Secrets of the Forest

                                               Kaethe Kollwitz "Bread" 1924 Day 2 Kaethe Kollwitz charcoal drawing " Bread" Kaethe Kollwitz is another favorite artist of mine. She was born in Prussia in 1867. Her father was a radical social democrat and a house builder, Her grandfather on her mother's side was a Lutheran pastor who was expelled from the official Evangelical State Church and founded an independent congregation. Kollwitz was greatly influenced by their socialist views. Germany after WW1. In 1888 she went to study in Munich at the women's art school. In 1890 she moved to Munich permanently and a year later married her husband who was a doctor. Kollwitz suffered two major tragedies in her life the death of her brother as a child and the death of her son in WW1. I believe these two tragedies gave her a deeper understanding of the utter desperation of the p...

 I am going to break the rules of the challenge my sister in law sent me, and say a little about each artist I picked for her challenge. I just feel particularly as an art educator that it is important to know where a painting came from. For although we can admire a painting by looking at it; giving i t, context and history, is like," peeling the layers from, an onion" It will give the art piece more depth. Day1 Faith Ringgold's" Tar Beach" Faith Ringgold is one of my favorite artists. She was born in Harlem in 1930. Her mother was a fashion designer and part of the Harlem Renaissance group of African American Artist and Poets and Musicians that included W.E.B. Du Bois, Romare Bearden, Augusta Savage, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, among others, all who have made fantastic contributions to the arts, But all of who were held down by racism and poverty. Her father held odd jobs because of racism and helped build the Brooklyn Bridge. Faith Ringgold struggled at...

Sometime in May of  2020, my sister- in- law, Jenny Bush sent me a  Facebook challenge,                      to post 7 pieces of art, one each day on Facebook, and to nominate one person each day to           do the same. At first, I did as I was asked and just posted pictures and nominated people.           But by about Day 4, I could not stand it anymore!, As an artist and an art teacher I had to say            more than just presenting an image and so I broke the Rules!            You see to me, there is so much more to a painting or a work of art than just what you see!            The life and historical context of the artist is also important too, as is the intent, and the            Elements and Principles of Art that each artist chooses to use,...

                                                                                                       The spirits of the Ancient Indians                                                                and my Ancestors                                                                                              Stream through my feet and soul...

I am an Artist and Art teacher who was born and studied in  the U.K. and have lived for 35 years in the U.S.A.  Multiculturalism and Racial Awareness and Acceptance     are, and  have always been of  Paramount I mportance to me in all my work.  Teaching skills of; Empathy, Love, and, Understanding is core  to this.   I see Spirituality as a center in my world. Nature and its relationship to man are also core elements to my understanding. I aim to have people question the world they live in and want to make it a better place for All!