Thursday, March 3, 2011

Pop Art Shows: Inspiration

     About a week ago, I drove to Tufts University to see the award winning art show Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists, 1958-1968.  I haven't been so inspired to get back to painting in quite awhile. If you go, make sure you find time to sit to view the fabulous DVD which includes women artists of the 60's and the same people now. The show has just won "Best Thematic Show Nationally" from the United States section of the International Art Critics Association. I had to get the rich catalog:


     It was Pop Art that first got me interested in painting. Joe and I had driven from New Haven to New York City and happened on the soft sculpture pies and goodies of people like Claes Oldenburg and Jim Dine or was it Wayne Thiebaud. This was at a satellite museum in the Wall Street district, more than 40 years ago. Anyway, although I had always made posters and sometimes won contests, I had no interest in being an artist.  But now I realized art could have an intellectual and witty edge. I went back to New Haven and started painting pictures for our first apartment and asked for a show at the local library. When we moved to Dallas, I painted Dallas: All-American City, about 2 feet x 4 feet.
(click to enlarge)
 

5 comments:

  1. I think what I have always appreciated the very most about your art, Linda, IS how witty and intellectual it is! It demonstrates that you know art history, history/history, current events, etc. etc. I also love that it is so allusional and symbolic. I am so glad that you and Joe, years ago, saw the exhibit that turned you on to painting! It's amazing to me that you seemed to be so expert from the very beginning of your pursuit of paintins--expert technically. So you marry your expertise to your wit and intellectualism and thus are able to create the wonderful pieces you create!

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  2. Love Dallas--says lots! More later now we're off to see an opera at the Mucky Duck. http://www.mcgonigels.com/
    Think it too has pop art overtones. Let you know tomorrow and I'll check out those arts.

    Humor is certainly present in your work! Love it.

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  3. It's so neat to hear how your interest in painting came as an "ah-ha" when you saw the art in NYC those many years ago. How exciting! And, I love your "Dallas All American City" piece. That truly does describe Dallas. I always smile a lot when I'm there because it is a classically unique place to observe people and their surroundings.

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  4. Terrific blog, Linda. Alice expressed so well what you were able/are able to do with your art. I LOVE THE HISTORY OF YOUR PAINTING INSPIRATION. I was thinking that you should take the blogs dealing with artistic expression and write an article to be published. Dallas - so clever - as are you - ALWAYS.

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  5. What interesting comments about your great blog. I echo everyhing Alice said. Wish I could be so succinct and elequent. I could not believe your All American City Dollar. How big is it?

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