I returned to Indianapolis after only about a week. I had visited the
Newfields the week before but was actually closer to this museum, the
Eiteljorg. I realized that after I left the week before so was grateful I could return. It's a nice building as you can see above. Above left is the guide book and the shirt tag proving admission. Following are images/works that caught my eye. If you're in the neighborhood, it's certainly worth a visit.
Hagege has a very signature look and it was good to see on in person. The next two are here because the trees - while very different - caught my eyes. The more I see depictions of trees, the more I associate them with flowers and/or birds. I.e., you can essentially make up any flower, bird or tree and can make them convincingly real.
I took this shot of The Messenger because I like the dynamics of Schreyvogel's work. His breakout was
My Bunkie, which earned him almost overnight fame. I like Cavez's style which isn't photo realistic but is realistic in its own right. Hid did a
day version of the same painting. Johnson's painting is here because I'm a fan of moonlit scenes.
L: Edmund Paul Mell Jr, Blue Square Cloud, 1994, oil on canvas
C: William S. Phillips, Scattered Rain Showers En Route, 2009, oil on board
I thought the geometric shapes of the clouds and colors are great in Mell's piece. He is known for his vibrant, semi-abstract and panoramic landscapes of the American Southwest. This was probably a rare Phillips work. He painted many aviation images and it inspires me to do the same. It's a bit ironic that I don't paint more aviation scenes - unless you consider the sky. Remington is here because I've seen his work elsewhere and I really enjoy his monochrome work like this one.
Woody Gwyn,
Snow/Interstate, 1987-90, oil on canvas
This was a pretty cool painting - average scene - but well done. You're also not able to appreciate the size with this picture. I labeled the scene 'average; but that is kind of his goal. He likes to examine the relationships between humans and the natural world. Here he contrasts the smooth curves of the road with the rough cuts that reshapes the hills but allow for the road.
R:
Nathan Solano,
Quarter Moon Over Wild Horses, 2026, acrylic on canvas
I like Schenck's pop-art style and that the cowboy in this painting is his neighbor. The Smith painting is mainly here because it was a good perspective. He is quite famous for his realistic wildlife painting. This buffalo is in the collection, but Solano's piece was part of a western art show which was an excellent part of the museum. And it was good to see what these artist's charge for their work...and what people will pay. This Solano piece is here because of its simplicity and use of subtle light. Another artist in the show was
Nelson Tucker. He does some really impressive work with
scratchboard.
R:
Mark Kelso,
Chorus in the Marsh, 2026, oil on panel
These are all from the show - not part of the collection. These are all famous painters. Yellowstone is here because I really liked the style and use of light. The Shallows are here because it's very indicative of Post's style and just the right amount of realism. Kelso is very famous and his realism deserved a picture. I also placed The Shallows next to Chorus in the Marsh next to each other as a comparison of art pricing. Shallows sold for $24,500 while Chorus was $2,500. Yellowstone was sold for $25,000.
R:
Luke Anderson,
New Mexico Sunset, 2026, acrylic and oil on canvas
I thought Jonason's work is a nice blend of reality and geometry. Hall's work is a little pop-artish and thought that is an interesting approach. Anderson had a few pieces there and he does good work of blocking out his shapes.
L: Luke Anderson, Wild Things, 2026, acrylic and oil on panel
Another nice piece from Anderson - liked its simplicity. The colors of Blue Eyed Chief inspire me to use more colors. I liked the hills of Walkingstick's piece and while I'm unsure about the gold leaf, it does make an interesting sky.
R: Rick Bartow,
Buck III, 2015, acrylic on canvas
These are here simply because they caught my eye. The abstractness and the colors and the well-placed detail - especially in the face of
Buck III. Bartow was a Vietnam Veteran and you can see the loss he experienced in his art. Here's a good
article on Bartow. His "
Buck" (similar to
Buck III) is another self-portrait which had been in the Smithsonian. Great museum!
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