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A CUBAN -AMERICAN MANUEL PARDO ART EXHIBIT AT THE EMERSON Pictured to the right Exhibit Card. This past Saturday my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Manuel Pardo art exhibit at the Emerson in Mt Tremper New York. I enjoyed all the paintings and drawings on view. Manuel Pardo passed away a few months ago. He was an excellent artist and his art is full of life & Joy. I have admired his work for many years and was glad to see so many works in one place. The Exhibit will be up from May 4 to September 3, 2013 this is a must see exhibit if you are in the area. More info at: http://www.emersonresort 0 comments

I'm going to go back 100 years or so to an artist I passed over: Goya. In the spectrum of artists from those of structure to those of feeling, Goya is definitely the latter. But what is remarkable is the way he anticipated the romantics and 20th century expressionists, working at the height of the Enlightenment. The Enlightment thinkers of the 18th century believed in the ultimate and inevitable perfectability of man through reason. They largely ignored the existence and power of the bestial side of man, a fatal mistake. The Greeks were wiser: thouogh they elevated reason as man's great gift, they never forgat the other side of his nature. Their image was of the horse and rider - today the Id and Ego - and understood the need to respect and control the bestial side… Continue reading… 1 comment

Cuban Cultural Center Mega Art Auction in NYC May 3, 2013 6 PM Spanish Benevolent Society 239 W 14th Street NYC Pictured to the right Wave Flower painting by Jose Acosta PARTICIPATING ARTISTS : Jose Acosta, Susan Bank, Jose Bedia, Guido Betancourt, Humberto Calzada, Chari Castro-Marin, Luis Cruz Azaceta, Enrique Cubillas, Liliam Cuenca, Aurora De Armendi, Pablo Diaz, Ofill Echevarria, Felix Esquivel, Pedro Esteban, Galindo Landeira, Florencio Gelabert, Frank Guiller, Gisela Hernandez, Eliana Iturbe, Juan Lopetegui, Luis Mallo, David Martinez, Mysora, Jay Palacio, Manuel Pardo, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Rene Portocarrero, Rolando Pulido, Jesus Rivera, Gilberto Ruiz, Baruj Salinas, Mario Torroella, Gladys Triana, Raul Villareal Mojitos at a unique art auction,… Continue reading… 0 comments

My most recent post in this series was on Claude Monet, who so completely redefined the artistic enterprise that he set a new benchmark against which future artists had to define themselves. By limiting his focus to the facts of perception he created an unusually direct interaction between the artist and the visual world, but in doing so he effectively excluded the interests of most artists preceeding him, whether "classical" or "romantic". There was, predictably, an almost immediate attempt to blend his new vision with the traditional concerns of artists. I have already discussed Cezanne, who in this context must be seen as a "classicist": concerned with the structure and order behind our perceptual world, what we KNOW as opposed to what we SEE… Continue reading… 4 comments

Insurance Considerations for the Art Collector. As a serious art collector, you're likely quite aware that if your most prized piece of art is ever damaged or stolen, no amount of money or insurance will ever be able to truly replace it. However, you've likely invested a considerable amount of money in your collection, which you should be able to recover. Compare these methods for insuring your art collection, and make sure your investments are protected with the coverage that's right for you. Option 1: Your standard home insurance policy. A standard home insurance policy typically includes personal property coverage to help protect the valuable possessions in your home… Continue reading… 0 comments

Going through a person__™s things after a death can bring up powerful universal emotions: loss, love, nostalgia, remembered hurts and joys, guilt, and occasionally bewilderment. Why was this important to her? Why did he save this? Who were these people? There will be things to keep, things to send to other family members or friends of the deceased, things to toss out, things to donate, and in time you might find inspiration to the artist within you. For those things which bring out powerful emotions most often are those from which art emerges. The mixed media painting developed from my thoughts in looking through unidentified photos going back at least to the early 1920s which had been among my mother-in-laws possessions… Continue reading… 1 comment

I turn now from Degas and Manet to Claude Monet - THE Impressionist. This is another of those artists, like Leonardo, whom I would not really call a "favorite", but whom I recognize as a towering figure in the development of artistic vision in his time. I respond more to the works of Degas and Manet. But as with Leonardo, no artist in the period following Monet could work without coming to terms with his redefinition of painting. You could follow him or reject him, but you had to deal with the terms which he had established. Monet redefined painting on several levels: the enterprise, artistic vision, palette and technique. First, he finally stated that the work done directly on the scene was an end in itself… Continue reading… 5 comments

I am turning from Degas to Manet, the other "older" Impressionist, though - unlike Degas - he never accepted the term as applied to his work. Like Degas, he had a strong traditional background in form and composition which he used to great advantage. Paradoxically, Manet is in many ways the most radical of the group, certainly the most confrontational. It is fascinating to compare Manet to Courbet, the great revolutionary of the previous generation. It was Courbet who broke with the Academie, setting up his own competing exhibition, thus blazing the trail which the Impressionists then followed. But while Courbet's revolution was all about class warfare and social justice, Manet's is all about art itself. Manet uses confrontation to force the viewer to look at art in a new way… Continue reading… 4 comments

The Most Incredible Campus Art Collections from around the World. To the right Staying Alive painting by Jose Acosta that is part of the University of Pennsylvania Art Collection. Hi Jose Just writing to say how much I enjoy reading your site. We at Thebestcolleges.org recently published an article, The Most Incredible Campus Art Collections Around the World, that we think is tailor-made for your readers. Here is the link: http://www.thebestcolleges.org/the-most-incredible-campus-art-collections-around-the-world/ If you agree, We hope that you will pass it on to your readers. Whatever you do, keep up the great work! We are big fans 0 comments

South Street Seaport Museum will Exhibit Mario Sanchez Art. On November 8, 2012, the South Street Seaport Museum in NYC will open a new exhibition called A Fisherman's Dream: Folk Art by Mario Sanchez, highlighting Sanchez's depictions of early 20th century Key West harbor, its watermen, and seafaring culture. The exhibition features 35 of Sanchez's brightly painted intaglios, a type of carving where wood is removed to form a bas-relief. The exhibition is co-presented with the Key West Art & Historical Society and the American Folk Art Museum, whose exhibition Compass: Folk Art in Four Directions is also on view at the South Street Seaport Museum. The Seaport Museum sees A Fisherman's Dream as a fitting companion to Compass… Continue reading… 5 comments

I'm coming back around to where I started, which was with Cezanne...and more generally with late 19th century European painting. I find more to excite me in that period than in any other. As I think about the Impressionists, and the generations that followed, I definitely learn something about myself and what satisfies my artistic soul. I like structure. I am more excited by Degas and Manet, the two artists who had an "academic" training, than I am by most of Monet, and I like Monet better than Renoir. I can feel the lightness and joy of Renoir's work, its wonderful softness, but ultimately it leaves me wanting more. In Degas' work, the feeling of carelessness in framing belies the artfulness behind it… Continue reading… 10 comments

PAST, PRESENT, PA'LANTE Exhibition in PUERTO RICO Group Art exhibit at the Museum La Casona in Puerto Rico. From November 1, 2012 to January 19, 2013. Opening Reception November 1, 2012 from 6 to 8 pm. Pictured to the right Dancing & Two Friends paintings by Jose Acosta Participating Artists - Jose Acosta - Maria Aguiar - Gerardo Castro - Pablo Caviedes - Carlos Chavez - Jose Manuel Cruz - Christine Devereaux - Irelys Martinez Tejeda - Arazay Molina - Salvatore Tagliarino - Isabell Villacis. Address: La Casona Calle Cruz Ortiz #104 Humacao, P.R. 00791 Tel… Continue reading… 0 comments

SEPTEMBER 9 - OCTOBER 4, 2012 Opening Reception: Sunday, September 9, 1:00 - 4:00 PM ARTS GUILD NEW JERSEY 1670 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065 P: 732-381-7511 / www.agnj.org Gallery hours: Sat. Sun.: 1 - 4PM, Mon through Fri: between 10AM and 4PM. Please use the rear lot entrance during weekday hours. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY : As part of fall National Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Arts Guild New Jersey will present an inspiring exhibition of contemporary Latino art entitled: WE ARE YOU PROJECT INTERNATIONAL from September 9 to October 4, 2012. The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Sunday, September 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and is open to all. Admission is Free and light refreshments will be served… Continue reading… 0 comments

I seem to be moving from artist to artist in a natural progression, and I will continue that with this post. I looked last at Dutch 17th century work, including still life, with its strong sense of organization and selection, and most recently at Vermeer, where every element in the frame is meaningful and carefully chosen. That leads me naturally to the 18th century Still Life master, Chardin. Chardin seems to me to have the same sense of careful selection and organization, with another element which makes him special: being "of the earth". His still lives seem to grow out of the earth and to be made of the same substance. The compositions are always rock solid and immovable, seemingly built on a slab of living rock… Continue reading… 1 comment

RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY : As part of fall 2012 National Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Arts Guild New Jersey will present an inspiring exhibition of contemporary Latino art entitled: WE ARE YOU PROJECT INTERNATIONAL Pictured to the right "Hispanic Pride" painting by Jose Acosta. From September 9 to October 4, 2012. The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Sunday, September 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and is open to all. Admission is Free and light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will take place at Arts Guild New Jersey galleries at 1670 Irving Street Rahway, NJ… Continue reading… 0 comments

Having written about the "Little Dutch Masters", it is a natural step to move on to Vermeer. He was certainly one of their number - in fact, if you were to judge by the dimensions of his works he could be the littlest of them all - but he is also too great to be lumped among them. He also had a primary specialty - light filled interiors with figures - but also produced exquisite works in other genres, like the "Street in Delft" above. All with a sensitivity to ambient light never equalled before or since. He is, of course, the center of a huge controversy, because of the strong evidence that he used a camera obscura to view his subjects and perhaps to project them on the surface… Continue reading… 5 comments

I would like to introduce the work of Benjamin Casiano to the readers of this blog. To the right "The Dance" by Benjamin Casiano To learn more about Benjamin Casiano and his work please visit his site at www.benjamincasiano.net I enjoyed viewing his art and I hope you will, Jose Acosta About: Benjamin Casiano - Born and raised in New York City - BFA graduate from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn NY - Resident of Stratford CT - Board member at Stamford Art Association - Raised by Puerto Rican born parents Influence: Matisse, Modigliani, Lempicka, Rothko and De Kooning Movement: Abstract Expressionism and Cubism Galleries, Exhibits and Awards - The Westport River Art Gallery in CT… Continue reading… 3 comments

Hey, I've got a new computer and I'm back in business. I'm going to continue the theme of my last post: artists who may not be great, but who are wonderful in their more modest endeavors. This time I am going to consider a group: the Dutch 17th century painters who have come to be known as "the little Dutch Masters". The environment for painters in Holland in the 17th century was unique, and it led to a new and "modern" way of conducting business. For the first time in European art, the creation of paintings was not dominated by the church and the nobility. Instead, art was purchased in quantity by the rising mercantile class, and they were looking for art that expressed their wealth to be sure, but also reflected underlying Calvinist values… Continue reading… 3 comments

ICAF air (International Caribbean Art Fair), first debuted in New York in 2007 and 2008, is re-launching in a new format representing only contemporary Caribbean art. This new edition of the fair in the Washington DC area is scheduled for December 6-9, 2012, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD. ICAF air will bring to the DC-metro area a selection of the world's leading art galleries representing some of the most renowned Caribbean artists, as well as new talent, for art collectors, curators, and art lovers looking to find great art and discover what's hot in 20th and 21st century contemporary Caribbean art. These galleries and artists will present the finest original works in painting, photography, mixed-media, sculpture, installation, and video… Continue reading… 2 comments

El Museo del Barrio, Queens Museum of Art and The Studio Museum in Harlem join forces for CARIBBEAN : CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD, a landmark exhibition exploring the history and art of the Caribbean Multimedia exhibition to open in three venues the week of June 12, 2012, with subsequent Caribbean events and collaborations around NYC. The exhibition will examine the visual arts and aesthetic development across the Caribbean, considering the histories of the Spanish, French, Dutch and English islands and their Diasporas. An it will highlight over two centuries of rarely-seen works from the Haitian Revolution (c. 1804) to the present… Continue reading… 0 comments