Stu News and Photos

I am a dedicated amateur Abstract Expressionist. I suck, but I am dedicated to it. Mostly I am dedicated to learning about it (as the actual painting process is extremely intimidating to me. As for the learning process, that is a joy. I read about the original New York School when I find the time. These artists, who not-so-happily received the label Abstract Expressionists, include Pollock, de Kooning, Rothko, Reinhardt, Krasner, and others. They created work in the middle of last century that has captured my heart and imagination.

One of the major artists from this period is Helen Frankenthaler, who suggested that one should work on improving one's wrist motion so that it synchronized with one's heart and mind, such that the subsequent paintings appeared to be done in a minute. Some of my favorite Frankenthaler's are White Joy, Bella Donna, Deep Sun, and (definitely my current fave rave) Untitled (1996) which shows to me that one can create great Art decades after one becomes famous.

One of her major works, The Bay, was vandalized recently, as a twelve year-old boy stuck a wad of gum on the painting. The gum came off, and the resulting stain will be repaired in the next two days, so no huge deal. The giant silver lining is that regular people are talking about Frankenthaler! How awesome!!