Fruit Tart on Red with Gold

Fruit Tart on Red, 11"x14", acrylic, $400, © B. Sistak Baur

Gold paint -- I have always wanted to put gold paint on a painting. Fellow artists warned against it because it is easy to get too kitschy. But, in the secret seclusion of my studio, I went ahead with it anyway. And never showed it to anyone. Until now. Here it is. A fruit tart on a red background set on a gold plate.  And trimmed with a gold valence-like treatment, top and bottom. It reminds me of a small-town bakery window and shelf. How fabulous! The close up shows the golden swirls. You can click the image for an enlargement. By the way, lots of people use gold paint but the master is Gustav Klimt. And his work is not kitschy at all. He's the guy who gave us the famous Kiss.  Here is a multi-media presentation about him.  I am pretty sure I am going to try gold again.

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Art in The Barn

September 25-26, 2010 is the fall classic Art in The Barn in Barrington (IL) on the grounds of Good Shepherd Hospital. This art festival is unique because the artworks are actually displayed in old farm buildings, left over from when the hospital was built. What is so much fun is that visitors wind through all the buildings -- upper barn, corn crib, lower barn, tool shed, garage, etc. -- viewing and purchasing artwork. A portion of each sale goes to the hospital auxiliary. It is Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.  Here is the link. Look for me in the Mill Room. I am in the same spot as I was last time.

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"Patterned" After Matisse

 The Bakery Visit, acrylic, 11"x14", framed, $400

Last time I wrote about Wayne Theibaud and this time I would want to mention  another artist that I've always admired  -- Henri Matisse. Matisse was an artist who focused on beauty in his paintings. He wasn't about telling stories or delivering hidden meanings. He enjoyed painting interior scenes in harmonious colors, figures that were dancing or bounding and, of course, beautiful models amid heavily patterned backgrounds. He concentrated on using color to express beauty in ways that were new at the time.  "I dream of an art of balance, purity, tranquility, devoid of disturbing or disquieting subject matter...as something akin to a good armchair..." -- Matisse.

He has taught me to appreciate the beauty in the scenes I create. My featured artwork today is also about patterns and colors. This painting shows the pattern of the bakery racks and the repeating patterns of the fruit tarts and cookies in the pans. There is also the pattern of the triangles that make up the slices of chocolate cake.  The human brain is comforted by patterns, I think. There may be a sense of ease with rhythm.

--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

Oakbrook (IL) Center Invitational Art Fair

The fine Oakbrook Center is the setting for a long running invitational art fair this Saturday and Sunday, September 4 and 5. Artists have booths that leisurely wind through the outdoor pathways that run through the center. 

I will have a booth that is front of Bloomingdale's Home Store.  I hope you can come by.
--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

After Wayne Theibaud

Dreaming of Pie, 11"x14", acrylic, $400, © B. Sistak Baur

It may not surprise you to learn that when people see my art, they often compare it to the work of Wayne Thiebaud (pronounced "tee-bo").  He begain his career in the art world in the 1950's with paintings of … cakes!  And pies and delicatessens and ice cream and gumball machines, etc. Sound familiar? No, I didn't see his work and decide to try it for myself. It was after I started my own pastry series that I thought I should take a closer look at Thiebaud.  Here is what I found: strong, cool shadows; repetition of strong shapes; thick paint; receding images; simple backgrounds. So I thought I might inject a little bit more of "Thiebaud-ism" into a piece of work and see what happens. The result is "Deaming of Pie." Of course, there are  obvious differences: mine is more abstract, the background is undulating and the pies seem to be the floating. The similarities include the repeated items, the strong texture, shadows and the perspective gained by diminishing size. Okay, so what do you think? Does it remind you more of Thiebaud?  By the way, Wayne Thiebaud continues to work in San Fransciso today. Here is a recent video from YouTube.
--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

Geneva (IL) Arts Fair July 24, 25

Geneva, IL, is one of those towns when I say, "I have to come back here and really explore."  It is a beautiful little town on the Fox River, far west of Chicago. The older streets are lined with lovely little shops converted from Victorian homes that you just can't resist entering and discovering.  This is the setting for this weekend's Chicago area art fair.  It is located on S. Third Street and runs from 10 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday.  Here's an article about its in the local paper.

--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

3 Little Cakes Explore New Combinations

Painters have favorite subjects that they return to time and time again. Georgia O'Keefe painted a mountain in New Mexico dozens of times. Wayne Thiebaud painted delicatessens over and over. For me, it has been these three cakes. I have executed paintings of these cakes on several occasions. These are among the smallest, just 8"x7" each (the frames add a couple of inches on each side). Does that mean they are copies of previous paintings? Absolutely not. Each is it own original with its specific aspects. These cakes may look chocolaty-brown, but they come from a red base. The background is high contrast with much white. The suggestion of a rack is impasto (very thick paint) like the cakes. Their size, diminutive. This combination of traits is unique to this group.

Why are painters drawn to subjects over and over? I think it is because they sense the depth of possibilities and are not finished exploring them. Is there another new color combination to try? Is the light different this time? How far can the lights and darks be pushed? Eventually, I will be done. I think I might be now.  --Barb

From top, 

Small Swirl Cake,

Small White Cake,

Small Chocolate Cake,

7"x8" each,

plus frames,

$169 each,

©2010 Barbara Sistak Baur,

All rights reserved.