George Bodine, “Forgotten Soul”

Look for new works by George Bodine in his December exhibition, “Here and Abroad”

New works by George Bodine and Kirk Tatom—Saturday, December 18^th, 2010 6 pm

George Bodine has never had an art lesson, nor attended an art workshop. But if an old Master from the 1800s stepped into Bodine’s studio, he would feel at home amidst the smells and techniques. This self-taught artist has studied pigments, how to make them, their archival qualities, and their history. Bodine’s life has taken him from career to career: an oil field worker, a police officer, an underground miner, a cab driver in Denver, a Navy fighter pilot and TOPGUN instructor, and he currently flies internationally as an airline pilot. It is through this current occupation that Bodine travels to Italy, his main inspiration and painting subject, visiting favored cultural sites and museums. And so it is Sorolla, Zorn, Van Gogh, and Sargent who have become his teachers.

George Bodine, "Unforgiven"

George Bodine, "High Tide - Venice"

Jennifer Carr, Fine Art Consultant at Gallery MAR, will be contributing to our Park City blog this spring, with her Italian Insights and Adventures. This week’s adventure brought Jennifer through the volcano cloud to Paris, France, where she begins her three month trip. Look for more updates and inspirations from her travels throughout Italy and beyond.

As the train pulled up to the station, I couldn’t help but feel like I was looking at a postcard. The canals, the gondolas, the multi colored building bunched together. It was a bright and sunny day and the streets were packed with people. All the little shops lining the street selling gelato, masks, murano glass…  and as you pass by every canal, or break between buildings, there is the picture-perfect scene of Venice. San Marcos Piazza is massive and the basilica has such detail to it, you could stare at it for hours.

The Peggy Guggenheim museum was my favorite. It housed “Arc of Pedals” by Alexander Calder (he is one of my all time favorites), “On the Beach” by Picasso and “Angel of the City” by Marini. I enjoyed Doge’s Palace and learning more about the history of Venice at the Museum Correr. The gondola ride was a wonderful addition to the experience  and I loved  the guides (if you couldn’t tell by the photo).

I will be back to visit Murano, Burano and Verona before I leave so there will be more from Venice.  But next it up is a week in Rome!

Jennifer Carr, Fine Art Consultant at Gallery MAR, will be contributing to our Park City blog this spring, with her Italian Insights and Adventures. This week’s adventure brought Jennifer through the volcano cloud to Paris, France, where she begins her three month trip. Look for more updates and inspirations from her travels throughout Italy and beyond.

Jennifer Carr (center) with friends

I went to Paris for the weekend before my travels in Italy began. I had 3 days and 60 museums/monuments at my fingertips. Everywhere you looked were beautiful flowers, bridges and sculptures. The parks were filled with groups of people lounging and enjoying the day. The Louvre was incredible and a bit overwhelming; you could spend all day there and still have exhibition left to see.

We road bikes through the city so we wouldn’t miss any of the scenery as we went from Notre Dame, to the Champs- Elysees , the Eiffel Tower and the list continues…

My favorite space was the water lily rooms in the Musee de l’Organgerie. You walk through the doors and the walkway’s sides are filled with Monet’s history of his life, gardens, and paintings. You then enter the first room of blank walls and complete silence. As you move into the next room you understand why. The circular walls are filled with Monet’s water lily paintings from his series in 1916-1923. His garden and especially the lilies were a huge passion of his and it is very present throughout the room.

I have loved Monet since my elementary art docent introduced him to our class, and seeing his works of that magnitude, in person, was an amazing experience I will always remember.

Next up Milano……Ciao!

Gallery MAR artist Ryan Brown has been living in Florence, Italy for the past year finalizing his plans for a new venture: Painting in Florence, a fine art school. This is an incredible opportunity for artists, professionals and amateurs alike who dream of painting alongside skilled instructors in Tuscany for two-week sessions this September and October.

The painting above, “Tuscan Hills,” is one of Brown’s pieces here at Gallery MAR and was painted on site in Tuscany.

Brown’s website, www.paintinginflorence.com, describes the experience as, “An incredible 11 day painting escape to some of the most beautiful cities in the heart of Tuscany. Exclusive class sizes will allow ample time for students to ask questions, have daily one on one critiques and see multiple demonstrations. Each of the teachers knowledge and experience with the region will also allow students the opportunity for a more intimate view of Italian culture and its history. So, whether your an experienced painter or a beginning student, or even a painters companion, these workshops offer a unique opportunity to see, learn about and experience the historical beauty of Italy in a way you will treasure forever!”

During my college years, I was able to study painting in Florence through the SACI program and Pepperdine University. Studying Art in the birthplace of the renaissance was a life experience like no other and I encourage you to contact Ryan Brown and his colleagues if you are interested. Ahh, to be in Italy again…