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Canvas & Soul Art Education & Poetry
Based in Heidelberg, Victoria, Ellen shares her journey as a professional artist and dedicated art teacher, offering insights into the world of oil painting and the transformative process of learning to paint. Whether you're looking for painting workshops, private art lessons, or simply want to immerse yourself in stories that celebrate the beauty of artistic expression, this blog is your gateway to a richer understanding of art and the joy of painting.
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Cubism
The idea behind cubism was to encourage the viewer to see the art in their mind’s eye, rather than in real life
Reclaiming the ART of Dying - touching the creative in living.
There is a world wide trend to embraced this same ideal and lay people and professionals working in health care industry are looking forwa
Abstract Art
Abstract art is totally non-objective and non-representational.
Anni and Josef Albers Creative Giants 'Opening Eyes'
Anni and Josef Albers teaching objective was ' to open eyes' - 'learning to see' and relativity of difference.
Toulouse-Lautrec: Artist As Illusionist & Trickster
Toulouse-Lautrec, a member of a distinguished French family, suffered from a genetic bone abnormality where bone fractures prevented growth. Thus, having broken both legs in his teens his legs never grew and his statue became stunted.
5 Japanese Ceramicists Who Are National Living Treasures
For most, the word “treasure” conjures images of shiny pirate booty or age-old cultural artifacts, propped on museum pedestals.
The secrets of perspective of Jan Van Eyck’s paintings unveiled by computer vision in art history,
In art history, it is commonly accepted that the Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck knew nothing of the laws of perspective.
Towards a Reinvigoration of Seeing: Painting as a Way of Observing
Neuroscience in more recent times has shone a light on the incredible capacity of the human brain to adapt and relearn by stimulating old pathways and lighting new ones.
Famous Abstract Expressionism Paintings You Should Know
Abstract Expressionism is an art movement. Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s.
When the Mona Lisa Was Stolen The theft of the world’s most famous painting
Museum staff only discovered the daring theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa when they entered the Salon Carré — the room where the painting hung — and found a blank section of wall.
All they saw were the four iron pegs that once fastened the object in place.
Three Essential Symbols for Understanding Art Hints for reading symbolism in paintings, from mirrors
Learning to read paintings often begins with deciphering the subject matter, and to do that, it can help to have a grounding in some of the more common symbols found in art. Whilst there are many hundreds of subjects and associated symbols, I’ve chosen three of the most common to offer as a first-principles guide to reading symbolism in art.
The Art of Rubens and His Fascination With “Plump” Women: The reasons behind his voluptuous nudes
The plump bodies of the women in Ruben’s paintings were designed to highlight their goodness, desirability and desires, and fertility. For Rubens, female beauty was based on fleshy abundance, not on the lack of it, a trait that was not only desirable but noble too.
Great Paintings Explored: The Scream by Edvard Munch - the roots of an iconic image.
The Scream by Edvard Munch - the roots of an iconic image.
How to Look at Paintings.
One of the first and best lessons I was ever given was from my art teacher. It was over 20 years ago, during a school trip to London, but I’ll never forget it. Since then, I’ve come up with some other tips that can guide anyone wanting to better understand and enjoy artwork.
Two Paintings that Capture Claude Monet’s Relentless Development as an Artist.
These two paintings by Claude Monet were painted nearly two decades apart. Both images are high points of Monet’s artistic output, yet their differences are striking.
The Persistence of Memory, by Salvador Dali
Salvador Dali (1904–89) was the leading Surrealist painter and sculptor of the 20th century, as well known for his flamboyant personality and turned-up-at-the-ends moustache as his works of art.
Mother & Child in Devotional Art
Our most ancient art celebrates motherhood and birth, something our future depends upon! Some of the earliest depictions of mother and child date back almost 10 millennia and survive in numbers that indicate they were produced as celebratory or devotional objects. As I mention in a previous article for Signifier, the earliest representations of the human figure were abundant women with features that emphasised their fertility. Some of the goddess figures at Çatalhöyük are i
“Nude Descending a Staircase” by Marcel Duchamps A highly innovative artwork John Welford
“Nude Descending a Staircase” by Marcel Duchamps A highly innovative artwork A picture containing text, indoor, several Description...
Hillside in Provence 1886-1890 by Paul Cezanne
The temple bell stops – but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers. —Basho (1644-94) (translated by Robert Bly) Hillside in Provence,...
What is Impressionism? The Basics
If like me you struggle to make sense of all the different styles of painting, let’s take things back to basics. Starting with...
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