Gallery 2 Thoughts and Reflecting

Gallery 2 
Kelvingrove Gallery, Glasgow

kelvingrove

Sunday 6th March I had the opportunity to make a quick visit to this museum. The building itself is again another example of great architecture.  The purpose-built museum opened in 1901 and is the most visited museum in the United Kingdom outside London. I have been to the Natural History in London and it does have some similarities.

Because my visit had to be hurried I did head straight in the arts section.  

Upon entering I did have a little giggle at the Madonna and child picture,  1, because in class photography I held a toy baby like this in a mock up (my name being Donna and holding the child)  2 because it seems in a lot of these older paintings, the children are always naked and the adults are wrapped up in many robes and clothes (poor children) Why is this I wonder ?

Madonna and child

David Horn

Still Life 1850s

This painting was another great example of real life painting, the picture looked like I could pick up an object....The work said that Horn deliberately put these objects together. The jewels, gold and luxurious fabrics to signify human vanity. The skull, hourglass and broken violin are there to remind us that one day we will all die. 

This is another still life I liked...

By artist Rachel Ruysch 1720 -30

Flowers can again symbolise human fragility - like them we wont last forever.

Artists paint still life to celebrate the beauty of the natural world and to show their skill at making things life like. 

Anthony Green 

Embassy Lodge 1990

This picture is of Green remembering the accidental breakage of his mother's best china. I like how the distorted style is representing the brake and the tension of the incident. This is a good example of another way to work and communicate feelings or views.

  
LS Lowry
VE Day 1945

This I feel had some relevanance to me, as I believe it true that Lowry drew the people in this style quickly and without using many brushstrokes. I like the idea of this as I had wanted to do this on a work for my border reivers project.  To draw the horses using the least amount of brushstrokes, I wasn't that committed and gave up. Another lesson in taking time to paint and I have a lot to learn about the processes and taking time, planning and mapping to create.

Edward Baird

Unidentified Aircraft 1942

Eerie painting and I like the dark feel of this painting. I liked the emotion and feeling of wandering around the gallery. Taking in the beauty put also the seeing the skill and idea of the artists. 

John Quinton Pringle 

This artist was one that I really enjoyed looking at and I will make another longer visit to the gallery to study his work again.  He had his own unique style of painting and I did connect to this for whatever reason.  Maybe because I'm trying to find my own self in my both my personal and working life.

Repairing a bicycle 1889

Claude Monet
View of Ventimiglia 1884

This painting caught me off guard a little and I got a little emotional (I know right!) Why?? I don't really know! It had no memory or personal connection to me but I honestly could of cried a few silent tears. I think the mix of colours and the way they made a calming effect on the viewer must of played a part. I can't help but wonder if this picture has the same effect on others or if it was just something in me. Again have to go back to see it again and see what impact (if any) it has on me a second time round.

Jules Bastien-Lepage
Poor Fauvette 1881 

The artist chose to paint the peasants of rural France. The little girl seems lost in thought - we don't know what she is thinking!

 For me however I didn't even notice or care what the picture was about!, I was to busy just looking, standing back and then up close, such detail and what a great skilled artist. Beautiful

grass up close

Salavdor Dali 

Christ of Saint John on cross 1951

This is truly a great work. I have enjoyed learning about the Surrealist movement but for me this is the first example I'd seen in real life. 

The foreshortening on Christ is a great example of work. This would of taking a lot of prep work I think. The lighting used also would of helped to intensify the painting. By this point my time had ran out and I had to leave the gallery.  Looks like I'm going back then!

The gallery had works from a lot of famous artists and since coming away the Van Gogh self portait and its colour is something I keep remembering. At the time it impressed  me to see the marks the artist left.

  

So I've learnt that alot of work was done using oil on canvas and that colour and lighting are very important. Planning and preparation is a must and thinking of the meaning or hidden meaning could create a better viewing. The still lifes with the life/death expressions and the Van Gogh with his heavy marks! what was his feelings, we know he was a troubled mind and does this show in his heavy mark making and strong intense colours? What would I seen in Dali's work given more time? Or instead of stopping my tears at the Monet what would else would I have felt if I'd just let myself feel!