Art Stroll

Art Stroll: MoMA NYC

A couple weeks ago I went on an Art Stroll at MoMA – I love how there are always pieces exchanged in the permanent collection

James Ensor, Masks Confronting Death – 1988 – Oil on Canvas

I love the visual texture in this painting …yet the death masks are a bit disconcerting.

Pablo Picasso Woman Plaiting Her Hair – 1906

I love those three Picasso’s – it shows the development into cubism so well.

Pablo Picasso Bather 1908-09

Pablo Picasso Woman with Pears 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner Street, Berlin 1913

Kirchner’s colors are always make my heart swoon!

Henri Matisse The Blue Window 1913 

so beautiful !

Henri Matisse The Morrocans 195-16

Matisse developed this painting of what he described as “the terrace of the little cafe of the casbah” in the years following two visits to Morocco in 1912 and 1913.

Paul Klee, Mask of Fear, 1932 Oil on Burlap

Jackson Pollock, Echo 25 – 1951

Jackson Pollock Easter and the Totem 1953

After 1952 dripping and pouring paint were no longer the primary means of expression for Pollock. The bright colors and expansive spaces anchored by large swaths of black suggest the influence of Henri Matisse, who was the subject of a large retrospective that Pollock would have seen at MoMA the previous year.

Robert Gober, Intaglio Print 2001

The Long Run was an exhibition I found very interesting. Innovation in art is often characterized as a singular event- a bolt of lightning that strikes once and forever changes the course of what follows. But artists are continual experimenting  longer after their breakthrough moments. Invention results from sustained critical thinking, persistent observation and countless hours in the studio. The exhibition shows artworks from the later years of certain well known artists.

Philip Guston – Edge of Town – 1969

“When the 1960s came along I was feeling split, schizophrenic, the war that was happening in America, the brutality of the world. What kind of a man am I, sitting at home, reading magazines, going into a frustrated fury about everything – and then going into my studio to adjust a red to a blue.” In 1968 Gaston emphatically embraced figuration and his new paintings were scathing and satirical, often implicitly addressing current events.

Willem de Kooning, Untitled III 1982

I could not believe how different this painting by Kooning was from everything I knew from him.

Elizabeth Murray, Do the Dance 2005 – Oil on canvas on Wood

A very interesting part of this exhibition was how many women were included in this exhibition …it makes you wonder why there are not more artwork of the exact same artists from earlier years are included in the permanent collection ..hey MoMA …you could step your game up a bit and then it would make this exhibition round !

Ed Clark – Untitled 2009

Cy Twombly always makes me swoon

 

Cy Twombly – the four seasons – 1993 -1994

swoon

Roy Lichtenstein – Study for Interior with Mobile – 1992 –

I was really sure how this was really different from the former work of Lichtenstein.

Andy Warhol – The last Supper –

James Rosenquist – Lady Dog Lizard – 1985

 

Frank Stella, Giufa, la luna, i ladri e le guardie 1984 – synthetic polymer paint, oil, urethane, enamel, fluorescent alkyd and printing ink on canvas and etched magnesium, aluminum and fiberglass

I love how Stella how was so minimalistic and colorless in the past embraced color late in his life.

Geta Brătescu Medea’s Hypostases VI – 1980

Geta Brătescu Medea’s Hypostases III – 1980

Geta Brătescu Medea’s Hypostases II – 1980

Again a women that I do not know much about ..but I do love those fabric pieces.

Lee Bontecou Untitled 1980-98

It was a fun and inspiring visit – it reminded me that you always have to keep going, exploring and being curious.

Hope you enjoyed the Art Stroll :)

Nat

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Mother’s Day Photo Transfer Keepsake

A while ago I made some photo transfers on galvanized metal plates and Kim really liked the look and so she asked if I could show her how to do it so that she could make a cute gift for her Mom for Mother’s Day.

The fun part about doing a transfer on the metal is that you have the metallic sheen in the transfer but also the visual texture of the tin adding almost a painterly quality.

Gloss Gel, a brush, a galvanized tin and photo as well optional some stamps and a stamping pad are the supplies needed. Kim decided on a galvanized heart box for the transfer.

Something that is really important regarding the photo is that you need a high contrast laser print and that you will need to reverse the image before you have it printed out because the transfer will mirror your photo, words, buildings, people etc.

Cut the image to size – Kim cut along the edges of this photo -aren’t her sister, she and her Mom the cutest?

She made sure the photo would fit onto the heart shaped lid of a tin box.

Scoop some of the Liquitex Gloss Gel out of the jar. You can later put the unused gel back into the jar. The reason why I like to use glossy Gel Medium is that the glossier the medium, the more translucent the transfer will become.

Using a paddle brush to cover the tin (you can use any brush- but I prefer the paddle brush because it helps with an even distribution of the medium and and makes it easer to smooth out brushstrokes)

Even though the photo is smaller then the lid Kim covered it entirely because will even the glossy sheen once the gel is dried.

Then spread the gel also over the photo. You don’t want to cover any of the surfaces to thickly and you need to work fast to prevent the gel from drying.

Then place the image facing down onto the tin

and burnish it down. Carefully get rid of any bubbles that may have accumulated beneath the image by using a plastic card or squeegee.

Start at the center and work towards the outer edges of the adhered image.

Set the tin aside and let it dry for several hours.

Wet the back of the image transfer paper applying some water with your fingertips.

Start rubbing the back of the paper off in a gentle circular motion.

The image with start to appear as the paper pulp is removed. Work one area at a time until most of the paper is rubbed out. Let the image dry in between. The remaining paper will reappear and will show you which areas might need more rubbing. Work gently and stop before the transfer gets scratched or damaged by further rubbing.

Apply a final coating of a little bit thinned down Gloss Gel to the entire lid of the tin. Make sure to carefully work the gel into any areas where are tiny bit of paper might remain. The Gloss Gel will seal the surface and make those bits of paper invisible once dried.

Let dry.

Kim then added some stamping with StazOn and my Love Tag and Love Knots stamps.

And there you go, a personal little keepsake box filled with some sweets, a bunch of flowers and you are ready to go for Mother’s Day.

I love the transfer on metal – there are many options using tin – for example tin plates with a transfer for a journal or else! Hope you give it a try if not for Mother’s Day then maybe some other time :)

Here are some of the supplies Kim used for her Keepsake box



Nat

Comments (1)

  • stephanie

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    what a great project! thanks.

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Inspired by Japanese Manholes

As many people I have an obsession with beautiful manholes … and so Japan did not disappoint, in fact …there were some of the most beautiful manholes I have ever seen and I thought I show just a couple

Almost every neighborhood has different manholes – depending also on what the neighborhood is known for.

this one was a “simple” one in Tokyo – sooo gorgeous!

OK- I am cheating LOL- I am sneaking in some pavement plates- because …excuse me …they are beautiful

This one is in Kyoto – I love the fans – and directions

And of course the most beautiful which I shared already – in Nara …I loved how colorful those little manholes and pavement covers were

No idea what this little Dude is …I assume a turtle …but mmhhhh – fun though!

And cherry blossom at Ueno Park.

Just for the Manholes I would go back – LOL. Which one of the selection here is your favorite?

Nat

Comments (4)

  • stephanie

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    the flower. That is SO cool that they make the covers into art.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      yeah -they are taking it a notch further with the manholes :)

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Cherry Blossom is my fav but they are all pretty cool.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      agreed – now I want to go back and take more pix of manholes- LOL

      Reply

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Art Stroll: National Museum of Modern Art- Tokyo, Japan

I spent a day in the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and it was such a wonderful visit. It was refreshing to see Modern Art not from the usual suspects in Western Museums! The world …including the art world is so much bigger than what we think …it als always good to branch out and see things outside of the edge of our plates (probably a very German expression ;) )

Portrait of Chin-Jung,Sataro Yasui – 1934 – oil on canvas.

Yasui always sketched his portraits in a variety of angles and then intentionally combining different body parts from sketches with various viewpoints in an unbalanced way to create the impression the figure might begin moving at any moment.

The Five-Storied Pagoda of the Hokanji Temple, Kyoto by Kunitaro Suda, 1932 – oil on canvas

The area in the foreground of the pagoda is packed with utility poles and houses showing a striking contrast of changing times.

Wonderful views out …it was a gorgeous day

Junikai, a Twelve Story Building in Asakusa from Views of Tokyo by Kazuma Oda – 1916 – litography

Oda had a keen interest in the cities, especially in buildings that were undergoing a dramatic transformation during this period. The building depicted which was completed in 1890 was equipped with Japan’s first elevator. The tower was actually partly destroyed by the Great Knot Earthquake in 1923 and then demolished. Oda wrote immediately after the earthquake “Now, when I point to a tattered ukiyo-e print as a more durable thing than buildings constructed with reinforced concrete, you might laugh it off. But when we look at what the great earthquake has done, it becomes even more clear that I was not speaking thoughtlessly”.

Hirokoji Boulevard, Ueno from Views of Tokyo, Kazuma, Oda – 1916 – lithograph

Road to the Tank, Toshiyuki Hasekawa 1930 – oil on canvas

This gas tank was located in Senju and a unique Tokyo landmark. The color were just unreal!

Design for the Frontispiecie of Kodomo no Kuni, Harue Koga, 1932 – pencil and ink on paper

I loved this little dude!

Portrait of a Jewish Girl, Tomoyoshi Murayama, 1922 – oil, paper, wood and collage

Murayama dropped out of the university in Tokyo and went to Berlin in 1922, where he encountered various new Western art movements. The title of this work refere to a Jewish girl who lived downstairs in the rooming house where he stayed in Berlin. Such a beautiful piece!

Down, Taro Okamoto – 1948 oil on canvas

 

Flooded Town, Hiroshi Katsuragawa – 1950 – Oil on canvas

Illustration no. 12 ot the Novel The Wall by Abe Kobo, Hiroshi Katsuragawa 1951 – sumi, color on paper

another adorable dude!

Figure on the Back, Saburo Aso – 1961 – oil on canvas

The texture on this and the one below were incredible!

Mother and Child, Saburo Aso, 1959 – oil on canvas

Young of Grey Mullet, Seison Maeda, 1944 – Sumi on Paper

The title refers tot he young offspring of a fish called the gray mullet. the work makes it seem as though we are peering through the glass of a fish tank. It is a beautiful piece, unbelievable that it is not a photograph but a painting with sumi!

Girl, Gakuryo Nakamura, 1948 – Color on silk

Silk – so sheer and fragile and beautiful!

The whole museum was beautiful. Here are some tatami mats and some chairs to rest, the frames weren’t pompous but made sense with the artwork, everything was so tasteful and I noticed how orderly, quiet and thoughtful everyone was looking at the artwork – even at the most crowded special exhibition areas.

An Amazing Landscape, Gen’ichiro Inokuma – 1968 – oil on canvas

Purple Violet, Natsuyuki Nakansishi, 1983 – oil on canvas

a stunning piece with a 3D tactile effect.

Work, Toeko Tatsuno – oil on canvas

I love the pattern and colors on this piece!!!

It was such a great Art Stroll and I loved writing this post too because it made me look more into each of the artist’s work. What caught your eyes on this particular Art Stroll in Tokyo?

Nat

Comments (2)

  • julie b

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    Ok, sign me up for your new stencils and stamps based on the last stunning piece! Donna will take a set too.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Awe- LOL- it is a beautiful pattern indeed! I hope to see you two in the summer when I am back in San Jose <3

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Speak Love – Art Journal

“In a mumble of hate speak LOVE” – by yours truly Nat Kalbach ;)

In the attempt to use more of my horded stuff, I used some older letter stickers, which I placed on top of the page and then sprayed over with black spray paint, then used my Manhattan stencil and sprayed over it with white spray paint.

Last I peeled off the stickers to reveal the masked off area as part of the mumble background.

For the Love sticker I used a red marker to go over to make it stand out a bit more.

Here are the supplies I used for the spread


Nat

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Inspired By: Japanese Food

For some it might sound weird to be inspired by food- but well … I am ..colors, smells, forms, presentation  and …let’s face it, it is easier to create art with a filled stomach as well. So here are some food related impressions from Japan :)

Daiwa Sushi at the Tsukiji fish market was the best sushi I have ever had totally worth the 45 minute wait. The tuna was the most intense red tuna …and a beautiful one for sure I have ever seen and eating Sushi at 7am in the morning was def. differently and set for a good mood :)

Imagine walking around and smelling fresh baked dough and seeing how Ningyo-yaki are being made. Each cookie made by the man with the mold revealed later on a beautiful design on the outside of the waffle representing the Seven Gods of Fortune and the inside sweet red bean taste was delicious. The cookies in the front are also tasty but different.

Ramen – oh man – we ate sooooo much Ramen – and I loved it. It isn’t your student food in a cup if that is what you have in mind – instead you get fresh veggies and meat if you wish in a wonderful Japanese stock with homemade noodles. The picture above shows one of the fun Ramen Counter Booth Seating Charts – crazy fun.

This is probably the most beautiful ice cream I have ever eaten! It was Matcha (green tea) ice cream and the waffle showing the messenger fox with a key were a great treat at one of the temples.

Pickled vegetables ….I loved the signs and the wooden buckets they were stored in at a market

And yes …I was intrigued – since most we had no idea what it was

But it was pretty like the one above ….

Yakitori- grilled chicken with veggies …it was not only amazingly tasteful but the presentation was beautiful too.

And of course all the different labels of those Sake bottles from a Sake tasting intrigued me. See the tag with the string on one of the bottles- what a cool label.

And of course I loved the beer label as well – which btw- American Craft Beer always has some amazing artsy labels- I need to do a blog post about that too :)

We stayed one night at a tradition Ryokan with traditional food served in the room and we changed into home Kimonos – it was fun and very comfy!

The food served there was so pretty and the all the little dishes were just insane.

Often we had no idea what we ate and to be honest some of the food was even for us foodies a tiny bit challenging but it was an experience I wouldn’t wanna miss.

 

The fish up top was delicious and I just was reminded of Marsha Valk’s wonderful video at Creative JumpStart where she showed a gorgeous project based on a Picasso inspired fish dish.

Here is the breakfast with some things staring back at me- LOL.

As I wrote earlier on my blog post about Tokyo I took a cooking class and wow- was that awesome! We went to the market beforehand and smelling, seeing, using different fresh ingredients was just awesome. Here you see the our instructor Yukari crushing black sesame seeds with a wooden Japanese pestle in a porcelain mortar which has grooves on the side. Needless to say that I had to hunt down this pestle and mortar and bring it back home – LOL

And then look at the table setting -it is a feast for the eye – and it makes you just happy to look at this. In the middle you see a Chirashi Sushi which I would describe as a Sushi Salad. DELICIOUS

Here is our cooking class group with two more from the States, one women from Singapore and one from Finland- so much fun. If you are in Tokyo take a class with Yukari-she is AMAZING!

Home made udon noodles …and I mean like right in front of me made udon noodles with vegetable tempura. Oh man – it was one of the best meals EVER. I am still dreaming of those Udon Noodles and my mouth is watering while I am writing this.

Well worth the hour wait in line alone (my husband was at a conference) – in fact – good food is a big thing in Japan and you just get a bit more patient (although living in the NYC metropolitan area waiting in line at a restaurant is not unusual for me)  and usually you get more than rewarded once you are inside. BTW- you get your menu and order while waiting and you pretty much get your food a minute after you sat down.

And yes –this is a pizza. Now I am picky as hell when it comes to pizza since I am a real half Italian but boy ….this was hands down one of the best Pizzas I have ever eaten …and it was in Tokyo at Pizza Studio Tamaki. It was a pretty crazy experience.

I hope you enjoyed this kind of different inspirational post ;) Are you hungry yet?

Nat

Comments (4)

  • JoAnn

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    Wow – love your photos and the food looks amazing. Such an amazing trip?

    Reply

  • Bonniemon

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    I loved your tale of eating in Japan! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Stroll Through The Hood – April 2018

Time for a Stroll Through the Hood . Strolls through my hood get me out of my studio, they help me unstuck and often I get inspired by what I see and to get new ideas to create something. It is part of my philosophy about Artful Adventures in Mixed Media – which is the subject of my book. Here are some photos that I gathered in the last couple weeks.

What a weird snowy April this has been – but oh well …I still managed to get outside ;) Love the new paste up by Dylon Egon

And those spray painted flowers by Emilio Florentine

Always love the geometric shapes of Rubin415

And this skull was new to me as well by K-Nor.

And aren’t those little flowers pretty!!!? It is funny- I saw the for the first time in Japan and I thought it was a plant only there- but then …boom – right around the corner of our house – they were “looking” at me

Drunk a lot of Genmaicha,  which is a Japanese tea consisting of green tea combined with roasted popped brown rice ..and snacked on those pretty delicious lemon cookies Kim brought me. Live is good and inspiring :)

Hope you enjoyed the stroll – see you for the next one soon.

Nat

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Be Kind – Art Journal

“In a world where you can be anything…Be Kind! ”

For this art journal spread I once again used some prints of my painting which featured the Liberty State Park train station.

I stamped some buildings in between as well as the Statue of liberty and colored the images in with acrylic paint.

The family was sketched with sumi ink. I like how this came together. I really love using parts of my paintings with the the stamped areas – still exploring this a bit more.

Here are some of the supplies I used


Nat

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