Art Club Update + Fav Artist Friday

At our last Art Club meeting, we had a chance to Skype with Nashville-based landscape architect Matt Scott! He took time out of his busy day at Hodgson & Douglas to give us an awesome presentation about the history and process of landscape architecture, environmental art, and the importance of parks and planned outdoor spaces in our community.

Afterward, students got to interview him in real time from 250 miles away! Such a cool experience. Thanks, Matt!!

Now, check out this week's fav artist after the jump!

Second grade is working on a project inspired by one of the greats:  Henri Matisse!

Henri Matisse painting Bathers by a River, May 13, 1913.

Photograph by Alvin Langdon Coburn via MoMA

Henri was born in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France. Funnily enough, he had no interest in art as a kid. His parents owned a general store and everyone expected him to follow in his parents' footsteps or become a lawyer. He tried law school and worked in a law office briefly, but found it unbearably boring. He spent more time drawing and painting on the documents he was supposed to file than doing his work!

Iris, by Henri Matisse on legal document c. 1886

Henri finally convinced his parents to let him attend a famous Parisian art school. Once he got there, though, he realized he was way behind the other students, most of whom had been drawing and painting their whole lives. He didn't let that stop him, though!

The Dinner Table 1896-97

At this time, most art was very realistic and even sort of drab. The painting above was actually a little shocking to some of Henri's peers because of its sparkling colors and visible brushstrokes. Boy, were they in for a surprise . . .

Woman with a Hat by Henri Matisse, 1905. Matisse loved
using his wife Amélie as a model for his paintings.



Purple Robe and Anemones completed 1937.



Harmony in Red (The Tablecloth) circa 1908.

After a trip to North Africa, Henri returned with a new fondness for pattern to add to his already brightly-painted pictures. But he wasn't done changing the face of Art just yet.


Beasts of the Sea



Christmas Eve



The Sadness of the King by Henri Matisse, 1952.

Eventually, it became too difficult for Henri to stand at an easel and paint. He began, "drawing with scissors and sculpting with paper," and creating bright, beautiful collages. He is one of the few artists responsible for the recognition of mixed media and collage as fine art. Find out more about him and view a collection of his works by clicking here.