Contemporary Art Revealed

Joy of Spring

2011-04-20T08:30:00.001-04:00

Joy of Spring. For me this painting expresses my exuberance for this spring. The weather, new growth, and blooms were beautiful. My joy was profound. I completed this painting on March 19, 2011. Fortunately for my state of mind, I was working on this painting at the same time I worked on Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors Radiation Plume Fallout Landscape, a somewhat depressing but realistic painting, which I posted yesterday.

Danger: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors Radioactive Plume Fallout Landscape

2011-04-19T16:43:00.001-04:00

Danger: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors Radioactive Plume Fallout Landscape. I created this painting several weeks ago and completed it on March 21, 2011, about the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors. Unfortunately for the world and nearby residents, the fallout from the radioactive plume will create an uninhabitable and inhospitable landscape, a dead zone, at least near the Daiichi facility for perhaps thousands of years. Of course, the painting's red border represents Danger.

2009-05-28T16:30:00.003-04:00

I grew up in a small sleepy town outside of Philadelphia and became a lawyer because people told me I couldn’t make a living as an artist. But I was always looking for a way to express my passion. I traveled the world and visited over 250 museums looking for inspiration to help me develop a unique artistic idea.

Meanwhile I had acquired major carpentry skills renovating an 1860’s house in the Adirondack Mountains of New York with my wife in a kind of homesteading experiment. I tried my hand at script writing and novels but I found my personal passion when I discovered the works of Piet Mondrian, minimalist paintings featuring bright primary colors, and Ellsworth Kelly, whose paintings broke out of the rectangular mold and also often used bold bright colors.

So I began creating complex wood structures in 3 dimensions, representing important and widely recognized cultural symbols, like hearts, peace signs, Adam and Eve, stiletto heels, sports cars, and more. These wood frameworks often take many hours to conceptualize and even longer to construct, employing as many as 67 specially cut pieces of wood, 140 saw cuts including 53 curves and angles other than right angles, 236 pilot holes for 236 screws, and 12 bolts and nuts and 24 washers to assemble the various parts into the completed shape. I use a variety of tools to create this framework so it is not only strong, but lightweight. Then I evolved techniques to stretch artist’s canvas over these unusually shaped internal frameworks. Then I choose carefully the right colors, shades, and textures to enhance the meaning of the symbol and engage and excite the viewer.

The work can be tedious and frustrating, but the end result gives me the creative satisfaction I have craved all my life.

To see some of my work, please visit my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Picasso, "Chrysanthemums" 1901

2009-03-02T15:32:00.000-05:00

Another painting the 19 or 20 year old Pablo Picasso painted in 1901 is a still life titled Chrysanthemums. The flowers, vase, and table are pretty straightforward, while the background is somewhat impressionistic and unusual in his choice of colors. This painting, like the one in my previous post is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at http://www.jayrolfe.com/.

Picasso, "Head of a Woman" 1901

2009-03-01T17:18:00.003-05:00

Pablo Picasso made his first visit to Paris in 1900, arriving just before his 19th birthday on October 25, 1900. After about 2 months he went back to Spain, arriving in his home town of Malaga on January 1, 1901. Picasso returned to Paris for his second visit in May 1901.

Today's painting is one of two at the Philadelphia Museum of Art that Picasso painted in 1901, when he was 19 or 20 years old. Head of a Woman is a slightly grotesque portrait, similar to other portraits of Parisian ladies of the night but perhaps less grotesque.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Motherwell's "Elegy to the Spanish Republic" at Phila Museum of Art

2009-02-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

If you go to art museums, you surely know this is one of Robert Motherwell's over 200 versions of Elegy to the Spanish Republic. This one was painted in 1958-60 and is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I saw this one again recently, and I have seen many similar versions in many other museums.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

"Black Fire I" by Barnett Newman at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

2009-02-21T11:35:00.008-05:00

All right, this blog is called "Contemporary Art Revealed," and I have posted about Impressionist, post-Impressionist, and Modern paintings over the past 10 days. So here's something from 1961, Black Fire I by Barnett Newman. Newman was known for his vertical stripes he called "zips" and for his large vertical blocks of color (often black). This painting is usually on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art where I saw it again a week ago.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

The wall label at PMA describes the painting as follows: "Black Fire I conveys a dark grandeur through simple means: the tensions between edge and field, opacity and transparency, order and spontaneity, black pigment and raw textured canvas." Wow. Sometimes a picture IS worth a thousand words.

Mary Cassat at Philadelphia Museum of Art

2009-02-20T17:15:00.005-05:00

On my visit a week ago to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I again saw one of my favorite Impressionist paintings owned by the Museum. It has been off display for a while, and now it is back. The painting is Mary Cassatt's portrait of her sister Lydia at the Paris Opera House in front of a mirror which reflects the interior of the Opera House. It was painted in 1879 and is titled Woman With A Pearl Necklace in a Loge. It is bright, lively, and when you see it in person it's like you are there enjoying the opera scene with her.

Mary Cassatt was born in the Philadelphia area, and moved to Paris after art school at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in order to further her art career.

You can see some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse "The Moorish Screen"

2009-02-19T16:57:00.004-05:00

Henri Matisse painted The Moorish Screen in 1921. It shows his daughter Marguerite and his then-favorite model Henriette Darricarre in an interior of incredibly rich carpets and wall coverings and the titular Moorish screen. Although I have seen this on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it is now on display in the Museum's Perelman Building as part of the exhibit "Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera."

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse "Still Life on a Table" at Perelman Bldg of Phila Museum of Art

2009-02-18T14:05:00.000-05:00

The second of the two Henri Matisse still life paintings I referred to yesterday is Still Life on a Table painted in 1925, the year after the painting featured yesterday. This painting, not usually on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is currently on view at the Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of the exhibit "Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera." You can see many similarities between this painting and the one featured yesterday.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse "Still Life" at Perelman Bldg Phila Museum of Art

2009-02-17T14:07:00.003-05:00

Two Henri Matisse still life paintings that are not usually on display are now on display at the Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This one was painted in 1924 and is titled Still Life. You can see Matisse really loved his textiles.

You can see some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse "Head of a Woman"

2009-02-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

Matisse used models extensively and frequently painted figures. This Henri Matisse painting from 1917, Head of a Woman, is somewhat unusual in that it includes only the head. This is one of the Matisse paintings owned by but not usually not on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and now on view in the Perelman Building exhibit "Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera."

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

More Matisse on the Riviera

2009-02-15T12:36:00.005-05:00

On Friday I was at the Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the exhibit "Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera." Although almost all the works on display are from the Museum's collection, there are many I haven't seen before even though I visit the Museum frequently. As you can imagine, museums own many more items than they can display at any one time.

Henri Matisse often painted interiors, especially liking ones that had a view out a window. This painting in the exhibit, done in 1917-18, titled My Room at the Beau Rivage (Interior at Nice), is perhaps typical in that it has a room full of colorful textiles and an ocean view out the window.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse "Two Models Resting" at Perelman Bldg Phila Museum of Art

2009-02-14T13:44:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and, for the first time, across the street to the Museum's exhibition space in the Perelman Building (separate admission). One of the exhibits at the Perelman Building was "Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera," which is on display from December 13, 2008 to November 1, 2009. Almost all the works on display are from the Museum's collection, but many I haven't seen before in the period rooms in the main building. As you can imagine, museums own many more items than they can display at any one time. So it was very worthwhile for me to visit.

I generally like Matisse's work, and I've seen a lot of it. I've seen the many works exhibited at the Baltimore Museum of Art which are part of their 500+ work collection of Matisse several times, and I've seen the 59 Matisse works at the Barnes Foundation many times. I've seen Matisse at the Phillips, LACMA, MoMA, the Met, Art Institute of Chicago, etc., etc. And it was nice to see some new-to-me paintings.

By the way, you can see some of my paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/. You can also access this blog through the website.

Today I'm featuring Henri Matisse's colorful Two Models Resting from 1928. I'm sorry it's slightly out of focus. That's even more reason for you to get over there yourself and see the original.

Cezanne at the Kimbell Art Museum

2009-02-12T11:45:00.005-05:00

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth TX is a relatively small museum with a relatively small collection. Yet it has great quality examples from Old Masters through Modern art painting. I remember that I posted one of each, a Fra Angelico 1429-1430 small painting The Apostle Saint James the Greater Freeing the Magician Hermogenes, and a late Henri Matisse from 1946, titled Asia. Both were featured in my post of December 31, 2008.

Today I'm going with one of two Paul Cezanne paintings I particularly enjoyed at the Kimbell. This Cezanne painting from 1895, Maison Maria With A View of the Chateau Noir, seems much like many of his others, yet the colors were brighter and the brushwork more impressionistic than his prototypical landscapes with their squarish blocks of color. See how you like it. https://www.kimbellart.org/Collections/Collections-Detail.aspx?prov=false&cons=false&cid=8645

You can see some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Kimbell Art Museum

2009-02-11T11:38:00.008-05:00

In reviewing some of the paintings I saw on my around the USA trip last summer, I was struck this morning by the similarity of Gerhard Richter's seascape which I posted yesterday, Sea Piece-Wave, on display at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, with Jacob Van Ruisdael's Rough Sea At A Jetty painted in the 1650's which I saw at the Kimbell Art Museum across the street and also in Fort Worth. Van Ruisdael is known chiefly for his landscapes. This painting shows his skill with a seascape. Here is the link to the Kimbell's website, https://www.kimbellart.org/Collections/SearchCollections.aspx?P=1&Focus=0#, and the image they display, and below is the photo I took. In real life, the painting doesn't look as yellow as my photo, and doesn't look as dark as their image, it's somewhere in between. I'm sure you get the idea.

Last summer was my first trip to Fort Worth TX. I had long wanted to see the collection at the Kimbell Art Museum, and it was all I had hoped for and more. The Kimbell was also showing a visiting exhibit called "The Impressionists: Master Paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago." Even though I had seen all of them at the Art Institute of Chicago several times, I was glad to see them again.

You can view images of some of my paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Gerhard Richter "Sea Piece-Wave" at MAM Fort Worth

2009-02-10T12:08:00.004-05:00

A dramatic painting I liked at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth which I visited this past summer, is the large, about 6 1/2 feet square, Gerhard Richter painting Sea Piece-Wave painted in 1969. You can see a small image of it on the museum's website. http://www.themodern.org/f_html/richter2.html#top

You can view some of my paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Warhol's "Self-Portrait" with the look of death

2009-02-09T12:12:00.004-05:00

The permanent collection at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was, in my opinion, wide-ranging and of strong quality in painting. One of the well-known contemporary artists of whom it owned several canvases is Andy Warhol. I was struck by this Self-Portrait created in 1986, a year before his untimely death. The reason I was struck by it is it has the look of death, a ghostly look.

The painting is rather large, 9 feet square. Here's the link to the museum's website. http://www.themodern.org/f_html/warhol3.html#top

You can view some of my paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Richard Serra at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

2009-02-08T13:16:00.008-05:00

When I took an around the country driving trip with my wife Randy Rolfe last summer, we planned to visit about a dozen art museums. We ended up visiting even more art museums on our 25 day, 9000 mile trip through 22 states, plus 6 other museums, a zoo, 11 national parks, several national monuments, and many other sights.

The first art museum we visited was not one I planned to visit because I'd never even heard of it. We were heading for the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth TX on the afternoon of July 18, 2008 and had just parked the car in the Kimbell parking lot when I saw an enormous sculpture across the street. We went to investigate and found Richard Serra's 67 feet 10 inch high cor-ten steel sculpture titled Vortex and made in 2002. The base is a little over 20 feet wide, and one can walk inside. It was sitting in front of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth which I didn't know about. Here are 3 photos I took of it, two of them from inside. And here's a link to the Vortex page on museum's website. http://www.themodern.org/f_html/serra2.html#top

Then we went inside the museum and found a great collection of contemporary art nicely displayed in a stunning building. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth certainly deserves more press then it gets.

You can view images of some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Painter Louis Comfort Tiffany

2009-02-05T09:42:00.005-05:00

I first encountered the paintings of Louis Comfort Tiffany, who is renown for his stain glass work, at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park FL. The museum's website is http://www.morsemuseum.org/, They have a whole gallery devoted to Tiffany's paintings and about 15-20 are on display. Most of them were done before he became famous for his stain glass work. By the way, Tiffany's father founded Tiffany Jewelers.

When I visited the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC 10 days ago I saw a very nice painting by Louis Comfort Tiffany painted in 1873 and titled Market Day Outside the Walls of Tangiers, Morocco. I'll show you my photo of it since the colors are much truer than the image on SAAM's website at http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=24107.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Raphael's "The Alba Madonna" at the National Gallery

2009-02-04T16:27:00.006-05:00

My favorite types of painting are Impressionist, Post-impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary. That's what I usually focus on when I visit museums.

However, this time I visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC a week ago Sunday, I started with looking at the older art. One of the many knockout pieces was Raphael's 1510 painting called The Alba Madonna. Not only is it beautiful and colorful, it is round! Here's the image from the website of the National Gallery which shows it without its frame, and also the photo I took which shows it in a very beautiful gold round frame. By the way, the colors did look bright as in my photo.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Childe Hassam at the National Gallery

2009-02-03T17:38:00.005-05:00

I visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC on Sunday a week ago. During that visit, I came to appreciate Childe Hassam, and American Impressionist, as an Impressionist artist. I had not been particularly impressed with his paintings that I had seen before. At the National Gallery I saw a number of his paintings I liked.

Today's image is Childe Hassam's The South Ledges, Appledore, painted in 1913 and on view at the National Gallery of Art.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Cezanne Still Life

2009-02-02T17:19:00.004-05:00

There are a number of fine Cezanne still life paintings at the Barnes Foundation where I visited last Friday. Here's one called Compotier, Pitcher and Fruit painted in 1872-1874. I particularly like this one for its profusion of fruit. Of course, the color and composition are typically Cezanne.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Cezanne "Bathers at Rest" at Barnes

2009-01-31T10:03:00.003-05:00

Each time I go to the Barnes Foundation, as I did yesterday, I am almost overwhelmed by the Cezanne paintings (also by the Renoirs, the Matisses, the Picassos, the Rousseaus, the Van Goghs, the El Grecos, even the Glackens', etc.). There are so many Cezannes, and they span his career so there are different styles, that I come away awestruck again. Deja vu as they say.

Cezanne painted many subjects, landscapes, still life, portraits, and nudes (often bathers). Each type of subject has its own charms and contribution to his style. Today I am featuring a fairly well-known painting from 1875-1876 called Bathers at Rest. The male bathers lounging around a pond with Mont Sainte-Victoire, a frequent subject of Cezanne's landscapes, in the background, was groundbreaking in composition, color, and paint-handling when it was shown at the Third Impressionist Exhibition in 1877. It's one to be seen in person.

You can see some of my 3-D mixed media paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Barnes Foundation - Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, and Cezanne

2009-01-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

Today I'm at the Barnes Foundation in Merion PA. It's a great way to celebrate my birthday! I love being at the Barnes. I feel so good, and inspired too. In case you don't know, the collection included the largest number of Matisse paintings in any collection in the world, 59. I believe it also has the largest number of Cezanne paintings in any collection in the world at 69. The Barnes also has by far the largest number of Renoir paintings in any collection in the world at an astounding 181.

Almost missed in the excitement over Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse is the large number of significant Picasso paintings, 46. That's a huge number by any standard. There are also paintings by El Greco, Titian, Rubens, Degas, Van Gogh, Rousseau, Seurat, Soutine, Modigliani, Manet, Monet, and American Horace Pippin of West Chester PA. Here is the Barnes Foundation website: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/

I've featured one of my favorites, Matisse's Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) several times in the past, so today I'll show Modigliani's Reclining Nude From The Back, painted in 1917.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Who's Who in Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party

2009-01-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

First, here's a link to Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party on the website of the Phillips Collection which I featured in my post on Tuesday. http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating/index.aspx

Second, on Tuesday I mentioned that art history people know the identity of all the people pictured in Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party. Here's a link to the info. http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating/whoswho.aspx Also, I'm including the diagram here, and the text below.

"The Luncheon of the Boating Party includes youthful, idealized portraits of Renoir's friends and colleagues as they relax at the Maison Fournaise restaurant. Wearing a top hat, the amateur art historian, collector, and editor Charles Ephrussi (8) speaks with a younger man in a more casual brown coat and cap. He may be Ephrussi's personal secretary, Jules Laforgue (5), a poet and critic.

At center, the actress Ellen Andrée (6) drinks from a glass. Across from her in a brown bowler hat is Baron Raoul Barbier (4), a bon vivant and former mayor of colonial Saigon. He is turned toward the smiling woman at the railing, thought to be Alphonsine Fournaise (3), the proprietor's daughter. She and her brother, Alphonse Fournaise, Jr. (2), who handled the boat rentals, wear straw boaters'. They are placed within, but at the edge of, the party. At the upper right, the artist Paul Lhote (12) and the bureaucrat Eugène Pierre Lestringuez (11) seem to be flirting with actress Jeanne Samary (13).

In the foreground, Renoir included a youthful portrait of his fellow artist, close friend, and wealthy patron, Gustave Caillebotte (9), who sits backwards in his chair and is grouped with the actress Angèle (7) and the Italian journalist Maggiolo (10). Caillebotte, an avid boatman and sailor, wears a white boater's shirt and flat-topped boater's. He gazes at a young woman cooing at her dog. She is Aline Charigot (1), a seamstress Renoir had recently met and would later marry. "

You can view some of my shaped 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

El Greco and Goya at the Phillips

2009-01-28T17:50:00.007-05:00

The Phillips Collection, which I visited on Saturday in Washington DC, calls itself "a museum of both modern art and its sources." Some of its sources are old masters including El Greco and Goya who painted the same dramatic subject, "The Repentant St. Peter," about 200 years apart.

The top painting is by Doménikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco, painted in 1600-1605. The lower painting is by Francisco Jose de Goya painted in 1820-1824. They are displayed in the same huge gallery with a number of other older paintings by famous artists, but at different ends of the gallery. Both are very powerful paintings when seen in person. I hope you take the opportunity to see them at the Phillips Collection.

You can view some of my 3-D mixed media paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Phillips Collection, Renoir

2009-01-27T11:39:00.006-05:00

On Saturday I visited the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. I was struck again by what is perhaps their most famous painting, Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It is large, animated, brilliantly colored, and depicts a fun scene with recognizable people (if you've studied impressionist art history) painted in 1880-1881. Every time I visit the Phillips Collection I am wowed by this painting. It's beautiful!

Of course, there are many other great paintings in the collection, ones you will recognize from art books you may have seen.

You can see some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

National Portrait Gallery

2009-01-26T16:46:00.007-05:00

I spent the weekend in Washington DC visiting art museums, one of my favorite pastimes. My photo of the day is one I had another visitor take of me at the National Portrait Gallery. You probably read in the newspaper that this iconic portrait of Barack Obama was recently donated to the National Portrait Gallery. It's a mixed media stenciled collage by Los Angeles artist Shepard Fairey.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

2008 in Review

2008-12-31T07:49:00.010-05:00

It's the last day of the year, time to take stock of the year gone by. What an exciting year it has been!

I created a number of artworks I'm proud of. I drove across and around the country with my wife, something I've wanted to do for many years. And I continued to immerse myself in painting and sculpture by visiting museums around the country and really enjoying many of the works I saw. I don't know which one to show on today's post, but I guess it will come to me before I finish the post. The museums I visited this year include:

Barnes Foundation, Merion PA
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
Ross Gallery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
Delaware Art Museum
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Metropolitan Museum, New York
Guggenheim Museum, New York
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
Frick Museum, New York
Neue Galerie, New York
New York City Waterfalls (Olafur Eliasson)
Dia Beacon, Beacon NY
Mass MoCA, North Adams MA
Bruce Museum, Greenwich CT
Baltimore Art Museum
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Louis Comfort Tiffany collection), Winter Park FL
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, Winter Park FL
Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park FL
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Phillips Collection, Washington DC
Corcoran Gallery, Washington DC
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC
Laguna Beach Museum of Art, CA
Frederick R Weisman Foundation, Beverly Hills CA
LA MOCA, Los Angeles CA
Kimbell Art Museum, Ft Worth TX
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Ft Worth TX
Dallas Museum of Art
Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas TX
Georgia O'Keefe Museum, Santa Fe NM
LA County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Broad Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles CA
Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach CA
Denver Museum of Art (including preview of Clyfford Still Museum collection)
Denver Contemporary Art Museum
Whitney Museum of Western Art, Cody WY
Sculpture Garden, Buffalo Bill Museum, Cody WY
Frederick R Weisman Museum at U of MN, Minneapolis MN
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis MN
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Aside from creating art and visiting museums, I also read Hilary Spurling's extensive 2 volume biography of Henri Matisse which I thoroughly enjoyed, Matisse's essay Notes of a Painter, Kandinsky's Concerning the Spiritual in Art, an illuminating collection of essays and letters called Writings on Art - Mark Rothko, and The Writings of Robert Motherwell. And now I've embarked on John Richardson's 3 volume biography A Life of Picasso! I also read several national art magazines each month.

I've finally selected not one but two images to go with this post, both colorful although created 500 years apart, and both from the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft Worth TX, our first scheduled art museum stop on our cross country trip (I visited all the art museums from the Kimbell to the end of the list on our summer cross country trip). Fra Angelico's 1429-1430 small painting The Apostle Saint James the Greater Freeing the Magician Hermogenes, and a late Henri Matisse from 1946, Asia.

I didn't know I'd done so much this year! No wonder I feel like I've been busy. A review really is very valuable for appreciating all one has accomplished. I hope you've had a great year too. Thanks for reading my blog.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

You can view some of my 3-D paintings and mixed media works on my website, www.jayrolfe.com/.

Pablo Picasso's "Boy Leading a Horse"

2008-12-18T08:26:00.002-05:00

What else did Leo and Gertrude Stein hang in their apartment?

In 1906 they also acquired and hung the 7 feet tall Picasso, "Boy Leading a Horse." While not as avant garde as Matisse's two paintings featured in my most recent posts, it was not traditional. Leo Stein showed Picasso both Matisse's and Picasso's own paintings hanging in his apartment, encouraging a rivalry. When Picasso saw the three paintings side-by-side, Hilary Spurling in The Unknown Matisse says, "Picasso had been shaken by 'Woman in a Hat', and seriously perturbed by 'Le Bonheur de Vivre'." The rest, as they say, is history, art history!

Today Picasso's "Boy Leading a Horse" hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Here's a link to the web page about it. http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79994

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Henri Matisse's "The Joy of Life"

2008-12-17T19:38:00.004-05:00

Shortly after the 1905 Salon d'Automne at which he debuted "Woman in a Hat," featured in my most recent two posts, Matisse painted the large "Le Bonheur de Vivre" ("The Joy of Life") over the winter of 1905-1906. Rosa Arpino, an Italian woman who modelled for art schools in Paris, was the female model for all the female figures in the almost 6 feet by 8 feet painting.

"Le Bonheur de Vivre" was exhibited in April 1906 at the Salon d'Independants in Paris, and at the end of the exhibit on April 30, Leo Stein bought "Le Bonheur de Vivre." It's a beautiful painting, one I've seen many times at the Barnes Foundation in Merion PA. Although it hung in the living room of the Steins, it hangs above the landing of the staircase from the first to the second floor at the Barnes Foundation. It's interesting that there is a small circle of dancing women in "Le Bonheur de Vivre" and Matisse would produce "The Dancers" three years later in 1909 for Sergei Shchukin, the Moscow textile magnate, which was to hang in the staircase of his mansion. The second version of "The Dancers" now hangs above the staircase landing in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. What's with all these staircase paintings?

So the Steins had Matisse's "Woman in a Hat" and Matisse's "Le Bonheur de Vivre" on their walls. What fabulous paintings to have hanging in your home, although in that day they were considered scandalous.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Henri Matisse's "Woman in a Hat"

2008-12-15T08:52:00.004-05:00

Henri Matisse's "Woman in a Hat", which was the subject of my post yesterday, was sold from its original showing at the 1905 Salon d'Automne in Paris to some American collectors. Leo and Gertrude Stein, brother and sister, telegraphed Matisse of their desire to buy it. Leo was actually buying it for his brother and sister-in-law Michael and Sarah Stein.

"Woman in a Hat" is now in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. You may see it on the museum's website. http://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/213

There is no substitute for seeing an original painting as opposed to a print. It's amazing the difference in reproductions. Today's image is taken from the SFMOMA website, while yesterday's image is from the Matisse biography, The Unknown Matisse.

You can see some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Matisse, Picasso, Steve Martin, and the Lapin Agile

2008-12-14T14:37:00.007-05:00

Last weekend we saw a play written by American comedian Steve Martin at the Delaware Theatre Company called Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It's a fictional story of Picasso meeting Einstein at a local Parisian cafe in 1904, before either was famous. In the dialogue, Picasso took a few swipes at his rival Matisse. It was hilarious and we really enjoyed it.

I've been reading a two volume biography of Henri Matisse, who gave up law to be an artist, written by Hilary Spurling. Volume one is The Unknown Matisse, A Life of Henri Matisse: The Early Years, 1869-1908. Volume two is Matisse The Master, A Life of Henri Matisse, The Conquest of Colour, 1909-1954.

After spending the summer of 1905 painting in Collioure on the French Mediterranean near the border with Spain, Matisse submitted several paintings the the Salon d'Automne in Paris, notably "Woman in a Hat" and "The Open Window, Collioure." Matisse and his experimental friends Derain, Vlaminck, Marquet, Manguin, and Camoin, had their paintings shown in what became known as the notorious room or gallery Salle VII. Spurling writes that while Matisse was inspecting the installation of the paintings before the opening with writer Louis Vauxcelles, "Vauxcelles noticed a couple of academic sculptures placed incongruously in the middle of Salle VII and made what became a famous wisecrack to Matisse: 'a Donatello among the wild beasts [fauves].'" Vauxcelles then published his quip in a magazine article and Matisse's group got its name, Fauves.

The critics had little good to say about the Fauves at the time of the Salon d'Automne. Spurling reports, "Even young artists eager to identify themselves with everything that was new and forward-looking found this latest work [Matisse's "Woman in a Hat"] hard to take. One of them was the writer Francis Carco, a friend of the twenty-four-year-old Pablo Picasso, whose reputation was already gaining ground in Montmartre in spite of the fact that hardly anyone had seen his work. Carco, hanging out at Picasso's local, the Lapin Agile, could make no sense at all of the Spaniard's pronouncements on modern art: 'And I was starting to ask myself if, in spite of his astonishing powers of persuasion, Picasso was not getting more pleasure from mystifying us than he was from actually painting, when the notorious "Woman in a Hat" [by Matisse] taught me more in an instant than all his [Picasso's] paradoxes.... there emanated from this singular work ... such an evidently conscious fixity of purpose that, after an interval of more than thirty years, I still have not forgotten it.'"

Spurling continues, "Certainly, the regulars at the Lapin Agile, like Francis Carco, were powerfully impressed. Picasso (who had not yet met Matisse) felt he had been decisively outflanked."

Well, Steve Martin knows his art history and was aware of Picasso's local cafe, the Lapin Agile. It seems that in 1904 Matisse, who was 35 and married, while Picasso was 24 and single, was more experimental and more of a leader of art movements than Picasso.

I find the interplay between Matisse and Picasso fascinating. You can view some of my 3-D paintings at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Renoir at the Corcoran

2008-08-06T14:04:00.000-04:00

The Corcoran Gallery has a beautiful painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir titled "View From Cap Martin Of Monte Carlo" painted in 1884 which artist Jay Rolfe saw on a recent visit. It wasn't part of the "American Evolution" exhibit for obvious reasons. Renoir is one of Rolfe's favorite artists.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Aelbert Cuyp at the Corcoran

2008-08-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this Aelbert Cuyp painting at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington and was reminded that he is the Dutch painter of cows. At the time, cows symbolized the Dutch prosperity, and Cuyp was good at depicting them. Rolfe has seen many Cuyp cow paintings in European museums.

The photo of the day is Aelbert Cuyp's 1650 painting "Landscape With Herdsmen."

Edgar Degas "School of Dance" at the Corcoran

2008-08-04T13:15:00.000-04:00

Another painting artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery was by Edgar Degas in 1873 titled "School of Dance." Degas painted many ballet scenes, many in class situations. The ballet scenes are perhaps his most popular paintings. This one is full of action and tutus.

John Singer Sargent at the Corcoran

2008-08-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

John Singer Sargent's portrait "Marie Buloz Pailleron (Madame Edouard Pailleron)" set in the outdoors was unusual for 1879. This is one of the paintings artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery in the "American Evolution" exhibit. The outdoor setting and the light around the figure seem somewhat radical for the time. Compare this painting with Sargent's more formal portrait "Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White (Mrs. Henry White)" painted in 1883 which is featured in the post of July 30, 2008 on this blog.

Cy Twombly at the Corcoran

2008-07-31T14:53:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this Cy Twombly painting at the Corcoran's exhibit "American Evolution." By the time this was painted in 1968, Twombly had been living permanently in Rome, Italy for a number of years. This painting, "Synopsis of a Battle," is typical of many famous Twombly paintings. It is painted like a blackboard and then drawn or written on with paint, crayon, or pencil as if it were chalk. What's the point? Who knows. But they sell for a lot of money.

Gene Davis "Black Popcorn"

2008-07-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

Gene Davis was a Washington DC painter who died in 1985 and was known for his colorful striped paintings. This example was at the recent "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery. Davis painted "Black Popcorn" in 1965. The Phillips Collection, also in Washington DC, has a number of colorful Davis striped canvases.

Kenneth Nolan at "American Evolution"

2008-07-29T14:38:00.000-04:00

At the Corcoran Gallery's "American Evolution" exhibit, artist Jay Rolfe saw Kenneth Nolan's "Brown Stretched" painted in 1966. It's a large diamond shaped canvas with 4 color bands on it. It is a so-called non-objective painting, which means that it doesn't mean anything, it's just there and you can think what you want. Rolfe likes the shape. The pattern and colors don't excite him.

Kenneth Nolan's "Brown Stretched" is the photo of the day.

Cecilia Beaux

2008-07-28T10:11:00.000-04:00

Cecilia Beaux was a Philadelphia artist who painted marvelous portraits. Artist Jay Rolfe has seen many in museums, especially the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This one was in the "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery. It was painted in 1921 and is titled "Sita and Sarita." The cat and the sitter's playful hand add life to Beaux' technical mastery.

Chairman "Mao" at the Corcoran

2008-07-25T11:43:00.000-04:00

This is the last weekend for this exhibit "American Evolution" at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, "Mao" by Andy Warhol is the second image, along with Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington" to greet the visitor at the entrance to the "American Evolution" exhibit which artist Jay Rolfe recently viewed at the Corcoran Gallery. Here is the Corcoran Gallery's image of that painting. It makes for a very interesting juxtaposition with "George Washington." "Mao" is much more colorful, larger, and depicts a world leader from another country and culture rather than from our country.

Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington"

2008-07-24T16:28:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe learned that Gilbert Stuart's Anthenaeum portrait of George Washington, the one you always see, was so popular that many people wanted to buy a copy. So Gilbert Stuart made a number of what he called "plurality" paintings, his copies which were almost identical. Many museums have one, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Corcoran Gallery has two.

In the "American Evolution" exhibit, the older George Washington portrait, painted in 1796-1803 was juxtaposed with Andy Warhol's painting of "Mao" who was the leader of the most populous country in the world. They were right next to each other as the introductory paintings to the whole exhibit. You can see what they looked like next to each other by scrolling back to the post on this blog for July 19, 2008.

Today's photo of the day is the 1803 "plurality" version of Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington." It was painted 170 years before Andy Warhol's "Mao."

John Singer Sargent

2008-07-23T10:34:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe saw a beautiful, and very large, in fact life-size, portrait by John Singer Sargent of "Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White (Mrs. Henry White)" painted in 1883 at the "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. It is today's photo of the day.

The exhibit closes after this Sunday July 27, 2008, so if you are interested in the exhibit, this is the last few days.

Ellsworth Kelly "Yellow With Red Triangle"

2008-07-22T11:31:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe viewed Ellsworth Kelly's "Yellow With Red Triangle" at the Corcoran Gallery recently. It was painted in 1973. This photo, from the Corcoran's website, has the red a little too orange. It was definitely an orange red, but there was more red in it than shows in the Corcoran's image. Jay Rolfe's photo taken in the gallery which had a yellow-beige wall, shows a little more of the red.

Richard Diebenkorn "Ocean Park #83"

2008-07-21T13:56:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe saw several of Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series of over 140 paintings while in Washington DC. This example, at the Corcoran Gallery, is "Ocean Park #83" painted in 1975. The first image is from the Corcoran's website. The second image is a photo Rolfe took. He thinks this painting looks better framed and on a wall with the floor visible.

Helen Frankenthaler "Hurricane Flag"

2008-07-18T15:08:00.001-04:00

Helen Frankenthaler is an influential artist who worked in NYC and then moved to Bucks County PA. The work she's most known for is huge and in on unprimed canvas, and the paint kind of bleeds into the fabric and spreads at the edge of the color.

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this example at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. It was painted in 1969 and is called "Hurricane Flag." Who know what that means. This image comes from the Corcoran's website and fails to show the color of the canvas, probably because it was lighted too strongly for the photo. Therefore, Rolfe is also posting his photo of the same painting so you can see the color of the canvas. Also, the colors appeared in person to be dark green and brown with a pink tint, not black and pink.

If you have a chance this weekend to go to DC, this exhibit goes through Sunday July 27, 2008 at the Corcoran.

Rothko "Mulberry And Brown"

2008-07-17T12:07:00.000-04:00

Mark Rothko's "Mulberry And Brown" from 1958 at the Corcoran Gallery seen recently by artist Jay Rolfe is rather dark and the colors are dull. Jay Rolfe prefers the brighter colors of Rothko's four paintings at the Phillips Collection which appeared in this blog on April 27, 28, 29, and 30, 2008. You may scroll down to compare the paintings for yourself.

The photo of the day is of Mark Rothko's "Mulberry And Brown."

de Kooning at the Corcoran

2008-07-16T11:22:00.000-04:00

Willem de Kooning was an influential modern painter in NYC. At the Corcoran Gallery exhibit "American Evolution" visited by artist Jay Rolfe, de Kooning is represented by "Untitled IV" painted in 1979.

The "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. continues through July 27, 2008. Artist Jay Rolfe believes it is worth a visit.

Hans Hofmann "Golden Blaze"

2008-07-15T13:47:00.000-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe saw a number of modern paintings at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC in the American Evolution exhibit. Among the striking paintings was Hans Hofmann's 1958 painting "Golden Blaze." Rolfe liked the strong colors.

Albert Bierstadt "The Last of the Buffalo"

2008-07-14T11:55:00.000-04:00

Another Albert Bierstadt painting impressed artist Jay Rolfe at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. "The Last of the Buffalo" was painted in 1888 and commemorates, well, what its title says. This image, from the Corcoran's website, is the photo of the day.

Albert Bierstadt "Mount Corcoran"

2008-07-11T10:17:00.000-04:00

Albert Bierdstat painted this majestic painting "Mount Corcoran" in 1876-1877, that artist Jay Rolfe saw on a recent visit to the "American Evolution" exhibit. Bierstadt was apparently engaging in some friendly competition over majestic American landscapes with his friend Church who painted "Niagara" some years before. Bierstadt named the painting and the mountain for his hoped-for purchaser of the painting, Corcoran, even going so far as to have a government map altered to show an unnamed mountain as Mount Corcoran. His scheme was found out before the painting was purchased, but Corcoran purchased it nevertheless.

"Mount Corcoran" by Albert Bierstadt is the photo of the day. The exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery runs until July 27, 2008, so there is still time to visit.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. Jay Rolfe creates paintings and sculptures that uplift the spirit and nourish the soul. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Joan Mitchell "Salut Tom"

2008-07-10T11:17:00.000-04:00

The largest painting artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC is by Joan Mitchell and titled "Salut Tom" painted in 1979 in Vetheuil, France where she was living at the time. It's a huge 4 panel painting with the panels joined together, although the 4 panels don't match at the edges. The colors and design do evoke similar feelings. The bright colors are appealing. Mitchell passed away in 1992.

"Salut Tom" owned and exhibited by the Corcoran Gallery is the photo of the day today. The painting was so large that 3 images taken from the middle of the opposite wall had to be joined together to create this photo which, as a result, has a fish-eye look.

"Niagara"

2008-07-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

Perhaps the most impressive painting artist Jay Rolfe viewed in the Corcoran Gallery's exhibition on The American Evolution: A History Through Art, was "Niagara" by Frederic Edwin Church, painted in 1857. It's a very large painting, and it really captures the majesty and power of Niagara Falls as seen from the edge on the Canadian side. Even today the falls look very much like the painting. Shortly after it's completion, "Niagara" became famous and toured the country. Over 100,000 people paid 25 cents (in the late 1850's) to see it. "Niagara" is the photo of the day.

Corcoran Gallery "American Evolution" Exhibit

2008-07-08T14:07:00.001-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe recently attended the exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC titled The American Evolution: A History Through Art. The exhibit runs through July 27, 2008. It's a diverse group of paintings, spanning several centuries and many, many styles.

Perhaps the diversity of the exhibit is best symbolized by the paintings on a wall a short distance in front of one's face as one enters the first gallery. You are bound to recognize both paintings, Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington" from 1796-1803 and Andy Warhol's "Mao" from 1973. By the way, the Gilbert Stuart "George Washington" is one of two in the exhibit, the 1803 version being one of the "plurality" of the Athenaeum portrait that he painted.

Hanging A Huge Painting

2008-07-03T17:27:00.003-04:00

Even the huge paintings have to have the hardware to hang on the wall. Here artist Jay Rolfe is installing the hanging hardware on the back of a large (8 feet high) Pop Art 3-D painting.

Painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe"

2008-07-01T15:50:00.004-04:00

Pop Art 3-D painter Jay Rolfe is shown here painting his 4 feet high version of his Pop Art 3-D painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe." Princess Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan (head chief of over 30 tribes), married John Rolfe on April 5, 1614, thus insuring a period of peace from Indian attacks for the Virginia settlers. John Rolfe secured permission from his Governor and from Chief Powhatan for his marriage to Pocahontas, and it took place in the Jamestown, Virginia church.

Painting Pop Art 3-D "Euro Tan"

2008-06-30T16:33:00.004-04:00

Today artist Jay Rolfe finished painting his new Pop Art 3-D painting "Euro Tan." The photo of the day shows Jay Rolfe putting the finishing touches on his Pop Art 3-D painting "Euro Tan."

"Adam and Eve"

2008-06-28T15:48:00.004-04:00

Yes, artist Jay Rolfe paints on Saturday and Sunday. He really enjoys creating his Pop Art 3-D paintings, so, time permitting, he does it every day of the week. Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe working on a painting called "Adam and Eve" today.

Body Parts for "Tan Lines"

2008-06-27T17:39:00.004-04:00

Where to put the body parts in Jay Rolfe's 3-D Pop Art painting "Tan Lines." That's the challenge Jay Rolfe is working on in this photo of the day. Here the artist is measuring for proper placement of the body parts that will provide lots of 3-D for this Pop Art 3-D painting.

New Pop Art 3-D Painting "Tan Lines"

2008-06-26T16:21:00.003-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe started a new Pop Art 3-D painting today, "Tan Lines." The photo of the day is Jay Rolfe painting it.

Drudge report

2008-06-25T17:22:00.004-04:00

Today's photo depicts some of the drudge work of an artist, making the paintings so the collector can hang them. Here is a photo of artist Jay Rolfe attaching hanger rings to the back of a canvas so he can attach a picture wire. Rolfe has found it "safer" to attach the hanging rings and wire before painting, as there is less chance of damaging the finished painting than when attaching them after completing the painting.

This is just a glimpse of the myriad things that need to be done besides putting paint on the canvas. With Jay Rolfe's large Pop Art 3-D paintings, he must create a 3-D framework on which to stretch the canvas. That takes a lot of time and energy. Fortunately, with the 3 feet high paintings he is working on today, he can use pre-stretched canvas.

"Cosmos (Milky Way)" by Jay Rolfe

2008-06-24T16:32:00.005-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe completed several paintings today. Today's photo is of one of them. It's called "Cosmos (Milky Way)" and is 24" x 24" x 1 1/2" deep.

Jay Rolfe loves depicting the infinite, and especially in deep rich colors like the night sky.

Contemporary Painting

2008-06-23T16:47:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday! Jay Rolfe was working yesterday and today on the paintings he started on Friday. Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe working on those paintings yesterday.

Perhaps you can see Rolfe's red forehead from a little too much sun on Saturday. He forgot to wear his hat when he was out for a few hours at midday.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.jayrolfe.com/.

New Pop Art 3-D Paintings

2008-06-20T17:47:00.003-04:00

It's been a long day for artist Jay Rolfe who started some new paintings today. It's Friday, so celebrate the weekend!

Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe with the new canvases.

"Cosmos 8"

2008-06-19T15:39:00.006-04:00

"Cosmos 8" by Jay Rolfe was completed yesterday. Here's a photo of it. It's a small (18" x 24" x 1.5") painting of the Cosmos. Some of the creative process was described in yesterday's post.

"Cosmos 8"

2008-06-18T13:47:00.006-04:00

Jay Rolfe completed a new painting this morning, "Cosmos 8." It is small for Rolfe's paintings, 18" x 24" x 1.5". Today's photo is of him painting the stars on it.

Artists could call the process of painting the stars on this painting "process" art. That is, the artist removes himself (!) from the decisions of where to place the stars and lets the Universal force decide where his hand goes. It is true that Jay Rolfe didn't have a preconceived notion of where to put the stars, but let the feeling come over him. Does that make his paintings more valuable since the Universal force helped paint his painting of the universe, "Cosmos 8"? Would you pay more knowing this?

"Far Corner of the Universe"

2008-06-17T14:01:00.003-04:00

Jay Rolfe's new Pop Art 3-D painting "Far Corner of the Universe" is unusual. It is designed to hang in a corner, and so it may appear as a far corner of the universe. It is 16" high by 13.5" wide and has 13.5" of depth. For more information, see the large photo on Jay Rolfe's website linked below.

"Before the Fall" (Adam and Eve)

2008-06-16T17:23:00.002-04:00

One of the four 3-D Pop Art paintings Jay Rolfe completed last week is this one, "Before the Fall." This is a 3 feet high version of his Adam and Eve series of 3-D Pop Art nudes.

Rolling Sculpture

2008-06-14T13:34:00.005-04:00

This morning there was a lot of variety at cars and coffee. Three Ferraris, 2 Maseratis, a brace of Porsches, a Lotus, a Viper, a Corvette, and some others.

A young officer of the local constabulary stopped by with his undercover police Dodge Charger with a Hemi and chatted. He loves the car. At first glance one wouldn't know it was a cop car, but if you look at the police-only issue wheels, you know. Today's photos are of the variety of cars and the undercover police cruiser.

"My Little Corner of the World" by Jay Rolfe

2008-06-13T15:22:00.004-04:00

"My Little Corner of the World" is Jay Rolfe's newest painting, completed yesterday. It is small, 6" high by 7 1/2 inches wide by 7 1/2 inches deep. And it's clearly a landscape. This, and my other corner paintings, are designed to fill a gap. Lots of walls have something in the center, but nothing near the corner. In fact, people sometimes think of the corner as dark or dirty. Isn't it cool to put something awesome in the corner and watch people see the corner differently?

Small "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered"

2008-06-12T16:37:00.004-04:00

Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe's small size (for him) 3-D Pop Art painting titled "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered." It is 3 feet tall, and the first to be completed of the four he is working on in different sizes. He finished the painting on Tuesday, took photos yesterday and intended to post one yesterday, but they turned out to be blurred - always use the tripod! Another set of photos today taken using the tripod did work out, and here's one of the photos.

Many people have heard of Princess Pocahontas and the false story of her saving the life of Captain John Smith when she was age 12 or less in 1607.

The really romantic and interesting story is that in 1614 Princess Pocahontas was captured by the Virginia colonists, held hostage near Jamestown, converted to Christianity and given the Christian name of Rebecca, and fell in love with the gentleman farmer who helped the minister teach her Christianity, and married the gentleman farmer, John Rolfe, with both the permission of her father, Chief or Emperor Powhatan, and the Governor of the Virginia colony. Two years later, Princess Pocahontas visited England with her husband John Rolfe and their son Thomas Rolfe. Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe were received by the King and Queen of England.

Painting Very Large "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered"

2008-06-11T16:56:00.003-04:00

The photo of the day is artist Jay Rolfe painting his very large, 8 feet high, Pop Art 3-D painting on shaped stretched canvas of "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered."

Small "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe"

2008-06-10T12:25:00.003-04:00

Jay Rolfe is creating a small Pop Art 3-D painting of "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe." This one is only 3 feet tall, so it will fit in any room. Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe painting this small version of "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe" this morning.

Painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe"

2008-06-09T17:01:00.003-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe is painting his new Pop Art 3-D painting on shaped stretched canvas titled "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe." This version is 8 feet tall. As you may know, Princess Pocahontas married John Rolfe shortly after she was baptized as a Christian, an important step for her to be acceptable as a bride for the gentleman colonist John Rolfe, on April 5, 1614.

Jay Rolfe also just completed a new website for his very accomplished and very talented wife Randy Rolfe. You can see it at www.randyrolfe.com/.

Lots of Rolling Sculpture

2008-06-07T16:21:00.004-04:00

It's so hard to choose which beautiful piece of sculpture to feature in this blog on Saturday. Jay Rolfe saw so many beautiful examples of Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus, and other makes this morning at cars and coffee. Today we'll show a classic beauty, a 2001 red Ferrari 550 Maranello. What great lines!

Maybe next week we can feature the red Ferrari BB512i, a red Ferrari 308, a "smiling" yellow Lotus Elise, a blue Porsche GT3 which was just acquired this week, a black Porsche Turbo S cabriolet, or a black Porsche Turbo coupe. They're all beautiful rolling sculpture which we haven't featured yet.

Cutting Wood Pieces for Pop Art 3-D Paintings

2008-06-06T14:30:00.004-04:00

Jay Rolfe often cuts wood pieces for the framework of his Pop Art 3-D paintings. Here Rolfe is cutting pieces this afternoon for several Pop Art 3-D paintings he is creating.

Ready to Paint

2008-06-05T18:14:00.004-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe is ready to paint on his new painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe," a Pop Art 3-D painting on shaped stretched canvas. The 8 feet high 3-D canvas is ready to go. That's the photo of the day.

Where's the Beef?

2008-06-04T13:18:00.005-04:00

Well, the big slab of ham is front and center and very prominent in Paul Gauguin's painting from 1889 "Still Life With Ham" which artist Jay Rolfe saw on a recent visit to the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. The yellow walls reflecting on the painting make it look yellower than it actually is.

Artist with "Cosmos 7"

2008-06-03T15:08:00.004-04:00

Today artist Jay Rolfe took photos of many recent paintings. Today's photo shows him with his 18" x 24" painting "Cosmos 7." Rolfe enjoys creating paintings of the infinite cosmos, the night sky to most of us. He's particularly fond of the color of the cosmos paintings, although the camera doesn't quite capture it accurately.

"Falling In Love"

2008-06-02T10:49:00.003-04:00

Jay Rolfe's painting on a shaped wood panel of "Falling In Love" is a humorous look at the lust of falling in love. It's the photo of the day.

"Black Hole"

2008-06-01T17:54:00.004-04:00

"Black Hole" is by Jay Rolfe. It is 30 inches round painted in acrylic on a wood panel. It's the photo of the day.

Artist Jay Rolfe is fascinated by the night sky, the cosmos, the universe. He has created several paintings on these subjects.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Fast Sculpture

2008-05-31T13:41:00.004-04:00

This morning artist Jay Rolfe attended the weekly edition of Cars and Coffee at Dilworthtown. Great cars, predominately Ferraris and Porsches. The photo of the day is of a very unusual Porsche, a Turbo in purple. It may not be the only purple Turbo in existence, but it is the only purple Turbo with a matching purple leather interior, including steering wheel, dash, seats, door trim, rear deck, and headliner. Wow! Purple, purple, purple. It's one of a kind.

Clyfford Still at the Phillips Collection

2008-05-30T14:08:00.004-04:00

Clyfford Still often does huge paintings in big patches of black and color with a jagged edge between them. Artist Jay Rolfe saw this one at the Phillips Collection in Washington DC recently. It is titled "1950 B" and, guess what, was painted in 1950. Sorry for the glare reflecting off the surface. The photo of the day is Clyfford Still's "1950 B."

Delacroix "Tiger and Snake"

2008-05-29T18:05:00.000-04:00

This charming small painting by Eugene Delacroix was seen by artist Jay Rolfe at the Corcoran Gallery although it was not part of the "American Evolution" exhibit currently on view. It was painted in 1862, the year before Delacroix' death. The way Delacroix used color and light and the way he painted the background landscape seems to foreshadow the Impressionists.

"Cash Is King"

2008-05-28T14:41:00.004-04:00

Here is artist Jay Rolfe's latest masterpiece, "Cash Is King." This Pop Art 3-D shaped stretched canvas (3DSSC) painting is 8 feet high, nearly 4.5 feet wide, and nearly 9 inches deep. The huge dollar sign may resonate deeply with your emotions, maybe even your hidden emotions. Does it? In any event, it's very impressive to see in person because of its huge size, familiar subject, bright color, and imposing depth. Wouldn't you love to have it in your home or office?

The photo of the day is Jay Rolfe's 8 feet high "Cash Is King" Pop Art 3-D painting on shaped stretched canvas.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D shaped stretched canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

"Cash Is King" During Assembly

2008-05-27T16:22:00.003-04:00

Until artist Jay Rolfe has a photo of his finished "Cash Is King" painting, we'll post another view of Rolfe assembling the 8 feet high 3-D shaped stretched canvas painting. It is today's photo of the day.

Rolling Sculpture - Cars and Coffee

2008-05-24T15:26:00.004-04:00

Saturday morning means it's time for Cars and Coffee at the Dilworthtown Starbucks for artist Jay Rolfe. There were a lot of beautiful cars today. A beautiful red Ferrari 550 Maranello, a limited edition yellow Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, a black Ferrari 355 Spyder, a red Ferrari 308 GTB, and a red Ferrari 308 GTS. Also a beautiful red Porsche turbo, a striking purple Porsche turbo with an all purple interior, seats, dash, headliner, steering wheel, everything, a 911, and 3 Caymans, blue, gray, and silver. Caymans are a beautiful shape, and they looked good in these colors. There was also a Lotus Esprit, and one of the fastest cars there with over 500 horsepower, the V10 powered BMW M5 (sedan).

For photo of the day we are featuring the black Ferrari 355 Spyder, not because it was the most unusual, but because the owner recently acquired it and brought it for the first time. And it's beautiful.

You can see Jay Rolfe's 3-D shaped stretched canvas painting of a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder on his website listed at the end of this post.

Assemblying "Cash Is King" Painting

2008-05-23T16:58:00.003-04:00

Today artist Jay Rolfe assembled the 5 pieces of his new 3-D shaped stretched canvas (3DSSC) painting titled "Cash Is King." It's large, 8 feet high and 8.75 inches deep and more than 4 feet wide. Don't you love the gold color? Rolfe does. It's the photo of the day.

"Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe" 3-D Painting

2008-05-22T16:19:00.005-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe is shown here yesterday painting one of his new 3-D shaped stretched canvas paintings of "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe." As you may know from history, Princess Pocahontas married John Rolfe, not John Smith whom she met as a child, on April 5, 1614 in Jamestown, Virginia. They had one son, Thomas Rolfe, born January 30, 1615 (by coincidence, Jay Rolfe's date of birth is also January 30!). Jay Rolfe decided to create this painting after a visit to Jamestown, Virginia, this spring. Rolfe plans 3 "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe" paintings, 8 feet, 6 feet, and 4 feet high respectively.

"Cash Is King"

2008-05-21T10:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday artist Jay Rolfe painted several layers on his new 3-D shaped stretched canvas (3DSSC) painting "Cash Is King." It is 8 feet high and should be finished in a few days.

$10.9 Million Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder

2008-05-20T09:51:00.012-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe has created a 3-D shaped stretched canvas (3DSSC) painting of a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder in several sizes. The one pictured is 8 feet long. It is also available in 6 feet long and 4 feet long sizes.

Maranello, Italy, is home of the Ferrari factory which, incidentally, artist Jay Rolfe would love to tour. Such beautiful shapes! On Saturday May 17, 2008, in Maranello a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder sold at auction for the highest price ever paid for a vintage car at auction, nearly $10.9 million. It is powered by a V12 engine mounted in the front. This car was once owned by the actor James Coburn. Ferrari made 55 short wheelbase (SWB) California Spyders over a five year period from 1959-1963. They are one of the most beautiful road cars ever. Ferrari also made 51 long wheelbase California Spyders over a similar period and, although handsome, they are not considered as beautiful or desirable.

Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe's 3-D painting of a red Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder. Also included is a photo of the auction car which is black, a rare color on a Ferrari of that vintage.

More Stretching Canvas

2008-05-19T11:39:00.003-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe finished this round of stretching canvas yesterday. Here's a photo of being close to finishing up. Rolfe's working on the last of 5 parts to his new 8 feet high 3-D shaped stretched canvas (3DSSC) painting.

Jay Rolfe Stretching Canvas

2008-05-18T16:23:00.003-04:00

Artist Jay Rolfe is stretching canvas again. Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe stretching canvas yesterday for a new 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas (3DSSC) painting which will be about 8 feet high, 4 and one-half feet wide, and 9 inches deep. Stay tuned!

Rolling Sculpture

2008-05-17T10:20:00.007-04:00

This morning, and every Saturday morning at 8 am at Starbucks Dilworthtown, was Cars and Coffee time for artist Jay Rolfe. Something amazing happened, even for a gathering of exotic cars. Another rare Noble appeared. It's amazing because the total output for the world has been 219 cars. Two weeks ago a 2004 red Noble serial number 23 came to our gathering. This time, a 2007 white Noble serial number 189 came. It had a white wing and even white wheels. It was very good looking. And of course, it is fast. It's very lightweight with a mid-engine twin turbo V6. It also had a nice exhaust sound.

You may scroll back to the post on this blog for May 3, 2008 to see the red Noble. Between the red Noble and the white Noble, that's about one percent of the world production at Dilworthtown Cars and Coffee. Will other Noble owners come out and up the stats?

Starry Night

2008-05-16T11:26:00.003-04:00

Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe painting stars on his 2-D painting "Cosmos 7."

Jay Rolfe painting

2008-05-15T14:10:00.002-04:00

Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe painting earlier today. It's a new canvas in his 2-D Cosmos series.

"Love Forever"

2008-05-14T14:59:00.003-04:00

The photo of the day is of artist Jay Rolfe signing a small 2-D painting "Love Forever" earlier today. Jay Rolfe is creating some small paintings which are variations of his large 3DSSC paintings for those collectors who can't fit a large 3DSSC painting into their home or office.

"Dancers At The Barre" by Edgar Degas

2008-05-13T12:03:00.004-04:00

Edgar Degas often painted ballet subjects. Artist Jay Rolfe saw a particularly nice one at the Phillips Collection recently, "Dancers At The Barre" painted in 1900. It's today's photo of the day.