Daily Artist - Sergio Aragonés

Sergio Aragonés; Cartoonist, Artist, Mustache’r

Sergio is my favorite “comic” style artist.  His work, which spans decades, has always entertained and amused me.  Aragonés is probably most famous for his work on Mad Magazine (from 1962 to today), drawing just about everything you can imagine.  My particular favorite drawings that he does are the “marginals” (small, textless comics that are drawn in the margin of the pages).  These little treasures are little visual jokes, that while simple in meaning are expertly drawn.  Aragonés has been called “The world’s fastest cartoonist” and I believe that’s a title he quite enjoys.  I was honored recently to meet him and I asked him to sign a few books and while talking to me, he completed two cartoons in about 30 seconds.  I’m not even sure if he looked at the paper!  It’s estimated that he has completed over 15,000 cartoons – just for Mad Magazine.  He has also made contributions to many other fields, including: comic books, TV, and movies.

One of the other reasons that I enjoy his work so much is that his personality is really portrayed in his work.  Many of the characters are smiling and enjoying life to the fullest (even if they are in “tricky” situations).  Aragonés appreciation of life and enjoyment of everything that is brings highly motivating and encouraging.  I think this quote is a perfect representation of Aragonés’s mindset and positive attitude:  “I’m thinking and laughing all day long. Every time I think of a joke, I’m also telling myself a new joke. It’s a great way to live.”

If you get the chance, just flip through a Mad Magazine (old or new) and just scan the margins for his little masterpieces – I’m sure you’ll find a little joke (and laugh) waiting for you!  He’s also got one of the greatest mustaches of all time.

Photo by Matt Barton

Wikipedia
Sergio Aragonés Homepage

Artist of the Day - Day 21 - Hanna-Barbera

“Hanna-Barbera”; Master Cartoonists, Keepers of the Picnic Basket.

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera were without a doubt, two of the most influential cartoonists in the history of animation.  Basically, if you watched a cartoon from 1960s-1990s, it was most likely created by this duo.  It would take a mighty list to go over all the cartoons they have created, but my top five are: (in no particular order) Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Snorks and The Jetsons. 

With all of today’s CGI and computer-assisted cartoons, it’s difficult to remember that there was a time when these 30-min adventures were all hand-drawn by people who loved their craft.  It’s also hard to imagine two people who provided me so much entertainment after school while I was growing up (and so many great memories, 25 years later).

Wikipedia
Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Database

Artist of the Day - Day 20 - Stephan Pastis

Stephan Pastis; Artist, Lawyer, Rat Lover

For today’s artist, I’m picking a cartoonist, Mr. Stephan Pastis.   Some folks don’t believe that cartoonist are “real” artist and they are just doodling.  While that might be true, even DaVinci doodled (course, his doodles are worth a zillion bucks).  The reason that I’m featuring Mr. Pastis is because of two reasons, firstly sometimes art really is just a scribble or doodle.  If doodling and the like is the method you want to use to express yourself, go for it!  Don’t feel you need to paint a giant 40’ church to be an ‘artist’.  Secondly, I love comics (aka: “the funnies”).  I remember growing up and reading some of the greats: Bloom County, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Far Side.   There was that great anticipation of reading the dailies and just getting to that one (or, if I was lucky, two) comics that just made me laugh-out-loud.  It was that perfect “bite” of humor that would help me get through a bad day or be the cherry on top of a perfect day. 

Mr. Pastis, creator of Pearls Before Swine, has created one of those types of comics.  Sometimes I’ll read one and it will just be so funny I can’t stop laughing and all day I’ll have a silly grin on my face.  I’ll cut such a gem and decorate my walls or door with it, so as to share that little rectangle of art to others. 

I recommend you read Pearls (and all the other comics on the ‘funny page’ as well), because let’s be honest, we could all use a little rectangle of art that makes us laugh in our lives. 

 

Wikipedia
Stephan Pastis Blog

Artist of the Day - Day 19 - Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein; Poet, Writer, and Exactlywatt.

Growing up, there were two key writers that had a great influence on motivating me to read, Dr. Seuss and She Silverstein.  As a “youngin’”, I (with some parental help) read Seuss over and over again, building the drive and desire to read more.  Once I got a bit older and was able to tackle books by myself, I migrated to Silverstein.  Silverstein’s stories and poems were great fun to read.  He was a master of using language in such a way that his writings didn’t feel “dumbed down” for kids but were still fun to read, for the imagery and worlds they created.  At the same time the stories had elements that might be missed by younger readers that really engaged the adults (he had stories about children disobeying parents, death, etc.)  I would have a hard time finding someone who has read “The Giving Tree” not get emotional while reading it.  I also find it particular amusing, during the late 1950’s he was Playboy magazine’s top cartoonist.  Who knows where the roads we take will lead us… perhaps to the end of the sidewalk. 

Wikipedia
Shel Silverstein Homepage

Artist of the Day - Day 18 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir; Painter, Easily “Impressed”

Renoir was one of the leading French impressionist painters during the 19th century, and his delicate touches to many of his paintings put him on par with many other masters of that period (such as Manet, Degas, and Monet).  He created these wonderful paintings, that if done today as photography we would call them “snapshots”; in essence a ‘normal’ moment in life (such as a dance, kids posing on a balcony, a couple going to the theater, etc.), but captured in such a manner to really show their humanity and create a strong connection with the viewer.  He used delicate, soft tones to blend the subjects together and make a “dream-like” impression with many of his works.  He even took his work outside of the studio and worked outdoors (which was tricky back then, because the environment could change dramatically from when the painting was started to when it was finished – compared to the controlled environment of a studio). 

One of the aspects of Renoir that I enjoy so much is the personal feel of the subjects he paints.  While he does many posed shots, the subjects look so at easy and relaxed.  As a photographer, that is the “zone” that we are always trying to get when taking picture of people, where they are so comfortable that they forget that the camera (or painter, in Renoir’s case) is even there. 

Wikipedia
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Biography

Artist of the Day - Day 17 - Katsushika Hokusai

Katsushika Hokusai; Painter and International Blocker

Hokusai was one of Japan’s greatest woodblock printers during the Edo period (1603-1868).  He created a series of woodblock prints (Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) that influenced other artist around the world, including van Gogh, Monet, and Degas, just to name a few.  Unlike other types of block printing (ex: Albrecht Dürer), Japanese woodblock printing (called ukiyo-e), was done more like today’s silkscreening.  Multiple blocks, each inked with a different color are used to “stack” the different colors on top of each other to create a final print.  In today’s world, we can just create layers on software like Photoshop or acetate (clear plastic paper) and if one layer isn’t perfect, no biggie – we just throw it away.  But these were all hand carved blocks, approximately 10-12 square inches, with intricate details.  It was a slow and intense process, but in the end, once the blocks were done many copies of each work could be created, allowing for more of the general public to have access to art. 

Wikipedia
Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji

Artist of the Day - Day 16 - Bob Ross

Bob Ross; Happy little painter. 

Bob Ross was happy.  His trees were happy.  His mountains were happy.  His ponds were happy.  His squirrels were frickin’ ecstatic!  I loved watching Bob Ross, because there could have been a nuclear war going on and he would have said: “Now, you want your mushroom cloud to just flow from the brush.  Just push that radiation out those bristles.  Now you’ve got a happy cloud.  Next we are going to make some happy fallout.” 

In 30 minutes Bob could paint you a masterpiece, convince you that YOU could paint it too, and still have time to remind you how happy he and everything else in the entire universe was.  All kidding aside, he really was a great artist and person.  I say he was great, not so much for his work specifically, but because he motivated so many people to just get out there and try painting (or any other art).  He was also a great humanitarian, he did not charge the PBS network one cent for any of his shows (he made his zillions on the videotapes and art supplies) and he also donated each painting he did on TV to a PBS station so they could sell it and raise funds.  Even today, if I see Joy of Painting on the TV Guide, I’ll flip over to it to see some happy trees. 

And remember: “We don't have mistakes here, we just have happy accidents, sniffing paint thinner.”  (slightly modified quote from Bob Ross).

 

Wikipedia
Bob Ross.com

Artist of the Day - Day 15 - Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe; Writer, Poet, Raven

Poe is, without a doubt, my favorite American author (followed closely by Mark Twain).  I have been enjoying his works since I was 8 or 9, and still to this day I get a certain joy out of reading him.  He was the first real “mystery and macabre” author – influencing folks like H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Clive Barker.  He also invented the “detective” genre, and as a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I have yet another reason to love Poe.  The irony is, he really wasn’t that dark of a man (although many people from the time period tried to make it seem like he was).  Along with the mystery and detective stories, he also wrote about science fiction, mathematics (mostly focused on cryptography), humor, and political satire.  Most of his works are short stories or poems, so if you have a few spare moments, take a look at one (or more), I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  Unless you’re a Raven… in which case… “AHHH!!!!”

 
Wikipedia
Works of Edgar Allan Poe at Project Gutenberg

Artist of the Day - Day 14 - Man Ray

Man Ray; Toaster whistles gray boards of light. 

Man Ray.  I almost just want to type a paragraph of just crazy words and I think that might do for a good description of Man Ray (and I bet he would enjoy it).  Man Ray was the father of (or at least Uncle) of modern surrealism.  He used photography (as well as just about any other medium) to create works that were, to put it kindly, created using more dimensions than we can see. 

For me personally, I really like Man Ray’s work, because he really embraced (and in effect, showed me and countless others) that there is no such thing as a “mistake” when creating art.  He used photography and its technology in such a way, that when first perceived it might be seen as a mistake or “wrong”.  He would over develop photos, place objects on the photo paper to alter the image and countless other things that showed art is so much more than just a “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3” process.  It’s more dynamic and random than we can ever know. 

 
Wikipedia
Works by Man Ray

Artist of the Day - Day 13 - Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keeffe; Painter and Serious Hard Core Doodler

Georgia O’Keefe was one of the great American artist from the early 20th century.  She helped create and promote American style of painting (in particular, that of the Southwest Native Americans and their culture) both in the US and in Europe.  She used bold colors and highly defined forms to give her pictures an abstract, yet still have a unique feel and look to them (later to be recognized as American abstract).

Wikipedia
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Artist of the Day - Day 12 - Alfred Stieglitz

Alfred Stieglitz; Godfather of Modern Photography

It is tricky sometimes to isolate a single person (or group of people) who start a major chain reaction that changes the world.  Stieglitz is one of those people and photography as an art form was his contribution to society as a whole.  Stieglitz (1864-1946) spent over 50 years introducing countless people to the art-form known as Photography.  He wasn’t necessary the best photographer of his time, but it was more his total and complete dedication to the art form that made him so critical in photography’s success in America (and abroad).  He ran galleries, produced books and magazines, and so much more.  Whenever I see a Stieglitz, it always makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up – because I’m seeing a piece of art from a man who made this medium exist. 

Rather than try and think of more to say, I think I’ll just use a quote of his that really says a lot about who he was:   "I have always been a great believer in today. Most people live either in the past or in the future, so that they really never live at all. So many people are busy worrying about the future of art or society, they have no time to preserve what is. Utopia is in the moment. Not in some future time, some other place, but in the here and now, or else it is nowhere."

Wikipedia

Artist of the Day - Day 11 - Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer; German Ninja Engraver and Painter

Albrecht Dürer was one the first artist that I remember reading about when I first took an art appreciate class in college.  I remember him because unlike many of the other artist of his day, he specialized in engravings, both woodblock and metal etchings.  His works are so detailed and vast that at first when you see thing you think: “Wow, that’s a great painting!”  But, you have to remember, he created these images via small, intricate carvings on wood… Backwards! (Remember, all engravings had to be done in ‘reverse’ so when they were inked and the paper was applied the image would show correctly on the paper).  Not only did he carve/engrave all the details, but while he was doing it he knew that his work was only temporary (in its actual form – the prints that were created would last for a long time).  The blocks themselves were only good for so many prints (the metal engravings would last longer, but even they had a limited ‘life span’ worth of prints).  Months, perhaps even years, on a piece of art that you knew would exist for a little while.  Dürer was truly dedicated to his art and to being an artist. 

Wikipedia
Albrecht Dürer – His Complete Works

Artist of the Day - Day 10 - Jimmy Durante

Jimmy Durante; Musician, Actor, Comedian, Schnoz.

For today’s artist I’m choosing Jimmy Durante for two reasons; first, I really like Jimmy.  He was a start from one of the shortest “art movements” – the radio show.  The radio era only lasted about 30 years, from early 1920’s to 1950’s, when television took over as the major form of household entertainment.  Jimmy started as a radio personality and hosted many radio shows.  After making a name for himself, he transitioned into TV roles and continued to sing, dance and act.  He acted in many comedy shows, movies and recorded 5 albums in the 60’s (30 years after being on the radio!)  While some of his songs are a bit “dated”, they are a wonderful “slice” of that time period. 

The second reason I choose Jimmy, was because today (Jan 1st) was the birthday of someone who was very close to me and in remembrance I wanted to choose someone he would have enjoyed listening too.  I think he would have enjoyed watching an old episode of Jimmy Durante singing with Carmen Miranda and Frank Sinatra. 

And to paraphrase Jimmy:  "Good night, Mr. Allyn, wherever you are."

Wikipedia

Artist of the Day - Day 9 - Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens; Painter, Seventeenth-century ‘John Woo’

Peter Paul Rubens was a 17th century Baroque painter.  I’m a fan of Baroque art (“If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!” Har) but there are times that I get frustrated with it for its stylistic and repetitiveness (angels floating around, posed royals, and the like).  I’m not saying that I don’t like those types of painting, but it can get a little “boring” (for lack of a better word) viewing them.  Rubens certainly did many of these types of work as well, but he also had a way of painting that added tension and “action” into a lot of his works.   Paintings from many artists’ would just feel staged and regardless of the subject matter, I felt that the painter would just call “cut!” and the cherubs and angels would just take a break from posing until the painting was ready again.  It really didn’t feel as if the artist was an observer painting a scene from ‘outside’ while the action occurred. 

Rubens, as well as some other great masters, I think realized this and created works that really added a more dynamic element that makes the painting more of a frame from a movie clip; you felt there was action both before and after what the painting was showing.  It wasn’t just a static person or event.  One example (I’ve attached Ruben’s painting below) is The Last Supper.  Ruben’s version of The Last Supper really portrays this tension using lighting, facial expressions, and overall composition (very much like DiVinci’s Last Supper – undoubtedly the most famous version of The Last Supper). 

Wikipedia
Peter Paul Rubens - The Complete Works

Artist of the Day - Day 8 - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams; Photographer, Photographer (he was so good, he gets it twice) and Eco-nut before there were Eco-nuts

What to say about Ansel Adams that hasn’t already been said.  He is, unquestionably, America’s most famous photographer as well as one of forefathers of nature photography.  There are times that I love his work and times that I really dislike it (I won’t say ‘hate’, but that’s a bit extreme).  The works that I dislike aren’t due to any aesthetic elements nor subject matter, but it’s more of a “that shot is only ok – but since Adam’s took it people are going to think it was the greatest photo in the history of the universe!”.   Adams took great shots, everyone knows that, but at the same time he also took some mediocre (and dare I say ‘bad’) shots as well.  It is hard to really criticize his work because; either a) people will think that you are just jealous (which I sure as heck am!) or b) that you don’t really know what you are talking about. 

Adam’s photos and contributions to the photographic world will help influence many generations (if not longer) of future artist.  Adams has done so much more than just take pictures, he established many art/photography institutions, created some of the foundational rules that all photographers still use, and taught thousands of people how to create their own works (both as an actual teachers and via many of the photography books he wrote). 

 
Wikipedia

Artist of the Day - Day 7 - Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury; Author and Time Traveler

Ray Bradbury is one of my top 3 Sci-Fi writers (along with Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick), and I would say he’s close to being one of my favorite writers, regardless of genre.  I love that his “Sci-Fi” is subtle and not so over-the-top that it is easy to imagine it not so far-fetched, that you could easily see his visions coming true.  My particular book of choice of Mr. Bradbury is Fahrenheit 451.  If you haven’t read it, go right now!  I will say, the movie is pretty good, but you really should read the book.  Though the book was written in 1953, it is still poignant and relevant today.  In a nutshell: With the death of books and the written word, so dies independent thought and imagination.  I’d also recommend his short story collections, many of which have also been adapted to video (mostly 1 hour TV shows and miniseries).

Wikipedia
Official Site

Artist of the Day - Day 6 - David Bowie

David Bowie; Singer, Alien and Ruler of Muppet Goblins

David Bowie – now he’s an artist that’s tricky to classify.  First and foremost, he is a great singer and songwriter.  But, unlike so many other artist of the 1960’s, Bowie has continuously updated his music and has stayed “up-to-date” with the times.  He had great hits in the 60’s and 70’s (Ziggy Stardust, “Space Oddity”), in the 80’s, he changed his style and genre (slightly, from a techno-synth style to a more pop/rock style) giving us the quintessential David Bowie song, for me, ‘Under Pressure’ with Queen.  Now he’s considered a “veteran of rock”, but he still does tours and makes great music! 

And let us not forget, he’s also a great actor!  Labyrinth, The Hunger (both the movie and tv show), Yellowbeard, and of course, SpongeBob SquarePants. 

Wikipedia
Official Website

Artist of the Day - Day 5 - Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange; Photographer and Historian

Yesterday I chose to highlight one of my favorite photographers, Ed Weston, and today I thought I’d follow him up with one my other top-rated photographers, Dorothea Lange.  Dorothea Lange was one of the best photojournalist, and I believe her ability to show people in their truest form (not posing or hiding any emotions from the camera) was a key part in the foundation of true photojournalism. 

Her work during the Great Depression, in capturing what was really happening to people as they lost everything, is just amazing.  She captured the people she was photographing in such a way, that when viewed, you knew their pain and suffering was real and you connected with them.  She recorded one of the most emotional and tragic times during American history – the internment of Japanese citizens during World War II.  Without her work, that part of our history might have been lost. 

Many museums have her work included in their photography selections (she was quite prolific in her work), including locally: SF-MoMA, De Young, and the Oakland Museum of California (which has the largest Dorothea Lange collection – 6,000+ prints!)

Wikipedia
Oakland Museum of California
Library of Congress

Artist of the Day - Day 4 - Edward Weston

Edward Weston; Photogenius. 

As soon as I started to think about doing a “Artist of the Day” project, I thought: But who am I going to pick as my first photographer?  I have been influenced by many photographers over the years (and certainly many will pop-up throughout this list), but I think the one that impacted me the most was Edward Weston.  Weston comes from that “golden age” of photographers (1920-1950), with such greats as Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, and Dorothea Lange (just to name a few), where photography as an art medium really took hold. 

Weston was never afraid of any subject and shot just about anything (or anyone) he could.  I imagine if Weston was around today, he would truly embrace the Digital age of photography.  He took thousands of photos, many of which he never even developed (he had his children help in developing – go free labor!).  It’s also important to remember, when I say he took thousands of photos, we aren’t talking about a “35mm point-and-shoot” camera, but a large format 8x10 camera that sat on a huge tripod and took 40 hours just to set up! Well, ok, perhaps not 40, but it sure took longer than a digital!

As prolific as Weston was, it’s amazing to see how many great shots he got.  I know from personal experience, if I can get one good photo out of 100-200, I’m happy (not that I’m comparing myself to Weston in any way!), but to get that many great photos so consistently exemplifies the level of mastery that he had over the camera. 

I’m not going to pick one Weston photo and say it’s my favorite, because I honestly have so many that I love that I don’t want any to get mad at me!  I will say, if you ever get a chance to see them, do it!  Seeing them in person is so much better than via computer screen. 

Wikipedia
Cool Russian Site (with 160+ photos)
Official Site

Artist of the Day - Day 3 - Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash; Singer, Writer, Poet, Best Cowboy-Hat-Wear’er Ever.

Now, for those of you who know me, I generally like just about every type of music there is… except country music.  I personally would have never thought I’d put a “country singer” on my artist list, but let’s get one thing straight: Johnny Cash wasn’t just a country singer, he sang from many genres, including blues, folk, rock, and of course country.  When he sang, country or otherwise, it was in such a way that it spoke right to the listener.  With his voice he could ‘drive home’ the songs like no one else could.

I decided to pick Johnny Cash because today I saw the video for “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” (search for it on YouTube, it’s quite good).  It is a song with ties to country, rock, gospel and blues.  When you hear it, it feels like he is talking directly to you.  Anyone who can create a work of art that has an impact like that deserves to on this list – country singer or not.

Wikipedia
Official Website