Martha Kelly Art blog - MARTHA KELLY ART

Published on: April 25, 2016

Rodin Museum, part 2

After sketching my way through the museum, I circled back to the beginning, where I had spotted something I wanted to do a fuller painting of. I drew standing there and made a couple of notes. I also did quick watercolor on site to get the subtleties of the sculpture itself. But on the bumpier watercolor paper, and working larger, I wanted to get my real brush and watercolor kit out instead of using the admittedly nifty brush pen that I use for quick sketches. So I went outside and sat under the tree in the painting and finished the rest of it, right then so I wouldn't forget.

Afterwards I walked through the gardens as well and found myself painting Eve, as I always seem to when I go. I'm not sure why she draws me so strongly, but she does. I was back to the fountain pen, tiny watercolor set, and quick and easy brush pen for this one.

Published on: April 23, 2016

Thursday paintings

Thursday morning I painted in the neighborhood since I wanted to paint my "local," Le Renitas. I had a lovely meal here last year. I liked the neighborhood sketching since it let me go home for lunch and tea and then walk downtown after.

I painted in the Tuileries in the afternoon. I've been thinking a lot about park spaces since we in Memphis are currently fighting our own city government to protect my beloved Overton Park. It's both good and bittersweet to see how fierce the French are about protecting their public spaces.

After painting I went back to the Musee d'Orsay for the evening hours. I was blown away by the five versions of Rouen cathedral in a row. Monet rented a shop window and painted I don't know how many versions at all times and weathers. I had just seen two in the Boston museum and loved them.

I had a Monet evening, also doing a sketch of his large, spectacular painting of turkeys. Something about the light and color and scale always makes me think of Sargent's Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, which is amusing with the different subject matter. It's one of my favorite Monets, and I decided I was due to spend a little time looking at it closely, which for me usually equates to sketching it.

I had hoped to see the full moon rise over the Louvre afterwards, but there was a solid low bank of clouds, and the evening was fine, so I ended up just walking beautifully home through the warm streets. It was a delightful day

Published on: April 23, 2016

Rodin Museum, part 1

The Rodin museum is one of my favorite places in Paris, and they finally have the main building back open again. It was socked in on Friday, so I decided to go check it out. It is one of my favorite places to sketch as well, so I thoroughly enjoyed my day.

Published on: April 20, 2016

Museum sketching

I went to the Musee d'Orsay this afternoon. It's a lovely old train station building, is less of a cattle call of traffic than the Louvre, and has a lovely collection, if more modern. I did a little sketching, as I tend to do in musuems. First was a charming Bonnard of a woman with her dog, their heads charmingly close together. Then two of the 15 panels Redon did for a rich patron's dining room. I love the room where they show several of them together (not all of them are on display, sadly).

Finally I sketched a Vuillard portrait of a couturier. It reminded me of all those Rembrandt portraits of guild masters and important men sitting at tables with symbols of wealth and power and the tools of their trades. I loved seeing a successful, creative, powerful woman also immortalized in this genre. And the piece is so beautifully painted.

A very kind woman took photos of me as I was sketching and then took the trouble to send them to me. Here's what a traveling artist looks like for much of almost any trip....

Published on: March 16, 2016

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

I spent one stellar day in the MFA last week. It started with a harp demonstration in the musical instruments collection. Neat to see the ancient instruments played and the history explained. Of course I sketched. Both the demo and the audience.

Most of the rest of the day I just looked at art. The John Singer Sargent room blew me away. I'd seen small reproductions of the huge portrait of the four sisters, but walking into the room with it in person just blew me away. I stood there with tears in my eyes for a good while. If I'd had more time, I would have sketched more, but I wanted to see my main highlights (Sargent, two Constables, Inness and the Hudson River school, a couple of just lovely Pieter Claesz still lifes) thoroughly and deeply.

I did take a lunch break in the early afternoon and sketched a bit as a palette cleanser. I also wrote down several quotes that really grabbed me from the tags. The presentation in the museum was stellar. Such a pleasant, light, open place to see the art. I loved it. I could spend days there.

I did one more quick sketch at the end because, after illustration Revelation several years ago, I was intrigued by this Medieval madonna who was conflated with the pregnant madonna on the crescent moon in Revelation.

Published on: March 5, 2016

Art museum

I went to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum yesterday. It's a lovely place with a gorgeous garden atrium and a fine collection of Sargents, who is one of my favorite painters. I had never seen his watercolors in person before, so that was a treat.

I was sad that both lighting and hanging of pieces precluded you from really seeing some of the art. A beguiling line of tiny Whistlers were way across a room, behind furniture and a rope, and in dim light. You just couldn't see them at all. Some of the Sargents were also high and dimly lit. I understand staying true to the spirit of the founder, but I wish they could improve the lighting a bit.

Also the second floor was completely closed for renovations, and the paintings don't go on alternate view until the day after I leave. So I missed the Dutch collection (what's left of it) among others. But overall it was a lovely place to wander around and see art.

One neat thing was that they have an artist in residence program. There was a really lovely exhibit of the latest one. She had done tiny, text heavy drawings of the musuem, and they fit into various small boxes. Lots of them had a library stamp on them for the date. Brilliant. Nicely in the urban sketcher style. I did a very quick sketch to remind myself of the overall feel.

Published on: January 11, 2016

Sketching my Show

The last day my exhibition at Dixon was up, I went back out there to savor it one more time and sketch again in the gallery. It felt a little self indulgent, but I also just wanted to celebrate this amazing moment in my career in the way that feels most natural to me these days. Having the show in my journal of the year was important to me.

A bonus was that I got to see a number of friends who had come out to see it that day. I am so grateful for everyone who helped me celebrate this happening in my life. Everyone has been generous about it as I babble on a bit, so thank you.

I also walked down to the corner and sketched the banner. The banner just thrilled me every time I drove past. I also wanted to remember it.

I'm definitely a little sad that it's all over, but I'm also enjoying a much needed slower period at the moment. I'm doing a little printmaking, but also watching some Downton Abbey, taking a few days off, and reclaiming my evenings instead of working till bedtime. It feels good. Nice start to a new year.

Published on: September 7, 2015

Musee D' Orsay

It took several days to get my internet going at home, and the seminary semester started, so I'm working with students and faculty there too, but I finally have some of the trip stuff scanned in.

I spent much of my last day in Paris in the Musee d'Orsay, since I'd had so much fun sketching in the Rijksmuseum. I got there early and had some pretty quiet time with the Van Goghs early before too many people arrived.

This next one is my favorite I did. I'm iffy on people, but it turned out well, and the painting itself was so graphic in nature that it lent itself nicely to copying. With the Van Goghs, I know I won't be able to capture the richness, but looking at a painting long enough and closely enough to copy it helps me learn from it, even if the sketch itself isn't a fair reflection of the original. And sometimes I just love a painting enough to want to spend that time with it, even though I know I can't do it justice.

I took a break from copying on the top floor and did a quick sketch of the view instead. I wish they let you out on the balcony.

I've fallen all over again for Odilon Redon. Dixon had an exhibition of his that I loved many years ago, but I hadn't thought about him too much before doing those copies in Amsterdam. Then at the Orsay they had these enormous panels that just gobsmacked me. The light was dim, so my copy is too vividly yellow, but I had fun doing it. I really love his mystical approach to his subjects. It suits my thinking just now, as I start doing more Biblical art for my year at the seminary. I'd like to bring this creativity and loose beauty to a text people are familiar with and see if I can make them think about it in a new way. I'm a very literal painter (I usually paint quite closely what I see in front of me), so the idea of this freedom is both challenging and beguiling.

I finished by sketching an early Monet that I had drawn just in pencil two years ago. The sycamores always grab me, and there's something about this that I just love. It was fun to try it in color. And revisit a painting that had struck me last time too.

Martha Kelly is an artist and illustrator who lives and works in Memphis, Tennessee.

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