Sunday, November 21, 2010

Art Museum Sketchbook

I spent a few happy hours at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It's one of my favorites and I never get to spend enough time there.

 
There was a roomful of drawings by George Grosz, who called himself, "the Saddest Man in Europe" He's best known for his harsh drawings of 1920's Berlin. I loved the childlike symplicity of his linework. There were lots of drawings of tenements with people looking out windows, mostly sad, drunks and hookers. But one man was looking out the window and smiling. He had a little plant and was the one hopeful looking person in the scene.



A new acquisitions was a giant ceramic wall piece designed by Matisse in the fifties. Titled La Gerbe or The Sheaf, it was one of the last pieces Matisse did. He designed it out of cut paper, and it was made into tile. (He called it "painting with scissors" so of course I adored it right away.)  I wanted to take it home with me.  My tiny doodle doesn't do it justice so click on the link to see the real deal.

There were so many things to draw but I only had a few hours. I'm planning a trip next month when my friend lynn comes to visit. There is a textile and clothing exhibition that I must see.

Where is your favorite museum? (I know that it is hard to pick one.) What art piece would you most like to have in your home?

Marilyn.

8 comments:

  1. It is a hard choice- I love the Cleveland Museum of Fine Art in Cleveland,Ohio- it has a great collection and wonderful special programs- and it is close.
    But for my totally favorite- I'd have to say The Cloisters - http://www.metmuseum.org/cloisters/ - in NY,NY. Everytime I go to the city, I long to visit this museum. And if I can't I always feel like I must go back soon. It is a museum and a holy place for me- and the gardens are a boon and a blessing.
    I like to have small pieces- tokens, as it were of artists I know. Pieces by friends are the art I like to own. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've always wanted to go the Cloisters. The website shows such wonderful pieces. I could spend days there drawing. I'd have to say my world favorite is the Victoria and Albert in London. Just glory to be there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is that a story board moleskine you drew on? What did you use to color the Matisse in your sketchbook?

    I haven't been to enough museums to say which is my favorite, but I really liked the Kunsthaus in Zurich when there a few months back. They had a few Paul Klee's I wouldn't mind having!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alice! Hello!

    Yep, it's a little moleskin for storyboards. I like the little boxes. I used watercolors for the Matisse. I have a little water brush that is spiff.

    Don't quote me but, I think that the Norton Simon has one of the world's largest collections of Klee. I'm thinking we need to plan a sketch trip for the group.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's MoMA (New York) for me, because they have a Cisitalia in their collection that I could stand to take home, but more like in the garage than in my home ;-)
    Maybe a Chagall or two as well!

    ReplyDelete
  6. lovely sketches here! makes me want to dash up to LACMA... I can't wait to see the textile exhibit!

    one of my very favorite museum trips was to the Ghibli museum in Tokyo. *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
  7. i went to the getty museum once when it was still in malibu...that was amazing! the de young museum in san francisco was always fun when we lived in the bay area.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The de Young Museum is wonderful! I remember going there in High School and buying a copy of "The Orange Fairy Book" sitting outside and eating a mint Ghiardelli's chocolate bar. = heaven.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.