Blog Posts

…more artistic musings

LOUIS SULLIVAN (1856-1924) the American Architect often referred to as father of modern design, mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright and creator of the modern skyscraper was my inspiration for a guest lecture given during the INTERNATIONAL SALON in Atlanta, GA. this lecture discussed the recreation process with visual representation, and respectfully pays homage to Sullivan.

INTERNATIONAL SALON was a five-day event that I was privileged to present a Keynote Lecture on a project that was completed at a Historical Landmark in Chicago, IL. During the research process, SULLIVAN’s individuality began to emerge. While showing CLASSICAL DECORATIVE ARTS creative, and recreation process with visual representation, the lecture respectfully pays homage to SULLIVAN as a man, artist, architect and his contribution to the architectural landscape.

SULLIVAN was born on September 3, 1856 in Boston Massachusetts and relocated to Chicago after the windy city’s Great Fire in 1871.

During his career SULLIVAN executed approximately 238 designs. While in partnership with Adler from an 1883 until June 1895 he was involved in 158 projects. Today only 50 remain standing. One exception is the Chicago Art Institute full-scale rendition and reconstruction.

THE DESIGNS REFLECT the current writings of Darwin, the botanist Asa Grey with the transcendentalist aspects of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau.

The architectural firm of Vinci and Kenny recreated the original room that is permanently installed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

CLASSICAL DECORATIVE ARTS recreated the reconstructed Trading Room wing at Driehaus Capital Management in downtown Chicago. Project required extended onsite museum research and months of studio preparation before work could commence at the Historical Cable House. In early 1996 the reproduced historical room was unveiled.

The Louis Sullivan reproduction required 63 stencil overlays and 33 individually mix-to-match colors to reproduce the room as Sullivan originally intended.

Further Reading:

Louis Sullivan and the Chicago School. Nancy Frizer, Knickerbocker Press

Sullivanesque: Urban Architecture and Ornamentation. Ronald E.Smith. University of Illinois Press

The Trading Room: Louis Sullivan and the Chicago Stock Exchange. John Vinci

…more artistic musings

I came across LIZ STEEL’S Online Sketching Courses in 2014 and so glad that I did.

The discovery came at a really good time as I was going through down sizing with CLASSICAL DECORATIVE ARTS. At a cross road as to what’s next after retiring from having an active artistic business for 25 years I needed a new direction that could use previous long put aside interests.

The introduction to Liz’s buffet of courses was FOUNDATIONS.

As I worked through the LESSONS of this introduction class, there are a total of 12, I soon realized that the course closely resembled information being taught during my beginnings at the AMERICAN ACADEMY of ART in Chicago.

Written notes along with various size hard and soft cover sketchbooks used during LIZ STEEL FOUNDATION and EDGES COURSE (left). Original notebook used during seven years at the AMERICAN ACADEMY (right).

Soon, EDGES, WATERCOLOR ON LOCATION, SKETCHBOOK DESIGN, BUILDINGS, WATERCOLOR, and TEACUPS have been added over the years to my “course load”.

In addition to the double digit LESSONS for the individual COURSE there were LiveStreams where participation is encouraged. The various forums of Discussion, Breakthrough Gallery, Material List, Support/FAQ, Tips for getting the most out of the course, and Important Notices guided me through re-entry into creating while learning how to participate in an online art community.

Sketching supplies in TRAVEL TOOL KIT

Various SKETCHBOOK SAMPLES

While a particular COURSE is being offered, the LiveStream is live and Liz is available during the run of 4-8 weeks to answer questions that pertain to the current course. With the Self Directed there are LiveStream Replays available for all the above mentioned that can be accessed 24/7. Not to mention that the purchase never expires. Access to your account is always open.

Currently, this has been a perfect way for me to add art back into my everyday life without the pressure of producing large formal works. However, I have since found that there is a charm about having a sketchbook filled with sketches using various tools. Not to mention the spontaneous interaction with observers that often invites conversation.

...more artistic musings

LIFE DRAWING has always been an interest to me. I was taught at the AMERICAN ACADEMY of ART early on that if you can master the proportions of the human body you would be able to draw anything.

Realizing that all is not lost, but kinda “hidden” from the memory when sketching the human form is not practiced for years. And that is what was soon discovered as I re-trained my “hand and eye co-ordination” to render the proportations correctly.

Live Model ~ 30 Minute ~ Brown Conte

However, many years had passed while moving ahead in a totally unrelated career direction of RESTORATION. To even begin to remember the numerous drawing supplies and tools used years before at the American Academy became a journey of re-discovery

5 Minute Quick Sketch ~ Ink Fude Pen

Now, I freely experiment with different inks, pens, various nibs including watercolor washes that can add weight and movement to the quick sketch.