Art Found Out - World Arts Observed

Tonight home late after a peaceful session in the new studio I chanced upon an interesting blog called Art Found Out via the delightful La Vie est Belle.

both images from La Vie est Belle.

Shona Heath

ART FOUND OUT  is a fascinating blog "committed to artists who are informed by the world around them or driven by highly personal artistic vision". The statement in the right hand sidebar is most illuminating - comprehensively put together by Scott Rothstein over the last 4 years.

The range of artists presented is extraordinary - the accompanying text excellent - so much so that there is a rich archive here to trawl through and appreciate the diversity of art forms and individual expression.

One artist featured from Cuba is Jose Garcia Montebravo whose work is extensively archived at www.indigoarts.com - a site that contains a vast wealth of artists from many cultural backgrounds.

Montebravo was born in 1953 on the south coast of Cuba, about 4 hours from Havana where he still lives. A prolific artist who has shown many times in Cuba and abroad.

'Infanta con Pez', 2004

From India artist Lalitha Lajmi

images from Saffron Art - site for contemporary Indian Art.

Saffron Art Profile:

Coming from a family involved in the arts, Lalitha Lajmi was very fond of classical dance even as a child. "But we were from a middle class background and my family couldn't afford my joining a classical dance class," recalls Lajmi. She had the urge to paint too, and her uncle, B.B. Benegal, a commercial artist from Kolkata, (where Lajmi grew up), brought her a box of paints. "I am a self taught artist and have received no formal art training," she says. "I began painting seriously in 1961, and in those days one couldn't sell one's work. I had to teach art in school to earn a living." 

One of the best watercolorists in India, for Lajmi, nurturing her passion for art and cinema was a constant struggle. Indian films have been the biggest influence on my work, especially the ones made by my brother (Guru Dutt), Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor." 

Even though she read art books regularly and constantly experimented, Lajmi says, "there was no sense of direction in my work until the late 70's. I felt I had to evolve." By mid-80's, she was doing etchings, oils and watercolors. She held several exhibitions at international art galleries in Paris, London and Holland. In Lajmi's works, one finds a strong autobiographical element. In some of her later works, particularly the ones from late 80's and early 90's, one can find a reflection of hidden tensions that exist between men and women, captured in the different roles they play. Yet, her women are not meek individuals, but assertive and aggressive. "I use the images of Durga or Kali on the top of emaciated men who are kneeling, almost as if they were in the middle of some form of classical corporal punishment," laughs Lajmi. 

Lajmi has also depicted the natural bonding that exists between women, between mother and daughter figures, perhaps drawing from her own relationship with her filmmaker daughter, Kalpana. 

And from London....  a most curious one called The Museum of Everything: a space for artists and creators outside modern society. 

Go to the museum site and click on 'Some of our artists' ...then on an individual name to read these obscure yet fascinating bios.... I had a look at a number of the artist's brief bios then googled for more info.

One of many featured was Hector Hippolyte: 1894 -1948 - House painter and voodoo priest collected by Andre Breton who created his works with chicken feathers and furniture enamel spread by his own fingers.

Erzulie Auf Einem Delphin

Also at Art Found Out this link to a website:  Through the Sketchbook

 featuring many artists - click here.

below: From the sketchbooks of Beatrix Potter

From the Victoria and Albert Museum: At the age of 8 Beatrix Potter was already studying and recording the characteristics of a wide variety of animals, birds and insects in a home made sketchbook.