For the “LOVE” of Indiana
Robert Indiana, thanks to a single work of "LOVE," remained popular with the public for decades, while often being dismissed by the mainstream art world. Lisa Wainwright takes a deeper dive to answer why. More...
Contrarian
Feminist intellectual Germain Greer has long been known for her powerful critique of the submissive role of women. DeWitt Chen responds to her recently aired views concerning art education. Should we just be doing it at home? More...
The Museum as a Creative Laboratory
The Torrance Museum recently set up a group of open studios right in their public space, effectively urbanizing the artist in residence. More...
Lies to Deceive, Lies to Reveal
Art is all about lies that "enables us to realize the truth." But then there are lies of deceit, which our culture today is wallowing in. More...
Considering the Viewer
Often artists either fail to consider their viewers, or pointedly disregard them. Richard Speer explains the value of concern for the viewer. More...
Feminizing Male Stereotypes
Conventional notions of masculinity are questioned in the work of young artists Nathan Vincent and Jose Villalobos. More...
Mr. Rodin meet Mr. Schnabel
The Legion of Honor's contemporary artist series the last couple years has sought to stir the pot of its own traditionalism. So who better to shake things up with historical privilege than the swaggering neo-expressionist Julian Schnabel? More...
Favorite Artworks for Different Reasons
If you love art and have even a modest collection, chances are you’d have a hard time saying which piece is your favorite. For Richard Speer there is the story of his first. . . More...
Is Death an Unfair Advantage?
Why is it that some artists of more or less equal talent are neglected and others praised and celebrated? Matthew Kangas explores a list to factors that go into an artist's historical reputation. More...
No Time to Sit Around: An Unexpected Memoriam
James Yood recalls his youthful experience of the climactic year 1968 a half century ago. This turned out to be his final short essay, as Yood tragically died of a heart attack on April 20th at age 65. More...
Artists with Disabilities
When Bay Area artist Katherine Sherwood was 44, when an artist is usually considered to be at mid-career, she lost the use of her dominant hand after suffering a stroke. She addressed the negative stereotyping of people with disabilities by creating clever and compelling paintings. More...
Remembering Sandra Stone
Poet Sandra Stone was familiar to many artists and writers in and around Portland for more than her regular presence at art walks and host of studio salons. She wrote with insight, chutzpah and a first person voice that inhabited some of history's most interesting and idiosyncratic artists. More...
The Power of Mark Making
Recent exhibitions by Robin Mitchell and Robert Walker demonstrated the continued viability of obsessive mark making. The accumulated effect of such accumulations transfers a heightened state of consciousness from artist to viewer. More...
Hail to the Chief
DeWitt Cheng shares the affection so many hold for former President Obama; but not quite so much for the recently unveiled official portraits. More...
Art and Apocalypse
Images of annihilation have take on fresh urgency during the past year. Richard Speer calls our attention to a pair of exhibitions that suggest a silver lining that are not mere exercises in denial. More...
