Fun Friday Resources

Let’s look at a some resources for STEALING FROM THE BEST.

It is a tired trope of the art world that people will stand in front of a piece of abstract art and sneer, “My four-year-old could have done that.” Really? Because look what it took for Jackson Pollock to create one of his famous — and famously messy — paintings in two videos: Part 1 | Part 2

In a similar vein, there’s Red, a play by John Logan about the artist Mark Rothko, in which Rothko and his assistant work on a giant canvas, a commission for a swanky restaurant. We see not only Rothko’s process (fictionalized, but still) but also witness a discussion of the purpose of art. You can watch Alfred Molina and Alfred Enoch perform in the revival (Molina originated the role) on Amazon and the National Theatre’s streaming service.

Here’s an interview with comic book artist Ian Bertram on encouraging your inner artist. As the cutline says, “Comic book artist Ian Bertram discusses making time and space for creativity, finding an overall balance, and the difficulty of describing your own work.”

And finally, Open Culture has a great article on How Four Masters Sculpted David, examining the works of Michelangelo, Donatello, Verocchio, and Bernini, and the differences in politics and culture that influenced them.

On a personal note, I’ve seen the Michelangelo and the Bernini originals, and the copy of the Donatello in the plaza of the Palazzo Vecchio. The Michelangelo is as breathtaking as you’ve been told it is.

Have a good weekend!