Blog – Page 2 – The Christina Gallery

Summertime with Lillia Frantin

Lillia Frantin is a teacher, painter and art historian living on Cape Cod. She first minored in art history before gaining her master’s degree from Pratt Institute in 1968. She was a professor of Painting and Modern Art History for over twenty years, painting and exhibiting professionally in New York, California, New Mexico and on Cape Cod.

While she visited the island to drop off her latest paintings at the gallery, she sat down to answer a few questions.

We started by asking Lillia if her work has changed over the course of her career. Because she has been painting for over 50 years, this was a rather challenging question. Her painting style has remained consistent throughout her career. Her painting style evolves around her use of color and the freshness of her strokes, elements that have always been prevalent in her work. With time, her voice and purpose have developed.

En Plein-Air with Jan Pawlowski

Last week we had the opportunity to observe long time gallery artist, Jan Pawlowski, painting en plein-air or “in the open air” on Chappaquiddick. Pawlowski, who joined our gallery in 1996, was capturing one of his favorite views, the harbor activity near the Edgartown Yacht Club.

Jan Pawlowski painting on Chappaquiddick - July 2017 — Jan Pawlowski painting on Chappaquiddick – July 2017

An Afternoon in Edgartown with Kate Tortland

At the end of June, we had the pleasure of talking to the gallery’s youngest artist, Kate Tortland, while she spent a few days here on the Vineyard to paint. This day she was painting the Edgartown Lighthouse from the front lawn at the Harbor View Hotel. She took some time to let us know about the start to her career, her supporters, inspiration and current work.

Kate painting at the Edgartown Lighthouse

When did you start painting?

“I started painting technically when I was about fourteen years old with a woman named Catherine Elliott who was, and still is, a local impressionist landscape painter in Connecticut. She inspired me in many ways, and it wasn’t until then that I had worked with oils, and I found myself painting constantly after that point. I worked with her for many years, and we even ended up going to Ireland together and painting. At first, I wanted to be exactly like her, but eventually after many years of exploring my own methods, I came to understand my own approaches and developed a unique style that is influenced by her, but could never be mistaken for her work. Even though I began painting with her as her student, now we’re colleagues showing in equal level galleries, plein air painting together as friends, and I still am inspired by her every day.

Au revoir 2015, Bonjour 2016!

Au revoir 2015, Bonjour 2016! With 2015 now behind us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and how fortunate we are for being both healthy and happy. It was an exciting year for many of the artists who experienced steady sales and the exhibitions with Lillia Frantin and Marjorie Mason were very well received. We are looking forward to next season with the hope that this positive sales trend will continue for all of the artists.

In November, I traveled to France with my sister, Catherine. We were in Paris when the attacks took place and although we were not in harm’s way, it was an unsettling experience – one that I personally will not forget anytime soon. Paris is such a beautiful and vibrant city and I hope to make it back there soon.

Sailors’ Valentines by Sandi Blanda

The first time I saw a Sailors’ Valentine was in 1997 when award-winning artist Sandi Blanda joined our gallery. I remember being surprised by the intricacy of her work and still to this day, I marvel at her time and commitment in making these really distinctive works of art. Her colorful, geometric patterns remind me of a kaleidoscope, though these works should not be rotated, just enjoyed.

Sailors’ Valentines are part of an old maritime history dating back to the Victorian era. These mosaics, originally called Fancy Work are native to the island of Barbados. The locals would often use up to thirty-five different types of indigenous shells and arrange them into elaborate designs in octagonal boxes. Sailors travelling to the area from England and America would purchase the mementos in port to bring home to their loved ones. Often a sentimental message such as Be Mine would be worked into the mosaic, thus inspiring the name Sailors’ Valentines.

William R. Davis – Marine Master

Every time I speak about the marine paintings by William R. Davis, I point out that he is a self-taught artist. As I am saying the words and looking at his paintings, I say to myself ‘that cannot be’, but it is true. Davis was born in 1952 in Somerville, Massachusetts, and grew up near the shore in Hyannis where he enjoyed a love of sailing that still is with him today. He has spent much time studying the works of the 19th century masters and has amassed an impressive library that he references to achieve historical integrity in his paintings.

Over the nearly twenty years that we have represented his work, I have most enjoyed Davis’ attention to detail, regardless of the size of the painting. To me there are little paintings within the larger one. Clients and those new to his work have also marveled at his detail.

"Yachting Under Blue Skies" by William R. Davis — “Yachting Under Blue Skies” by William R. Davis

The U.S. Coast Survey

The various maps and charts of the U.S. Coast Survey were created by geologists, meteorologists, astronomers and topographers, each highly trained in this new scientific discipline and with an unheard-of attention to detail. These men and women (the Coast Survey hired women professionals as early as 1845) helped push back the limits of astronomic measures, designed new and more accurate observational instruments for sea and land surveying, developed new techniques for the mathematical analysis of the mountains of data obtained by the field parties, and further refined techniques of error analysis and mitigation. Storms, mountains, dust, mud, deserts, wild beasts, heat and cold; all were the companions of the Coast Surveyors. They engaged in a great physical adventure which is little known and little understood.

The years between the end of the American Revolution and the beginning of the Civil War were pivotal ones in the development of American coastal charting. The country was expanding, the population was resettling and the coast lines were lengthening. Industrialization in the northeast encouraged the export of manufactured goods and the import of raw materials and with the discovery of gold in California, the country had grown from one coast to the other and maritime traffic had increased significantly.

Monomoy and Nantucket Shoals to Block Island c. 1874

Duane Alt: Contemporary Master French Impressionist

When I view one of Duane Alt’s paintings, I find myself wistfully thinking of taking a trip to France. Duane’s use of jewel toned hues in his paintings remind me of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, the enchanting city gardens and the sun-drenched fields of flowers and lavender of the countryside. During his lifetime, Duane has traveled extensively through the region, including both the French and Italian Rivieras. It’s Duane’s fondness for all things French that one might think that indeed he is a native, but that is not the case.

Walking Home in Portofino by Duane Alt — “Walking Home in Portofino”

“La Danse a la Campagne” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) is one of the most celebrated painters of the French Impressionist movement. Renoir was born in 1841 in the town of Limoges, in south-central France. His father was a tailor, and in 1844, relocated his family to the artistic and cultural center of Paris. Renoir showed interest in music and art at an early age, and was apprenticed at the age of fifteen as a porcelain painter. He spent two years learning to decorate plates, teapots and vases in ornate detail until the china works store closed in 1858. At this point, Renoir decided to take his talent and interest beyond commercial employment; he wanted to become a serious artist.

Renoir began his art studies in 1862 under the direction of Charles Gleyre alongside fellow students Claude Monet, Frederic Bazille and Alfred Sisley. They would all become friends and influenced each other’s work.

The Fall Season on the Vineyard

This is indeed the most delightful time of the year to spend on the Vineyard. The days are warm, nights are cool and the air is very refreshing. The Islanders you haven’t seen all summer are milling about now that the crowds have somewhat retreated back to the mainland. We already miss visiting with our summer clients; however it is kind of nice to take a step back to enjoy this beautiful island we live on.

"Last Leg of the Race" by William R. Davis — “Last Leg of the Race” by William R. Davis

The Striped Bass Derby started over the weekend and every other car that drives by the gallery has at least two or three fishing rods on their roof rack. In some respects Island life seems to come to a complete stop for people who enjoy fishing. And with this beautiful weather it’s hard to argue with taking a day off to do so.

"Along South Water Street" by David Bareford — “Along South Water Street” by David Bareford

Next month, the Martha’ Vineyard Food & Wine Festival will take place October 16 – 19, 2014. There is an extraordinary line up of culinary events and yet another wonderful reason to visit the Vineyard. And though the summer season is behind us, we continue to receive in new works from our artists, including those featured here by William R. Davis, Mitch Billis and David Bareford.

"Fence Lined Rhodies" by Mitch Billis — “Fence Lined Rhodies” by Mitch Billis

Happy Fall!

Les Maitres de l’Affiche

Jules Chéret is universally known as the master of the modern poster. Born in 1836 Paris into a creative family, Chéret had little formal education yet through an apprenticeship he was exposed to the art of lithography. From 1859 to 1866 he moved to London to continue his lithography training. Inspired by British posters and design techniques and the French Rococo style, Chéret applied his knowledge of printmaking towards creating ads promoting cabarets, theaters and other popular social outlets. By the end of his career he had become a major advertising force, working for all manners of clients including beverage companies and the railroads.

From 1895 to 1900, Chéret produced Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, a publication of high-quality smaller-scale iterations of popular posters from Le Belle Époque period by ninety seven top Parisian artists. Each month four lithographs were mailed out to each of the subscribers. On sixteen occasions, an additional ‘special edition’ lithograph would also be included. Today these 256 prints are extremely rare and in high demand with collectors across the globe.

"Quinquina Dubonnet" by Jules Cheret Caption reads: Quinquina Dubonnet / Aperitif available in all cafes. — “Quinquina Dubonnet” by Jules Cheret
Caption reads: Quinquina Dubonnet / Aperitif available in all cafes.

“Quinquina Dubonnet” is from Les Maitres de l’Affiche. This poster by Chéret is indicative of the style for which he was known. He often portrayed spirited, flirtatious, yet elegant women, who became known as ‘Cherettes.’ These women were neither the prostitutes nor the puritans seen in many works of the time. Chéret’s modern depiction of women was seen as liberating to contemporary Parisian women. “Quinquina Dubonnet” is no exception. Here we see a young socialite sitting with her legs crossed, revealing her ankles, with her arms extended to the sides and her head thrown back in joyous laughter. In one hand she holds a bottle of Dubonnet and in the other, a glass full of the drink. The advertisement reads “Quinquina Dubonnet / Apéritif available in all cafés.” Chéret understood how to get the public’s attention and engage them in advertisements. Editions of this particular print are in collections here at The Christina Gallery as well as in the permanent collection at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Check out our website here to view more lithographs from Les Maîtres de l’Affiche or visit us in Edgartown, MA to see them in person!

Painting En Plein Air

Plein air painting was first popularized by the impressionists in the 1870s. For centuries artists have been painting outdoors on location, but it wasn’t until the advent of metal tubes of oil paint that painting en plein air truly became a movement. Finally, artists were able to easily transport their supplies to whatever location they chose and paint on site. Prior to the introduction of paint tubes, artists had to mix their own pigments individually each time they desired to use a particular color. Paints would dry out quickly and so it was simply impractical to attempt to move a palette and supplies outdoors, far away from one’s studio.

Impressionists fully embraced plein air painting. This method was directly in line with their goal of capturing the magic of light and the essence of the landscape. Painting on location encourages the artist to work quickly to capture the mood of the setting. This can often account for the energetic brushstrokes seen in Impressionist canvases. Artists of all time periods and styles worked outdoors from life, but often they would only sketch or draft the composition they saw before them. The final paintings were reserved for the shelter of the indoor studio. Impressionists such as Vincent van Gogh challenged this method.

When inspired by an environment, he would often work fastidiously to render the scene in paint right then and there, such as in “The White Orchard” (1888). These spontaneous paintings by van Gogh and other artists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro define the oeuvre of the Impressionists.

Today, Jan Pawlowski works in a similar manner to many well-known masters. “A Day for Sailing” was painted from the beach on Chappaquiddick overlooking the harbor and Edgartown lighthouse. Pawlowski was inspired by the beautiful sunny blue sky and gentle wind to capture this image of sailboats keeling in the wind in front of the lighthouse.

"A Day for Sailing" by Jan Pawlowski — “A Day for Sailing” by Jan Pawlowski

Many artists that we represent here at The Christina Gallery paint en plein air. Stop by and ask us to point out some paintings for you or see if you can pick out which paintings were painted en plein air on our website!