2008 in Review

It's the last day of the year, time to take stock of the year gone by. What an exciting year it has been!

I created a number of artworks I'm proud of. I drove across and around the country with my wife, something I've wanted to do for many years. And I continued to immerse myself in painting and sculpture by visiting museums around the country and really enjoying many of the works I saw. I don't know which one to show on today's post, but I guess it will come to me before I finish the post. The museums I visited this year include:

• Barnes Foundation, Merion PA
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
• Ross Gallery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
• University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
• Delaware Art Museum
• Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts
• Museum of Modern Art, New York
• Metropolitan Museum, New York
• Guggenheim Museum, New York
• Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
• Frick Museum, New York
• Neue Galerie, New York
• New York City Waterfalls (Olafur Eliasson)
• Dia Beacon, Beacon NY
• Mass MoCA, North Adams MA
• Bruce Museum, Greenwich CT
• Baltimore Art Museum
• Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Louis Comfort Tiffany collection), Winter Park FL
• Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, Winter Park FL
• Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park FL
• National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
• Phillips Collection, Washington DC
• Corcoran Gallery, Washington DC
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC
• Laguna Beach Museum of Art, CA
• Frederick R Weisman Foundation, Beverly Hills CA
• LA MOCA, Los Angeles CA
• Kimbell Art Museum, Ft Worth TX
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Ft Worth TX
• Dallas Museum of Art
• Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas TX
• Georgia O'Keefe Museum, Santa Fe NM
• LA County Museum of Art (LACMA)
• Broad Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles CA
• Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach CA
• Denver Museum of Art (including preview of Clyfford Still Museum collection)
• Denver Contemporary Art Museum
• Whitney Museum of Western Art, Cody WY
• Sculpture Garden, Buffalo Bill Museum, Cody WY
• Frederick R Weisman Museum at U of MN, Minneapolis MN
• Walker Art Center, Minneapolis MN
• Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Aside from creating art and visiting museums, I also read Hilary Spurling's extensive 2 volume biography of Henri Matisse which I thoroughly enjoyed, Matisse's essay Notes of a Painter, Kandinsky's Concerning the Spiritual in Art, an illuminating collection of essays and letters called Writings on Art - Mark Rothko, and The Writings of Robert Motherwell. And now I've embarked on John Richardson's 3 volume biography A Life of Picasso! I also read several national art magazines each month.

I've finally selected not one but two images to go with this post, both colorful although created 500 years apart, and both from the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft Worth TX, our first scheduled art museum stop on our cross country trip (I visited all the art museums from the Kimbell to the end of the list on our summer cross country trip). Fra Angelico's 1429-1430 small painting The Apostle Saint James the Greater Freeing the Magician Hermogenes, and a late Henri Matisse from 1946, Asia.

I didn't know I'd done so much this year! No wonder I feel like I've been busy. A review really is very valuable for appreciating all one has accomplished. I hope you've had a great year too. Thanks for reading my blog.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

You can view some of my 3-D paintings and mixed media works on my website, www.jayrolfe.com/.

Pablo Picasso's "Boy Leading a Horse"

What else did Leo and Gertrude Stein hang in their apartment?

In 1906 they also acquired and hung the 7 feet tall Picasso, "Boy Leading a Horse." While not as avant garde as Matisse's two paintings featured in my most recent posts, it was not traditional. Leo Stein showed Picasso both Matisse's and Picasso's own paintings hanging in his apartment, encouraging a rivalry. When Picasso saw the three paintings side-by-side, Hilary Spurling in The Unknown Matisse says, "Picasso had been shaken by 'Woman in a Hat', and seriously perturbed by 'Le Bonheur de Vivre'." The rest, as they say, is history, art history!

Today Picasso's "Boy Leading a Horse" hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Here's a link to the web page about it. http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79994

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

Henri Matisse's "The Joy of Life"

Shortly after the 1905 Salon d'Automne at which he debuted "Woman in a Hat," featured in my most recent two posts, Matisse painted the large "Le Bonheur de Vivre" ("The Joy of Life") over the winter of 1905-1906. Rosa Arpino, an Italian woman who modelled for art schools in Paris, was the female model for all the female figures in the almost 6 feet by 8 feet painting.

"Le Bonheur de Vivre" was exhibited in April 1906 at the Salon d'Independants in Paris, and at the end of the exhibit on April 30, Leo Stein bought "Le Bonheur de Vivre." It's a beautiful painting, one I've seen many times at the Barnes Foundation in Merion PA. Although it hung in the living room of the Steins, it hangs above the landing of the staircase from the first to the second floor at the Barnes Foundation. It's interesting that there is a small circle of dancing women in "Le Bonheur de Vivre" and Matisse would produce "The Dancers" three years later in 1909 for Sergei Shchukin, the Moscow textile magnate, which was to hang in the staircase of his mansion. The second version of "The Dancers" now hangs above the staircase landing in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. What's with all these staircase paintings?

So the Steins had Matisse's "Woman in a Hat" and Matisse's "Le Bonheur de Vivre" on their walls. What fabulous paintings to have hanging in your home, although in that day they were considered scandalous.

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

Henri Matisse's "Woman in a Hat"

Henri Matisse's "Woman in a Hat", which was the subject of my post yesterday, was sold from its original showing at the 1905 Salon d'Automne in Paris to some American collectors. Leo and Gertrude Stein, brother and sister, telegraphed Matisse of their desire to buy it. Leo was actually buying it for his brother and sister-in-law Michael and Sarah Stein.

"Woman in a Hat" is now in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. You may see it on the museum's website. http://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/213

There is no substitute for seeing an original painting as opposed to a print. It's amazing the difference in reproductions. Today's image is taken from the SFMOMA website, while yesterday's image is from the Matisse biography, The Unknown Matisse.

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

Matisse, Picasso, Steve Martin, and the Lapin Agile

Last weekend we saw a play written by American comedian Steve Martin at the Delaware Theatre Company called Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It's a fictional story of Picasso meeting Einstein at a local Parisian cafe in 1904, before either was famous. In the dialogue, Picasso took a few swipes at his rival Matisse. It was hilarious and we really enjoyed it.

I've been reading a two volume biography of Henri Matisse, who gave up law to be an artist, written by Hilary Spurling. Volume one is The Unknown Matisse, A Life of Henri Matisse: The Early Years, 1869-1908. Volume two is Matisse The Master, A Life of Henri Matisse, The Conquest of Colour, 1909-1954.

After spending the summer of 1905 painting in Collioure on the French Mediterranean near the border with Spain, Matisse submitted several paintings the the Salon d'Automne in Paris, notably "Woman in a Hat" and "The Open Window, Collioure." Matisse and his experimental friends Derain, Vlaminck, Marquet, Manguin, and Camoin, had their paintings shown in what became known as the notorious room or gallery Salle VII. Spurling writes that while Matisse was inspecting the installation of the paintings before the opening with writer Louis Vauxcelles, "Vauxcelles noticed a couple of academic sculptures placed incongruously in the middle of Salle VII and made what became a famous wisecrack to Matisse: 'a Donatello among the wild beasts [fauves].'" Vauxcelles then published his quip in a magazine article and Matisse's group got its name, Fauves.

The critics had little good to say about the Fauves at the time of the Salon d'Automne. Spurling reports, "Even young artists eager to identify themselves with everything that was new and forward-looking found this latest work [Matisse's "Woman in a Hat"] hard to take. One of them was the writer Francis Carco, a friend of the twenty-four-year-old Pablo Picasso, whose reputation was already gaining ground in Montmartre in spite of the fact that hardly anyone had seen his work. Carco, hanging out at Picasso's local, the Lapin Agile, could make no sense at all of the Spaniard's pronouncements on modern art: 'And I was starting to ask myself if, in spite of his astonishing powers of persuasion, Picasso was not getting more pleasure from mystifying us than he was from actually painting, when the notorious "Woman in a Hat" [by Matisse] taught me more in an instant than all his [Picasso's] paradoxes.... there emanated from this singular work ... such an evidently conscious fixity of purpose that, after an interval of more than thirty years, I still have not forgotten it.'"

Spurling continues, "Certainly, the regulars at the Lapin Agile, like Francis Carco, were powerfully impressed. Picasso (who had not yet met Matisse) felt he had been decisively outflanked."

Well, Steve Martin knows his art history and was aware of Picasso's local cafe, the Lapin Agile. It seems that in 1904 Matisse, who was 35 and married, while Picasso was 24 and single, was more experimental and more of a leader of art movements than Picasso.

I find the interplay between Matisse and Picasso fascinating. You can view some of my 3-D paintings 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/.

Aelbert Cuyp at the Corcoran

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this Aelbert Cuyp painting at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington and was reminded that he is the Dutch painter of cows. At the time, cows symbolized the Dutch prosperity, and Cuyp was good at depicting them. Rolfe has seen many Cuyp cow paintings in European museums.

The photo of the day is Aelbert Cuyp's 1650 painting "Landscape With Herdsmen."

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/.

Edgar Degas "School of Dance" at the Corcoran

Another painting artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery was by Edgar Degas in 1873 titled "School of Dance." Degas painted many ballet scenes, many in class situations. The ballet scenes are perhaps his most popular paintings. This one is full of action and tutus.

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/.

John Singer Sargent at the Corcoran

John Singer Sargent's portrait "Marie Buloz Pailleron (Madame Edouard Pailleron)" set in the outdoors was unusual for 1879. This is one of the paintings artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery in the "American Evolution" exhibit. The outdoor setting and the light around the figure seem somewhat radical for the time. Compare this painting with Sargent's more formal portrait "Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White (Mrs. Henry White)" painted in 1883 which is featured in the post of July 30, 2008 on this blog.

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/.

Cy Twombly at the Corcoran

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this Cy Twombly painting at the Corcoran's exhibit "American Evolution." By the time this was painted in 1968, Twombly had been living permanently in Rome, Italy for a number of years. This painting, "Synopsis of a Battle," is typical of many famous Twombly paintings. It is painted like a blackboard and then drawn or written on with paint, crayon, or pencil as if it were chalk. What's the point? Who knows. But they sell for a lot of money.

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/.

Gene Davis "Black Popcorn"

Gene Davis was a Washington DC painter who died in 1985 and was known for his colorful striped paintings. This example was at the recent "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery. Davis painted "Black Popcorn" in 1965. The Phillips Collection, also in Washington DC, has a number of colorful Davis striped canvases.

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/.

Kenneth Nolan at "American Evolution"

At the Corcoran Gallery's "American Evolution" exhibit, artist Jay Rolfe saw Kenneth Nolan's "Brown Stretched" painted in 1966. It's a large diamond shaped canvas with 4 color bands on it. It is a so-called non-objective painting, which means that it doesn't mean anything, it's just there and you can think what you want. Rolfe likes the shape. The pattern and colors don't excite him.

Kenneth Nolan's "Brown Stretched" is the photo of the day.

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/.

Cecilia Beaux

Cecilia Beaux was a Philadelphia artist who painted marvelous portraits. Artist Jay Rolfe has seen many in museums, especially the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This one was in the "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery. It was painted in 1921 and is titled "Sita and Sarita." The cat and the sitter's playful hand add life to Beaux' technical mastery.

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/.

Chairman "Mao" at the Corcoran

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/.

This is the last weekend for this exhibit "American Evolution" at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, "Mao" by Andy Warhol is the second image, along with Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington" to greet the visitor at the entrance to the "American Evolution" exhibit which artist Jay Rolfe recently viewed at the Corcoran Gallery. Here is the Corcoran Gallery's image of that painting. It makes for a very interesting juxtaposition with "George Washington." "Mao" is much more colorful, larger, and depicts a world leader from another country and culture rather than from our country.

Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington"

Artist Jay Rolfe learned that Gilbert Stuart's Anthenaeum portrait of George Washington, the one you always see, was so popular that many people wanted to buy a copy. So Gilbert Stuart made a number of what he called "plurality" paintings, his copies which were almost identical. Many museums have one, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Corcoran Gallery has two.

In the "American Evolution" exhibit, the older George Washington portrait, painted in 1796-1803 was juxtaposed with Andy Warhol's painting of "Mao" who was the leader of the most populous country in the world. They were right next to each other as the introductory paintings to the whole exhibit. You can see what they looked like next to each other by scrolling back to the post on this blog for July 19, 2008.

Today's photo of the day is the 1803 "plurality" version of Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington." It was painted 170 years before Andy Warhol's "Mao."

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/.

John Singer Sargent

Artist Jay Rolfe saw a beautiful, and very large, in fact life-size, portrait by John Singer Sargent of "Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White (Mrs. Henry White)" painted in 1883 at the "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. It is today's photo of the day.

The exhibit closes after this Sunday July 27, 2008, so if you are interested in the exhibit, this is the last few days.

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/.

Ellsworth Kelly "Yellow With Red Triangle"

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/.

Artist Jay Rolfe viewed Ellsworth Kelly's "Yellow With Red Triangle" at the Corcoran Gallery recently. It was painted in 1973. This photo, from the Corcoran's website, has the red a little too orange. It was definitely an orange red, but there was more red in it than shows in the Corcoran's image. Jay Rolfe's photo taken in the gallery which had a yellow-beige wall, shows a little more of the red.

Richard Diebenkorn "Ocean Park #83"

Artist Jay Rolfe saw several of Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series of over 140 paintings while in Washington DC. This example, at the Corcoran Gallery, is "Ocean Park #83" painted in 1975. The first image is from the Corcoran's website. The second image is a photo Rolfe took. He thinks this painting looks better framed and on a wall with the floor visible.

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/.

Helen Frankenthaler "Hurricane Flag"

Helen Frankenthaler is an influential artist who worked in NYC and then moved to Bucks County PA. The work she's most known for is huge and in on unprimed canvas, and the paint kind of bleeds into the fabric and spreads at the edge of the color.

Artist Jay Rolfe saw this example at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. It was painted in 1969 and is called "Hurricane Flag." Who know what that means. This image comes from the Corcoran's website and fails to show the color of the canvas, probably because it was lighted too strongly for the photo. Therefore, Rolfe is also posting his photo of the same painting so you can see the color of the canvas. Also, the colors appeared in person to be dark green and brown with a pink tint, not black and pink.

If you have a chance this weekend to go to DC, this exhibit goes through Sunday July 27, 2008 at the Corcoran.

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/.

Rothko "Mulberry And Brown"

Mark Rothko's "Mulberry And Brown" from 1958 at the Corcoran Gallery seen recently by artist Jay Rolfe is rather dark and the colors are dull. Jay Rolfe prefers the brighter colors of Rothko's four paintings at the Phillips Collection which appeared in this blog on April 27, 28, 29, and 30, 2008. You may scroll down to compare the paintings for yourself.

The photo of the day is of Mark Rothko's "Mulberry And Brown."

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/.

de Kooning at the Corcoran

Willem de Kooning was an influential modern painter in NYC. At the Corcoran Gallery exhibit "American Evolution" visited by artist Jay Rolfe, de Kooning is represented by "Untitled IV" painted in 1979.

The "American Evolution" exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. continues through July 27, 2008. Artist Jay Rolfe believes it is worth a visit.

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/.

Hans Hofmann "Golden Blaze"

Artist Jay Rolfe saw a number of modern paintings at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC in the American Evolution exhibit. Among the striking paintings was Hans Hofmann's 1958 painting "Golden Blaze." Rolfe liked the strong colors.

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/.

Albert Bierstadt "The Last of the Buffalo"

Another Albert Bierstadt painting impressed artist Jay Rolfe at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC. "The Last of the Buffalo" was painted in 1888 and commemorates, well, what its title says. This image, from the Corcoran's website, is the photo of the day.

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/.

Albert Bierstadt "Mount Corcoran"

Albert Bierdstat painted this majestic painting "Mount Corcoran" in 1876-1877, that artist Jay Rolfe saw on a recent visit to the "American Evolution" exhibit. Bierstadt was apparently engaging in some friendly competition over majestic American landscapes with his friend Church who painted "Niagara" some years before. Bierstadt named the painting and the mountain for his hoped-for purchaser of the painting, Corcoran, even going so far as to have a government map altered to show an unnamed mountain as Mount Corcoran. His scheme was found out before the painting was purchased, but Corcoran purchased it nevertheless.

"Mount Corcoran" by Albert Bierstadt is the photo of the day. The exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery runs until July 27, 2008, so there is still time to visit.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. Jay Rolfe creates paintings and sculptures that uplift the spirit and nourish the soul. 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/.

Joan Mitchell "Salut Tom"

The largest painting artist Jay Rolfe saw at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC is by Joan Mitchell and titled "Salut Tom" painted in 1979 in Vetheuil, France where she was living at the time. It's a huge 4 panel painting with the panels joined together, although the 4 panels don't match at the edges. The colors and design do evoke similar feelings. The bright colors are appealing. Mitchell passed away in 1992.

"Salut Tom" owned and exhibited by the Corcoran Gallery is the photo of the day today. The painting was so large that 3 images taken from the middle of the opposite wall had to be joined together to create this photo which, as a result, has a fish-eye look.

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/.

"Niagara"

Perhaps the most impressive painting artist Jay Rolfe viewed in the Corcoran Gallery's exhibition on The American Evolution: A History Through Art, was "Niagara" by Frederic Edwin Church, painted in 1857. It's a very large painting, and it really captures the majesty and power of Niagara Falls as seen from the edge on the Canadian side. Even today the falls look very much like the painting. Shortly after it's completion, "Niagara" became famous and toured the country. Over 100,000 people paid 25 cents (in the late 1850's) to see it. "Niagara" is the photo of the day.

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/.

Corcoran Gallery "American Evolution" Exhibit

Artist Jay Rolfe recently attended the exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC titled The American Evolution: A History Through Art. The exhibit runs through July 27, 2008. It's a diverse group of paintings, spanning several centuries and many, many styles.

Perhaps the diversity of the exhibit is best symbolized by the paintings on a wall a short distance in front of one's face as one enters the first gallery. You are bound to recognize both paintings, Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington" from 1796-1803 and Andy Warhol's "Mao" from 1973. By the way, the Gilbert Stuart "George Washington" is one of two in the exhibit, the 1803 version being one of the "plurality" of the Athenaeum portrait that he painted.

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/.

Hanging A Huge Painting

Even the huge paintings have to have the hardware to hang on the wall. Here artist Jay Rolfe is installing the hanging hardware on the back of a large (8 feet high) Pop Art 3-D 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 signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.jayrolfe.com/.

Painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe"

Pop Art 3-D painter Jay Rolfe is shown here painting his 4 feet high version of his Pop Art 3-D painting "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe." Princess Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan (head chief of over 30 tribes), married John Rolfe on April 5, 1614, thus insuring a period of peace from Indian attacks for the Virginia settlers. John Rolfe secured permission from his Governor and from Chief Powhatan for his marriage to Pocahontas, and it took place in the Jamestown, Virginia church.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

Painting Pop Art 3-D "Euro Tan"

Today artist Jay Rolfe finished painting his new Pop Art 3-D painting "Euro Tan." The photo of the day shows Jay Rolfe putting the finishing touches on his Pop Art 3-D painting "Euro Tan."

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Adam and Eve"

Yes, artist Jay Rolfe paints on Saturday and Sunday. He really enjoys creating his Pop Art 3-D paintings, so, time permitting, he does it every day of the week. Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe working on a painting called "Adam and Eve" today.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

Body Parts for "Tan Lines"

Where to put the body parts in Jay Rolfe's 3-D Pop Art painting "Tan Lines." That's the challenge Jay Rolfe is working on in this photo of the day. Here the artist is measuring for proper placement of the body parts that will provide lots of 3-D for this Pop Art 3-D 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 signature style, his innovative Pop Art 3-D paintings, on his website at http://www.jayrolfe.com/.

New Pop Art 3-D Painting "Tan Lines"

Artist Jay Rolfe started a new Pop Art 3-D painting today, "Tan Lines." The photo of the day is Jay Rolfe painting it.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

Drudge report

Today's photo depicts some of the drudge work of an artist, making the paintings so the collector can hang them. Here is a photo of artist Jay Rolfe attaching hanger rings to the back of a canvas so he can attach a picture wire. Rolfe has found it "safer" to attach the hanging rings and wire before painting, as there is less chance of damaging the finished painting than when attaching them after completing the painting.

This is just a glimpse of the myriad things that need to be done besides putting paint on the canvas. With Jay Rolfe's large Pop Art 3-D paintings, he must create a 3-D framework on which to stretch the canvas. That takes a lot of time and energy. Fortunately, with the 3 feet high paintings he is working on today, he can use pre-stretched canvas.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Cosmos (Milky Way)" by Jay Rolfe

Artist Jay Rolfe completed several paintings today. Today's photo is of one of them. It's called "Cosmos (Milky Way)" and is 24" x 24" x 1 1/2" deep.

Jay Rolfe loves depicting the infinite, and especially in deep rich colors like the night sky.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

Contemporary Painting

Happy Monday! Jay Rolfe was working yesterday and today on the paintings he started on Friday. Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe working on those paintings yesterday.

Perhaps you can see Rolfe's red forehead from a little too much sun on Saturday. He forgot to wear his hat when he was out for a few hours at midday.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

New Pop Art 3-D Paintings

It's been a long day for artist Jay Rolfe who started some new paintings today. It's Friday, so celebrate the weekend!

Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe with the new canvases.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Cosmos 8"

"Cosmos 8" by Jay Rolfe was completed yesterday. Here's a photo of it. It's a small (18" x 24" x 1.5") painting of the Cosmos. Some of the creative process was described in yesterday's post.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Cosmos 8"

Jay Rolfe completed a new painting this morning, "Cosmos 8." It is small for Rolfe's paintings, 18" x 24" x 1.5". Today's photo is of him painting the stars on it.

Artists could call the process of painting the stars on this painting "process" art. That is, the artist removes himself (!) from the decisions of where to place the stars and lets the Universal force decide where his hand goes. It is true that Jay Rolfe didn't have a preconceived notion of where to put the stars, but let the feeling come over him. Does that make his paintings more valuable since the Universal force helped paint his painting of the universe, "Cosmos 8"? Would you pay more knowing this?

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Far Corner of the Universe"

Jay Rolfe's new Pop Art 3-D painting "Far Corner of the Universe" is unusual. It is designed to hang in a corner, and so it may appear as a far corner of the universe. It is 16" high by 13.5" wide and has 13.5" of depth. For more information, see the large photo on Jay Rolfe's website linked below.

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.jayrolfe.com/.

"Before the Fall" (Adam and Eve)

One of the four 3-D Pop Art paintings Jay Rolfe completed last week is this one, "Before the Fall." This is a 3 feet high version of his Adam and Eve series of 3-D Pop Art nudes.

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, many on shaped stretched canvas, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Rolling Sculpture

This morning there was a lot of variety at cars and coffee. Three Ferraris, 2 Maseratis, a brace of Porsches, a Lotus, a Viper, a Corvette, and some others.

A young officer of the local constabulary stopped by with his undercover police Dodge Charger with a Hemi and chatted. He loves the car. At first glance one wouldn't know it was a cop car, but if you look at the police-only issue wheels, you know. Today's photos are of the variety of cars and the undercover police cruiser.

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, many on shaped stretched canvas, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

"My Little Corner of the World" by Jay Rolfe

"My Little Corner of the World" is Jay Rolfe's newest painting, completed yesterday. It is small, 6" high by 7 1/2 inches wide by 7 1/2 inches deep. And it's clearly a landscape. This, and my other corner paintings, are designed to fill a gap. Lots of walls have something in the center, but nothing near the corner. In fact, people sometimes think of the corner as dark or dirty. Isn't it cool to put something awesome in the corner and watch people see the corner differently?

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, many on shaped stretched canvas, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Small "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered"

Today's photo is of Jay Rolfe's small size (for him) 3-D Pop Art painting titled "Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe Uncovered." It is 3 feet tall, and the first to be completed of the four he is working on in different sizes. He finished the painting on Tuesday, took photos yesterday and intended to post one yesterday, but they turned out to be blurred - always use the tripod! Another set of photos today taken using the tripod did work out, and here's one of the photos.

Many people have heard of Princess Pocahontas and the false story of her saving the life of Captain John Smith when she was age 12 or less in 1607.

The really romantic and interesting story is that in 1614 Princess Pocahontas was captured by the Virginia colonists, held hostage near Jamestown, converted to Christianity and given the Christian name of Rebecca, and fell in love with the gentleman farmer who helped the minister teach her Christianity, and married the gentleman farmer, John Rolfe, with both the permission of her father, Chief or Emperor Powhatan, and the Governor of the Virginia colony. Two years later, Princess Pocahontas visited England with her husband John Rolfe and their son Thomas Rolfe. Princess Pocahontas and John Rolfe were received by the King and Queen of England.

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, many on shaped stretched canvas, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.