center of attention."

Strong Art Market Indicated--Fall art auctions have shown a restored interest in the art market, with records set for many artists such as Calder, Leger, Moore, and Bontecou. Modigliani's Reclining Nude (1917) sold for over $26 million at Christie's, setting a record for the artist; Klimt's Villa at Attersee (1917) sold for over $29 million at Sotheby's; and an untitled Calder sculpture sold for $5.8 million, a record for the artist.

"Cat in the Hat" Featured--This holiday season through January 1, the U.S. Postal Service will provide "Cat in the Hat" postmarks on billions of letter mail pieces--to include a "Happy Holidays" greeting and a drawing of the cat. And the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of this literary classic, Dr. Seuss, (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel) will be honored with his own postal stamp beginning March 2, 2004.

NEA News--President Bush has presented medals to ten recipients of the 2003 National Medal of Arts, including Rafe Esquith, arts educator from Los Angeles, CA.--First Lady Laura Bush has presented the 2003 Coming Up Taller Awards to 18 nonprofit organizations from the U.S. and Mexico. The annual awards recognize outstanding work with underserved youth, and each organization receives $10,000.--The House-Senate conference committee has increased the budget of the NEA by nearly $7 million, which raises the budget for the nation's leading annual funder of the arts to $122.5 million and will be invested across all fifty states.

New Hours Announced--The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan has announced "Holiday Mondays." For the first time in 30 years, the Met will be open to the public this fall, winter and spring on major Monday holidays to include Dec. 29, Jan. 19, Feb. 16, and May 31.

Exhibitions

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI -- Christmas Around the World and Holiday Traditions will be presented through Jan. 4. The symbols of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are gathered together alongside the trees of Christian tradition, dressed in the authentic holiday finery of many countries. It's a world transformed with 300,000 lights, carriage rides, carolers, entertainers and children's activities. The holiday traditions of Greece have been added this year. (616) 957-1580, Toll-Free: 888-957-1580.

Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME -- A highlight of the restored L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries is the new Winslow Homer Gallery, featuring paintings, watercolors and graphics by this beloved and acclaimed American artist. A collection of five pivotal oil paintings traces Homer's career from his early work through the last two and a half decades of his life; and these are augmented by four additional oils on long-term loan as well as a constantly rotating selection from the Museum's collection of 14 watercolors and nearly 400 prints and a watercolor box owned and used by Homer.

Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY -- Rockwell's Home for the Holidays features three original Saturday Evening Post cover tear sheets and includes many of the artist's most memorable and enduring holiday images, including the 1939 Santa Claus cover "Extra Good Boys and Girls." Through Dec. 28.

The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC -- Raphael to Monet European Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore features 58 masterpieces from one of the nation's most celebrated collections of European art. Included are works by Raphael, Bronzino, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Van Dyck, Bernini, Houdon, Millet, Ingres, Manet, Pissarro, Monet, Sisley and Degas, among others. Through Jan. 11.

National Academy of Design, New York, NY -- Challenging Tradition: Women of the Academy, 1826-2003 examines the role of women in the history of the Academy as well as women's role over the past two centuries in the American art world at large. Comprised of over 60 paintings, sculptures and works on paper, works are included by Bourgeois, Bishop, Cassatt, Frankenthaler, deKooning, Coffey, Schapiro and others. Through Jan. 4.

AIRBRUSH WORKSHOPS ARTtalk.com Gallery at the Square, Beacon, NY New dates for airbrush workshops will be announced Soon in ARTtalk and on ARTtalk.com's Workshops page.

The Art Institute Online is looking for graphic designers interested in learning additional skills, or in getting their bachelor's or associate's degree in graphic design. Make yourself more marketable in the graphic design industry. Click here to find out more. (http://quinst.com/clk/kittedatoukumushiigyo)

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 14 No. 2 -- December 2003