Fill Your Cup: Art Exhibitions that Delight & Inspire
Recent painting shows that left me awestruck, a little envious, and totally inspired.
Good morning! Here’s a bit of inspiration along with some art exhibition recommendations to brighten your day!
First, my longtime friend Matthew Johnson is showcasing a beautiful collection of paintings at the Rudolf Steiner Bookstore's Centerpoint Gallery. (They maintain a flexible schedule, so be sure to call before visiting!) Painted on Yupo paper, these works have a lovely immediacy and movement to them. Plus, I’m always drawn to a painter who chooses colors with intention.
I keep fixating on the painting below. I am captivated by the variety of mark-making, the mix of materials, and how, in small areas, Matthew seems to let the paper dictate what the paint will do. I love how my eye bounces around the page; there is always more to see.
Second, the exhibition that made me tear up was Amy Sherald: American Sublime at the Whitney Museum. Good golly, go see this show! Organized by SFMoMA, I believe it’s heading to DC next, so you’ll have even more opportunities. (And the museum has posted most of it online.) It was cool to see the evolution of her work. The newer pieces are stunning and deeply evocative, but I was transfixed by the older paintings when I stepped off the elevator, too. (This video of Amy talking about her work is worth watching, especially if you can’t see the show in person.)
This was my second time seeing her famous painting of Michelle Obama in person, and I am still moved by it. This time, I had just come from the Whitney’s permanent collection, where I saw a quilt from Gee’s Bend. As I understand it, these quilts inspired the dress Ms. Obama wore in the portrait. I felt, in some small way, that I was witnessing the storytelling of the American experience that Ms. Sherald speaks about.
The painting, A God, Blessed Land (Empire of Dirt), 2022, drew me in to get a closer look at every inch. So much care went into its creation, from the blades of grass to the gentleman’s intense glare. (Click the link, then scroll down.)
According to the text at the exhibition, Amy sees herself as an “inheritor of the American Realist tradition of artists such as Edward Hopper.” I’m really enjoying reflecting on that as I think about all the beautiful portraiture I admire from the last century and beyond. I notice how color, composition, shadow, and the subject’s gaze come together in such meaningful ways. From Holbein to Alice Neel to Barkley L. Hendricks, there’s a strong thread connecting the impulses of portraiture, and it’s just so fascinating and moving. I highly recommend this show!
Third on my list is a brand new exhibition at MoMA, Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers. I have been looking forward to this show after falling in love with af Klint’s work following the exhibition at the Guggenheim a few years ago. She’s another artist whose instincts for color and cohesive, interesting color palettes I admire. This show is definitely worth a visit.
This exhibition showcases watercolors created by Hilma af Klint between 1919 and 1920, during a period when she was studying plants and developing a symbolic visual language rooted in spiritualism. The resulting aesthetic is stunning. Af Klint produced floral illustrations to, in her words, "grasp the flowers of the earth.” Rather than adhering to traditional botanical illustration, she combined delicately rendered flowers with geometric diagrams that symbolize the connection between humans and nature. She envisioned the collection as a “map of Sweden that highlights the relationship between the plant kingdom and the human spirit,” stating, “I have shown that there is a connection between the plant world and the world of the soul.” In one example, a lovely illustration of a columbine flower features a small square divided into quarters with a circle in the center, also divided into four parts. According to Hilma, this symbol represents “choosing your nutrients selectively” and “helping yourself by using superphysical help.”
I also appreciated how thoughtfully the exhibition was installed. Many of the watercolors were displayed on angled walls, inviting you to lean in for a closer look, and the museum even provided magnifying glasses. I was struck by the detail and care with which each flower was rendered. And, if you're like me, you might also admire her meticulous penmanship in labeling the flowers and symbols. (I love a good cursive script!)
On my ever-growing list of future projects, I’ve reserved a spot to explore Hilma’s color palette. I’m itching to create a repeating floral pattern in her soft blues and pinks. You all know how much I love to observe and collect color stories!
Before I go… There are many great shows at the MoMA currently, so if you visit, be sure to take a look. One standout is Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction.
Thanks for reading. Have you seen any exhibitions recently that you’d like to recommend? Or if you’ve seen these, what captured your attention? I’d love to hear what moved you or stuck with you. Let’s trade notes!
Thank you for the tour! I would love to see the Michelle Obama portrait. Amy Sherald's work is amazing. I will have to check and see when the exhibit closes.