You Go For the Dancing!

Prom when I was a junior was full of good news and bad news.

Good news: I had a date (my super cute boyfriend), a killer dress, and no curfew to interfere with the after party.

Bad news: My knee was toast, surgery imminent, and dancing was a major question mark.

If I could even attend Prom was a big question when they scheduled my surgery for the Monday before the Saturday night event.

The good news was they could fix the knee - the bad news was they weren't sure what would be required. The good news, I had the best surgeon in the state - he worked on all the college football players so the man knew his knees (and mine too, I hoped). The bad news, (way back at the beginning of the Bronze age) this new thing called arthroscopy might find a more serious, involved problem.

I was determined to know if I would dance on Saturday. No one could tell me until after they went into the knee. Grrr. But not having the surgery guaranteed NO dancing. More grrr.

I won't bore you with the gory details of pre-op (where my dad totally embarrassed me by asking the surgeon if I'd be ready for spring training)...or post op where I embarrassed myself by asking repeatedly if I'd be going to prom.

Suffice it to say I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday rehabbing my knee, making sure I could walk properly without staring at my feet and planning my hairstyle for the big night.

By Saturday there was only good news: I was walking well, we had a great time, and we danced and danced and danced.

My prom memories are second to none - I hope you enjoy yours!
Regan
author of Pixie Chicks and the Shadows of Justice series available from Echelon Press.
by the way, that's a Renoir called Dance at Bougival

Barnes Foundation - Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, and Cezanne

Today I'm at the Barnes Foundation in Merion PA. It's a great way to celebrate my birthday! I love being at the Barnes. I feel so good, and inspired too. In case you don't know, the collection included the largest number of Matisse paintings in any collection in the world, 59. I believe it also has the largest number of Cezanne paintings in any collection in the world at 69. The Barnes also has by far the largest number of Renoir paintings in any collection in the world at an astounding 181.

Almost missed in the excitement over Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse is the large number of significant Picasso paintings, 46. That's a huge number by any standard. There are also paintings by El Greco, Titian, Rubens, Degas, Van Gogh, Rousseau, Seurat, Soutine, Modigliani, Manet, Monet, and American Horace Pippin of West Chester PA. Here is the Barnes Foundation website: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/

I've featured one of my favorites, Matisse's Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) several times in the past, so today I'll show Modigliani's Reclining Nude From The Back, painted in 1917.

You can view some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Who's Who in Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party

First, here's a link to Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party on the website of the Phillips Collection which I featured in my post on Tuesday. http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating/index.aspx

Second, on Tuesday I mentioned that art history people know the identity of all the people pictured in Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party. Here's a link to the info. http://www.phillipscollection.org/collection/boating/whoswho.aspx Also, I'm including the diagram here, and the text below.

"The Luncheon of the Boating Party includes youthful, idealized portraits of Renoir's friends and colleagues as they relax at the Maison Fournaise restaurant. Wearing a top hat, the amateur art historian, collector, and editor Charles Ephrussi (8) speaks with a younger man in a more casual brown coat and cap. He may be Ephrussi's personal secretary, Jules Laforgue (5), a poet and critic.

At center, the actress Ellen Andrée (6) drinks from a glass. Across from her in a brown bowler hat is Baron Raoul Barbier (4), a bon vivant and former mayor of colonial Saigon. He is turned toward the smiling woman at the railing, thought to be Alphonsine Fournaise (3), the proprietor's daughter. She and her brother, Alphonse Fournaise, Jr. (2), who handled the boat rentals, wear straw boaters'. They are placed within, but at the edge of, the party. At the upper right, the artist Paul Lhote (12) and the bureaucrat Eugène Pierre Lestringuez (11) seem to be flirting with actress Jeanne Samary (13).

In the foreground, Renoir included a youthful portrait of his fellow artist, close friend, and wealthy patron, Gustave Caillebotte (9), who sits backwards in his chair and is grouped with the actress Angèle (7) and the Italian journalist Maggiolo (10). Caillebotte, an avid boatman and sailor, wears a white boater's shirt and flat-topped boater's. He gazes at a young woman cooing at her dog. She is Aline Charigot (1), a seamstress Renoir had recently met and would later marry. "

You can view some of my shaped 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Phillips Collection, Renoir

On Saturday I visited the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. I was struck again by what is perhaps their most famous painting, Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It is large, animated, brilliantly colored, and depicts a fun scene with recognizable people (if you've studied impressionist art history) painted in 1880-1881. Every time I visit the Phillips Collection I am wowed by this painting. It's beautiful!

Of course, there are many other great paintings in the collection, ones you will recognize from art books you may have seen.

You can see some of my 3-D paintings on my website at www.jayrolfe.com/.

Renoir at the Corcoran

The Corcoran Gallery has a beautiful painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir titled "View From Cap Martin Of Monte Carlo" painted in 1884 which artist Jay Rolfe saw on a recent visit. It wasn't part of the "American Evolution" exhibit for obvious reasons. Renoir is one of Rolfe's favorite artists.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party"

Yesterday artist Jay Rolfe went to the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. The signature painting of the collection, acquired in 1923, is Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party." It was painted by Renoir in 1880-1881. It was painted at the Restaurant Fournaise in Chatou, and includes Renoir's fiance and future wife Aline Charigot in the front left. In the front right is Gustave Caillebotte the painter. Most of the other sitters have been identified as friends of Renoir. For a full history and even an identification of all the people in the painting, click on this link to the Phillips Collection website. http://www.phillipscollection.org/html/lbp.html

The painting is very large for an impressionist painting, almost six feet wide and over four feet high. The colors are rich and vibrant. Jay Rolfe has seen many reproductions of this painting, but none do it justice - in person the painting is magnificant!

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's signature style, his innovative 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Renoir's "Ravine Of The Wild Woman"

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Tomorrow, Sunday January 6, 2008, is the last day for the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Artist Jay Rolfe has chosen Pierre Auguste Renoir's "Algerian Landscape, Ravine Of The Wild Woman" as his photo of the day. This is a pure landscape, with no figures as in the recent posts. The title is intriguing. One can see the rich colors of the landscape when viewing the actual painting which do not look as good in this small photo from the Musee d'Orsay, the museum which lent the painting to the exhibit.

If you can find a way to get to the Renoir Landscape exhibit today or tomorrow, artist Jay Rolfe recommends you do so!

Renoir Landscapes 2 more days

The Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art closes in 2 days, on Sunday January 6, 2008. Artist Jay Rolfe encourages you to see this great exhibit before it's gone.

Jay Rolfe's photo of the day is another from the exhibit, "La Promenade" painted in 1870. It has a landscape background and features the effect of sunlight, both direct and filtered by trees, on 2 people. It was lent to the exhibit by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It's a dramatic and well executed painting.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

"The Seine At Argenteuil" by Renoir

One of artist Jay Rolfe's favorite Renoir paintings in the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is the subject of today's photo. It's another painting titled "The Seine At Argenteuil" and painted in 1874. A painting from the previous year, 1873, has the same title and is painted from a similar place, yet is very different, showing the near bank, the river, and the far bank and is not about boating. I featured that painting in my post on December 19, 2007.

The photo of the day is one that artist Jay Rolfe believes is a beautiful painting of leisure boating on the Seine near Paris. Renoir painted that day along side Monet, who painted a similar canvas. Renoir's painting was lent to the exhibit by the Portland Art Museum in Oregon, and it only appeared in Philadelphia.

Artist Jay Rolfe has saved some of the best images until the last few days of the exhibit in case you've been on the fence. The Renoir Landscapes exhibit is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art continues only until Sunday January 6, 2008, 3 more days. Artist Jay Rolfe recommends you get there. If you miss it, you can see a few Renoir landscapes and many, many more Renoirs (181 total Renoirs) at the Barnes Foundation in Merion PA. In fact, I posted a photo of Renoir's "Red Boat At Argenteuil," a fall scene with women boaters, on November 8, 2007.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

200 posts on Contemporary Art Blog this year!

Wow! Artist Jay Rolfe ends the year with his 200th post of the year since starting his Contemporary Art Blog in February of this year.

Today's photo is of a beautiful and well-known painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir that artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the Renoir Landscapes exhibit and lent to the exhibit by the Art Institute of Chicago. The title is "Luncheon at La Fournaise" and it was painted in 1875. It's a beautiful painting, with many figure painting/portrait elements set in a beautiful landscape. The restaurant is located in Chatou, the subject of many Renoir landscapes as was remarked upon in yesterday's post, a popular location along the Seine River for leisure activities such as boating. The restaurant was also the setting for Renoir's large masterpiece "Luncheon of the Boating Party" owned by the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C.

You can still see the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through this coming Sunday, January 6, 2008. Artist Jay Rolfe believes it is worth the trip to see the Renoir Landscapes exhibit.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir's "The Bridge At Chatou"

Pierre Auguste Renoir's "The Bridge At Chatou" from 1875 is artist Jay Rolfe's selection for photo of the day. Artist Jay Rolfe saw this painting at the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This Renoir painting is on loan from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. This is another beautiful landscape painting by Renoir. Chatou was a frequent subject of Renoir for his landscapes, and I have already posted paintings of the railway bridge and the Seine River at Chatou.

Before seeing this Renoir Landscapes exhibit artist Jay Rolfe hadn't seen enough landscapes by Renoir to appreciate his skill and the beauty of his landscapes that artist Jay Rolfe recognized for Renoir's still life, portrait, and nude paintings.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir "The Seine At Chatou"

Here's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Today's photo is another from the Renoir Landscapes exhibit that artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week. It is Pierre Auguste Renoir's 1881 painting "The Seine At Chatou." It has a delicate beauty to it. As with any painting, it looks much better in full size and in person.

Renoir "Woman With A Parasol And A Small Child On A Sunlit Hillside"

Here's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Today's photo from artist Jay Rolfe is of a painting he saw at the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibit is on display through January 6, 2008. The exhibit was previously at the National Gallery, London (February 21-May 20, 2007) and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (June 8-September 9, 2007). Philadelphia is the last stop for the exhibit, so you have about 10 days to see it in Philadelphia.

Today's photo from artist Jay Rolfe is "Woman With A Parasol And A Small Child On A Sunlit Hillside" from 1874 by Pierre Auguste Renoir. Although there are strong portrait elements, the landscape element is very strong. It's a strikingly beautiful painting, and somewhat similar to a couple by Monet. This painting was lent to the exhibit by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Renoir "The Grand Canal, Venice"

Here's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Artist Jay Rolfe saw the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week. Today's photo is from that exhibit and by Pierre Auguste Renoir from 1881 titled "The Grand Canal, Venice" and is on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It's a beautiful painting, although very unlike the popular Canaletto scenes of the Grand Canal.

Renoir "The Railway Bridge At Chatou"

Today's photo from artist Jay Rolfe is another from the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It's titled "The Railway Bridge At Chatou" from 1881 by Pierre Auguste Renoir, and also on loan from Musee d'Orsay. The railway bridge is largely obscured from view by the flowering trees in the landscape, but it is very pretty.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

"The Seine At Champrosay" by Renoir

Artist Jay Rolfe attended the exhibit of Renoir Landscapes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art recently. One of the featured paintings, on loan from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, was Renoir's "The Seine At Champrosay." Jay Rolfe preferred the colors and composition of this painting, "The Seine At Champrosay," to the one he posted yesterday, "The Seine At Argenteuil." This photo comes from the website of the Musee d'Orsay.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir "The Seine At Argenteuil"

"The Seine At Argenteuil" from 1873 is one of the Pierre Auguste Renoir paintings artist Jay Rolfe saw in the Renoir Landscapes exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this week. The painting is on loan from Musee d'Orsay in Paris France. So today's photo, "The Seine At Argenteuil," comes from the Musee d'Orsay.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir Landscapes at Philadelphia Museum of Art

Artist Jay Rolfe really enjoyed the "Renoir Landscapes" exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There were many beautiful and famous Renoir paintings on display, including today's photo titled "Portrait of Alfred Berard With His Dog" painted in 1881. Yes, it does look like a portrait and is called "Portrait of ...", but it was included because it has a strong landscape element, arguably more than a mere background. In any event, it is a beautiful painting and is in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art where artist Jay Rolfe has seen it frequently.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir "Portrait of Mademoiselle Legrand"

Artist Jay Rolfe will be visiting the exhibit of Renoir Landscapes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art later today. He's looking forward with great anticipation. Artist Jay Rolfe already purchased and reviewed the exhibition catalog, "Renoir Landscapes," so he has good reason to be excited about viewing the exhibit.

Today's photo from artist Jay Rolfe is another Renoir painting at the Philadelphia Museum, a portrait titled "Portrait of Mademoiselle Legrand." It's a beautifully done portrait of a young girl that surely captures her personality. Here's a link to the Museum's web page. http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/82727.html

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.

Renoir's Landscape "Les Grands Boulevards"

On Monday, artist Jay Rolfe will be viewing the special exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Renoir Landscapes. The Philadelphia Museum has many Renoir portraits, nudes, and even still life paintings. Artist Jay Rolfe is only familiar with one landscape in the permanent collection. And here it is, "Les Grands Boulvards," painted in 1875. Like Monet, Renoir did an occasional Paris boulevard scene, although their friend Camille Pisarro did lots of them and did them well. Here's the link to the Museum's web page. http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/82739.html

Thank you for indulging me while I get in the mood for the Renoir Landscapes exhibit. As an aside, even the Barnes Foundation, with its more than 180 Renoirs, has very few landscapes. It seems that it was early in his career when Renoir painted most of his landscape paintings. Albert Barnes collected later in Renoir's career. Of course, Renoir is most known for his portraits and nudes, especially his bathers. I have been struck by how beautiful some of his still life paintings are.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, his Hyper Representational 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/. Artist Jay Rolfe uses vibrant color, 3-D, recognizable shape, and huge size to reveal beauty, touch emotion in a positive way, and create an Uplifting Conversation Piece.