At Home with Art

"Nympheas en fleur"
Claude Monet, 1915

In case you haven't heard, Christie's auction of David Rockefeller's magnificent art collection just broke all records as the biggest single-owner sale ever held at auction.  On May 8, 2018, a collection of forty four sculptures and paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries went for a whopping $646 Million (and the entire proceeds will go to charity).  And this was just the first group to be auctioned! The Monet waterlillies pictured above triggered a fourteen minute bidding war, and brought $84.7 Million. The winner was a telephone bidder--I can't stop wondering who it was.

Monet and Juan Gris in hallway at Hudson Pines

But more intriguing to me than the auction prices is the thought of these masterpieces hanging in the Rockefeller's homes over the years. The waterlillies hung over the staircase at Hudson Pines, the Rockefeller home in Westchester County, NY. Can you imagine walking by this painting every day on your way up and down the stairs??!

Picasso's "Young Girl with a Flower Basket", 1905
Photo courtesy of Christie's

Another masterpiece, Picasso's "Young Girl with a Flower Basket", used to hang in David Rockefeller's library, in his Manhattan townhouse. This one has a fascinating history. It was in the collection of Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein--major figures in avant-garde Paris of the early 20th century--who often hosted the likes of Hemingway, Matisse and Picasso in their home. When the collection became available

Gouache

"Friends in Tall Grasses"
Gouache, 5 x 7
(c) Lori Putnam

Not too many years ago, I had never heard of gouache, much less known how to paint with it, or even how to pronounce it. (Hint: rhymes with "squash"). But lately I have been experimenting with gouache--a new medium for me.

Gouache on Illustration Board
(c) Mike Hernandez

What is gouache, exactly? It is a water-based pigment, in the family of watercolors. In fact, the work "gouache" comes from the Italian word "guazzo", which means "water color". But unlike traditional watercolor paints, which are transparent, gouache is opaque.  That means that you can layer it, and paint over it to make corrections. In my book, that makes gouache more forgiving than watercolor, and more like the oil paints I love to work with.

"The Scarlet Sunset"
Gouache and Watercolor on Paper
J. M. W. Turner, c. 1830-1840

So why have I decided to try this new medium? As faithful readers know, I love to travel, and I hope that gouache will be easy to take on the road. Since it cleans up with water, there's no need to deal with turpentine or other solvents. Nor do you need to use a medium with the gouache paint--it can be thinned. And you can paint with it on watercolor paper, which is far more lightweight and easier to carry than canvas. In addition, gouache dries in a matter of minutes, not days. All of these are big marks in the plus column for travelers!

Gouache travel kit

Sometimes when I travel, painting is the primary part of the agenda. In that case, I invest the time and suitcase space to carry all the gear involved in oil painting. Other times, a trip may be more of a vacation. That's when I'm hoping that the gouache will come in handy.  Perhaps it will allow me to do a quick study, or even a finished painting, without the hassles of the oil painting accoutrements. We shall see. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying working with the gouache because of its fluidity and its soft matte finish. 

Gouache on Illustration Board
(c) Mike Hernandez

I'm illustrating this post with images of gouache paintings by other painters--some current, and some old masters. These beautiful paintings go to show that this medium doesn't limit you at all. Can't wait to see what I can do with it. Last photo is from my own sketchbook...just practicing by revising some sketches from last summer!