Old friends in Old Town. I spent the afternoon with two girl friends from high school. Much of our conversation was about retirement, so this is a clue that we are not recent graduates. It was wonderful to take time to catch up… families, books, travels, and activities.
We met at the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University. So, of course we also talked about art. The exhibit is wonderful…Zornes, Dike, Sheets, and Kosa Jr. Although all of the paintings and some of the artists were new to me, I felt like I was visiting old friends. The three of us walked around the museum, commented on the paintings and observed details and unique techniques. We talked about painting with watercolor vs. oil painting. We discussed the looseness of some paintings as opposed to the detailed precision of others. One of us loved a flower painting and another was attracted to neutral paintings with spots of bright color. We did not use technical terms or artist jargon. The conversation was a reminder that one does not have to be well informed or an expert to enjoy art.
I was enamored with many of the paintings. Rather than merely taking random shots, I decided on a more curatorial approach. So I took phone pix of paintings with buildings. These paintings are seductive…they hint at life. Just like traditional plein aire paintings, they offer a glimpse of the vastness of our world. And, they pay homage to culture and civilization.
A wonderful day with old friends.
Millard Sheets One Sunday Morning 1929
Paul Sample China Town 1933
Milford Zornes The Canyon 1935
Emil Kosa Jr. San Francisco 1942
Dong Kingman Black Cat Cafe 1943
Ralph Hulett Out of the Tunnel 1950
George Post North Bay View 1950s
George Post Rincon Hill 1950s
George Post Speedway Alley1950s
Jade Fon Woo Overpass View 1960s
Suong Yangchareon City Rain 2016
