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/.