Vuillard, Les Deux Belles-Souers, 1899

What a Spectacle was Paris: 19th Century French Prints at The Hyde

By Richard Stout

Friday, May 18, 2012

Toulouse-Lautrec & Company: Prints from the Belle Époque, an exhibition featuring ten lithographs by Toulouse-Lautrec and approximately twenty prints by contemporaries such as Pierre Bonnard, Jules Chéret, Maurice Denis, Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen and Édouard Vuillard, will be on view in The Hyde Collection’s Hoopes Gallery through May 27.

This intimate exhibition of etchings, woodcuts and lithography from the Jan Balet and the Sparling Family collections demonstrates the varied printmaking techniques and styles of the “Belle Epoque”.

The “Belle Epoque”(the beautiful era, 1880-1914) was the period in French history that experienced the formation of the Third French Republic(1870-1940), the French Industrial Revolution, and the modernization of France. An exciting new way of life and opportunity for some, unemployment, poverty, and injustice for others(The Dreyfus Affair). The arts flourished. Impressionism, Post- Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism, all had their origins and fruition during this time. Literature, Music, Dance and Architecture also experienced exciting new forms of expression.

Paris night life was infamous and a new group of entrepreneurs embraced the advant-garde, employing them as entertainers and performers, as well as program, poster and set designers. The goal was to achieve a total spectacle. The Theatre de L’Oeuvre and the Moulin Rouge were just some of these famous theaters.

To promote and support the “Spectacle”, lithography emerged as the reproduction method of choice. The continually changing venues demanded new designs and material. Lithography, unlike woodcuts and etching(which were labor intensive), was a perfect medium for the artist and the style that reflected the exciting new form of entertainment.

Toulouse-Lautrec, Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender, 1895

Toulouse-Lautrec, a collector and student of Japanese Art, integrated the Japanese approach into his paintings and his graphic art. Bold, flat primary and secondary color, black contour, simplified shapes, and unique perspectives, drawn with an ink stick on a stone surface produced immediate and fresh images. He was an accomplished draftsman and a natural for the medium. His line gesture and compositions were sophisticated and elegant, as well as entertaining and provocative. Toulouse- Lautrec created a style and standard that future artists and craftsmen would emulate.

Jules Cheret developed the technique of printing with 3 separate stones. Black, warm and cool colors printed independently, overlaying each to create a spectrum of color with just three “runs”. He is credited with over 1,000 graphic designs.

Pierre Bonnard, realizing he had to simplify his shapes and compositions, introduced abstract patterns into his work.

Modern artists loved lithography, and those who appreciated the work and the artist began employing them in advertisements (Toulouse- Lautrec’s “Confetti” and “La Chaine Simpson”). They also collaborated on portfolios and catalogs chronicling famous celebrities, entertainers, Parisian night life and even prostitutes. The 1890′s were the golden age of lithography and the prints are as popular (and as collectable) as ever. They would also influence the artist of future styles from Art Nouveau to Pop Art.

The Hyde is located at 161 Warren Street, Glens Falls, and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Call 792-1761 for information.

Richard Stout is an artist living and working in Hague

Tags: Arts & Leisure, Glens Falls, Hyde Collection, Richard Stout, Toulouse-Lautrec

Graphic Life Lessons: “Draw Me A Story” at The Hyde Collection

By Richard Stout

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

“What is the use of a book without pictures or conversation,” noted Alice in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Bold adventures, classic fairy tales, nursery rhymes, animals and our ABCs all make for entertaining and provocative subject matter in the Hyde Collection’s new exhibit, “Draw Me A Story.” The show focuses on 130 years of children’s book illustration, from the 1870s up to 2006. Harrison Cady, Randolph Caldecott, Palmer Cox, Jules Feiffer, Kate Greenaway, Sarah Noble Ives, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, and contemporaries George Avison and Chris Van Allsberg are just some of the wonderful and gifted cartoonists and illustrators that bring many of the classics to life.

Prior to the 1700s, children’s book illustration concerned itself with manners, education and religion. However, in 1744, John Newbury published “A Little Pretty Pocket Book”, which combined education and entertainment. The book was very successful and other children’s books soon followed. The British, Americans and French were just some of the western cultures that realized the need to enhance and expand the literary experience (and imagination) of young children.

Many of the stories (nursery rhymes, and fairy tales) have their roots in medieval folklore. These “lessons in life”, (good and bad), did not always have a happy ending and were filled with danger, jealousy and greed. This combined with a bouquet of characters (animals, insects, dwarfs, fairies, giants, monsters, kings, queens, princes, princesses, kind and evil souls, and natural forms) create a paradox that might intimidate anyone, yet a young child. It was how these talented artists combined a rich presentation of technique that transformed difficult themes into an assessable format. Lets face it, there is always something very adult about children’s book illustration which makes this show appropriate for all ages.

The development of children’s book illustration correlates with the evolution of the printing capabilities of the time. The images were created for reproduction. Flat black and white ink drawings were eventually replaced with color and form, which enhanced the mysterious space and gave the work a dimension that the viewer had not experienced before. The key to all of this is analogous color, simple and clear rendering of form and movement that is predictable and comfortable. Harmony creates the allure that draws the viewer in and eliminates any angst or anxiety. Even the darkest experiences are presented in such a way that one is always engaged. We all like to be scared sometimes and scary is good for business.

The exhibit is a walk down memory lane and back again. I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experience reading the stories and enjoying the illustrations of my youth, as well as those I shared with my sons. Having grown up in a family of printers and graphic artists I also appreciate the craftsmanship of the entire process. Before we had the ability to off-set print (photo-generated) book illustration, all of the images were individually lithographed on separate sheets of paper. The text was then set by hand and printed below the illustration on a second run. The quality of paper and the traditional application of ink produced a product that would last for years, something I lament when considering our contemporary printing process today. I also couldn’t help but reflect on how children’s book illustration evolved into animation and how much a part of our heritage and culture that has become. Illustrators and Cartoonist are sometimes not given the same status as some of our great fine artists, however I personally can’t express how important illustration was to my art education and I know many fine artist share that sentiment and experience.

Richard Stout is an artist living in Hague. In addition to writing reviews of art exhibitions for the Lake George Mirror, he lectures on art history to community groups.

Tags: Arts & Leisure, Children's Illustrations, Glens Falls, Hyde Collection, Richard Stout

David Greenberger's “Licorice Nibs Circling the Drain"

Two Artists at Lake George’s Courthouse Gallery: “What You See, Might Not Be What You Get”

By Richard Stout

Monday, November 21, 2011

Mary Gaynier and David Greenberger’s art work at the Court House Gallery, in Lake George Village is a wonderful show. Having seen the work beforehand on the Lake George Arts Project website and receiving a post card announcing the reception, I can’t express how surprised I was when I entered the gallery. Art is a manmade endeavor, and in a world where we access so much art through reproduction (internet, television, print), it’s important that we physically experience it. Whether it’s art in your home, gallery, museum, live music, theater or reading a novel; that intimate relationship is critical in appreciating and understanding not just the art, but the hands that created it. Modern and Post-Modern Art has allowed artists to combine mediums and styles which communicate concepts that traditional art(narrative) can’t convey. Abstraction would certainly come to mind. I thought Mary Gaynier and David Greenberger might be abstract artists. As I stood in front of the work and realized what I was looking at, I couldn’t help but smile. Both artists have synthesized abstraction with representation(symbols). Mary Gaynier works in Scherrenschnitte(traditional German scissor art), snowflakes and lace patterns might come to mind(which she used to make for the holidays). However, Mary’s snowflakes have morphed into complex “Pop Culture” icons. David Greenberger’s abstractions become simple visual essays of observations of his life.

Mary Gaynier is a great example of Post-Modern Art. Some of these artist employ various traditions, ethnic cultures and styles, and new mediums to express contemporary concerns. She is also a retired 2 Dimensional Design teacher’s delight. I can’t imagine the amazement of seeing these intricate paper cuttings unfold for the first time. Diners, waiters, workman, animals, villains and nursery rhymes are just some of the characters and scenes that weave there way through the repetitive and rhythmic compositions. I also appreciate the combination of Fine Art with Folk Art. To assume that artists(art) are one or the other is a tenet that has to be re-evaluated in our Post-Modern culture. The blending of styles, mediums and ideologies reflects our forever connected world. Although she retains the purity of the paper(left natural), I can envision them in color. They also have a “stored energy”that suggest movement and excitement. I want to spin them, imagining they would come to life.

Mary Gaynier's “How Many Does it Take to Screw in a Light Bulb”

David Greenberger’s minimal approach might suggest abstraction or at least the influence of abstraction(David mentioned Mark Tobey and Grosz as influences, I couldn’t help but think of Hans Hartung) until you read the titles. You retreat from abstraction into “Dave’s Place”. A witty, whimsical, sensitive and thoughtful world of distilled American culture into a hand crafted “snapshot”. Vertical and horizontal black ink lines and small colored penciled squares became “The Party Explosion Embedded With Confetti In The Window Screen”. Simple geometric and organic shapes become licorice nibs, crows, dogs, and everyday objects. Black ink lines become paper clips, screen, springs, and grass. On the surface, all of this seems very funny, but there is a reflective dimension(acceptance) to it as well. David’s “audio art” shares and expresses the same concerns. David narrates edited interviews with individuals who share a brief story(reflection) about a particular moment(event) in their life. These compilations are enhanced with his original music compositions(CD’s are available at the gallery).

As in all exhibitions at the Court House Gallery, the work is well crafted. It’s an intimate venue which lends itself well to this presentation. If you need some cheering up, go see this show.

“Mary Gaynier and David Greenberger” is funded in part by Price Copper’s Golub Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. The Courthouse Gallery hours during exhibitions are Tuesday through Friday 12 – 5 pm, Saturday 12 – 4 pm, and all other times by appointment. The Courthouse Gallery is located at the side entrance of the Old County Courthouse, corner of Canada and Lower Amherst Streets, Lake George, NY. For more information call (518) 668-2616

Tags: Arts & Leisure, Courthouse Gallery, David Greenberger, Lake George Arts Project, Lake George Village, Mary Gaynier, Richard Stout

Painting by Deanna Lee

So Different Yet So Much Alike: Lee and Banks at the Courthouse Gallery

By Richard Stout

Monday, September 26, 2011

In the year 30,000 B.C or thereabouts, Cro-Magnon(early modern man) began observing in natural form qualities that reflected themselves and their relationships with the world around them. At first they just collected the objects but soon began manipulating the forms to express and suggest a specific event, individual, or experience. These symbols reflecting gods, deceased relatives, rituals, food sources, and fertility became manifestations that defined their lives. So began Art. The artist and the shamans of these pre-historic communities were usually one and the same and the making of art became a spiritual ritual.

The acrylic paintings by Deanna Lee and the assemblages by Diane Banks share a fascination with nature that reflects a kindred spirit with their pre-historic predecessors. Neither artist pre-conceives their work. They allow the work to evolve, employing their intuitive and instinctive spirit to guide them through the creative process. Both artists are inspired by the natural world and their relationship with it and they are both superb craftsman.

Initially Diane’s work seems whimsical, delicate and fun. Mysterious, complex and sophisticated is just as appropriate. Working with mixed media (paper, string, wood, leather, wire, glue, thread, shells and found objects) she sometimes refers to her art as “child-like” and her studio as my “play space”. I couldn’t help but imagine reassembling grandma’s discarded household stuff and sewing box.

Her assemblages begin with an infrastructure of wire and wood that are covered sometimes entirely, sometimes partially with paper, fabric or leather, suggesting “skin” or natural exteriors. These forms reflect birth, life, growth, death, deterioration, decomposition, and re-birth, leaving behind the “bare bones” and withered forms. The passing of time is evident throughout her work and one cannot help but think of things that once were. John Dewey wrote in “Art as Experience”, that it is not just the experience the viewer receives from art as much as the experience the viewer brings to art. I couldn’t help but reflect on my many walks on sea and lake shores, fascinated with all (organic and inorganic) the “neat stuff” that washes up. “Unexpected Encounter” a mixed media wall hanging suggesting entangled nets, floats, drift wood, discarded man-made objects (garbage) and marine life made me think of my time on Sandy Hook, N.J.(gateway to the N.Y. harbor). Diane’s latest work might strike one as visceral; it is an idea born from one of her own assignments for her 3-D design class at James Madison University (good teachers make good artist). Stuffed fabric suggests external and internal human form. Proportionately these forms might make one uncomfortable. The stitching is intense and one cannot help but feel something has gone terribly wrong. All of the work is so well constructed and admiration is appropriate, but I couldn’t help but smile at all of it as well.

A mixed media piece by Diane Banks

Deanna Lee’s approach to creating is similar to Diane Banks however the results are quite different. She describes her abstract acrylic paintings as controlled doodling. That description doesn’t do her work justice. These are profound interpretations of an internal exploration of her relationship with nature. Organic shapes suggesting landscapes painted with primary and secondary color, superimposed with black and white linear forms, flow, float, and blow across the surface. I couldn’t help but feel and hear the movement. “Waves, wind, hair, muscles, topographical maps, and geographical strata, are all metaphors for emotional states, social and environmental relationships”. Her Asian heritage, music and science background have all influenced how she distills these experiences. Like many abstract painters, “automatism” comes to mind. “ Terra Nova”, reminds me of looking down on a pond, collection of lakes, or a savannah. The artist’s inspiration was a topographical map, but I like to think of it as something else (we are allowed to do that). The blue and green shapes suggest to me something wet and organic, while the orange line that connects, intersects, and overlaps the shapes reminds me of roots and shoots, a spring lily pond about to bloom.

This is a great show and gallery director Laura Von Rosk has done a wonderful job in bringing together not just these two artist but many others who regularly exhibit at the Court House Gallery. The Adirondacks region has historically been an inspiration and showcase for contemporary artist of their time and the Lake George Arts Project should be commended and supported.

Richard Stout is an artist living in Hague.

Tags: Art, Arts & Leisure, Deanna Lee, Diane Banks, Lake George, Lake George Arts Project, Richard Stout