“Sister Wendy Beckett has transformed public appreciation of art through her astonishing knowledge, insight and passion for painting and painters.” This set includes Sister Wendy's Story of Painting, Sister Wendy's Odyssey, and Sister Wendy's Grand Tour. Simultaneously delightful and scholarly--this is a must have for anyone interested in art history.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 10:49AM 
Andy Warhol Cookbook Illustration from 1961 (click photo for larger image)
Andy Warhol Cookbook Illustration from 1961 (click photo for larger image)
“Famed pop art icon Andy Warhol is perhaps best remembered for soup cans and Marilyn Monroe, but before the eccentric artist gained fame for his paintings, he worked as an commercial illustrator.”
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Monday, August 13, 2012 at 11:11AM 
General Electric advertisement, 1940, Dr. Seuss Collection, MSS 230, Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD (click photo for larger image)“Before Theodore Seuss Geisel found fame as a children's book author, the primary outlet for his creative efforts was magazines.” If you visit the this link, you can click on the company logos in the banner of the page and see some very interesting ads! There are more than one for each corporation--quite a few in some cases.
National Broadcasting Company Vital Spots advertisement, 1940, Dr. Seuss Collection, MSS 230, Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD (click photo for larger image)
Many of us grew up with Dr. Seuss--and remember him for “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Hat”. This is a rather different view of this imaginative master--but he IS still Dr. Seuss. And please do visit the Seuss website. It’s quite an adventure!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 11:14AM 
Bob Ross at his easel
Were you one of those people who tried to paint along with Bob Ross on PBS--amazed by his speed and accuracy? Bob was the creator and host of “The Joy of Painting” -- which ran from 1982 - 1994. Twenty-five years later--reruns of the show remain popular--and “Bob Ross” has become an industry. Ross (who died in 1995, at age 52) claimed to have painted over 30,000 works in his life. Check out this article to find out what’s become of them.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 11:11AM 
Guilio Paolini, L'altra figura (The Other Figure), 1984 (click photo for larger image)
“Here at My Modern Met, we feature many works by contemporary artists, but once in awhile we get stopped in our tracks by a timeless piece that was completed decades ago. This sculpture, titled L'altra figura (The Other Figure) was created by Italian artist Guilio Paolini in 1984. It features two Roman busts raised on plinths, with two mirrored heads looking at the floor as is something dramatic has just taken place. With multiple pieces of plaster shattered onto the floor, it appears that another bust must have taken a great fall to its death.”
And don’t forget to check out other items on Eugene’s blog. It’s a good one!
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11:08AM 
Voynich Manuscript, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University - Scientific or magical text, in an unidentified language and written in code, is apparently based on Roman minuscule characters. (click photo for larger image)'The Most Mysterious Manuscript in the World' is the The Voynich Manuscript--discovered 100 years ago. “To this day this medieval artifact resists all efforts at translation. It is either an ingenious hoax or an unbreakable cipher.” Its origins are unknown. Probably written between the 15th and 17th centuries, it’s believed to be European. Read more about this fascinating work here.
