Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Sculpture Goes Missing: Loveland Sculptor May Recreate Historic Work

Kirsten Kokkin is one of 5 artists selected as finalists in the Angel of Music competition. This competition is to be the artist selected to recreate a sculpture that was on the gravestie of American composer and pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869). The sculpture went missing in the 1950s.

How does a sculpture go missing? I guess someone must have really liked it. The marble angel was almost 5 feet tall. Also taken was the 6-1/2 foot tall marble pedestal. This is no small feat! I mean, it is not like you can just put that in your pocket!

In preparation for the new work, the pedestal has already been restored and an anitque wrought iron fence has been installed, along with greenery.

The sculpture competition is being put forth by a 501c(3) organizaion the Green-Wood Historic Fund. This organization conserves and restores the Brooklyn NY, Green-Wood Cemetery's endangered monuments. The cemetery is listed as a National Historic Landmark, is 171 years old and is the final resting place of many historical figures including Leonard Bernstein, Horace Greeley, FAO Schowartz, Samuel Morse and Boss Tweed.

Kirsten Kokkin is one of our talented local sculptors...who like most us moved here from somewhere else.

One of the things I really appreciate (dare I say "love"?) about living in Loveland, Colorado is our art community. Not just the artists, but how the community as a group embraces the arts.

We have beautiful sculptures all around the city, wonderful galleries and a fantastic museum. Kokkin's work has created quite a local controversy in the past when she created an exquisite piece, The Triangle, that was in the classical tradition, including the figures being nude. The piece ended up being relocated and can be seen in the Benson Sculpture Park.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Ancient Chinese Painting Brought to Life

I love Chinese murals...maybe because I grew up in Japan and traveled around and got to see them in person.

This is a really cool way to see some great Chinese art with a twist!

Chinese Mural "along the River During the Ching-ming Festival"

You can control the time you take on this...it is great fun...and a fun break during your day.

The original painting is circa 1085-1145, during the Northern Song Dynasty. It was repainted during the Qing Dynasty. It measures 528cm. in width and 24.8cm. in height. It is considered to be one of the Great Treasures of China and was exhibited in the
Hong Kong Museum of Art last year.

I hope you enjoy it!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Street Painters Amaze Me

Maybe because I am a sculptor not a painter, but these guys who paint 3D images on the street just amaze me!

I had seen Julian Beever's work before and he is fantastic. He works in pastels so his work is, temporal, shall we say.

Recently I was shown some images by another painter who actually paints on the streets and his work has survived rains, but apparently the weather still is the biggest challenge he faces.

Anyway, his name is Edgar Mueller and you can can his work here and also here

I found it really fun to watch the video of the making of one of his pieces, The Crevasse