Hitler and the Louvre…My Favorite Art History Story.

I have always enjoyed my art history classes in college because you always learn something new that you never knew before.  I have also enjoyed world history classes too because world history and art history work together on the same timeline throughout history.

During my world history classes, I spent a lot of time researching World War II and Hitler due to the assignments given during class or personal research I conducted on my own.  Adolf Hitler as you know was a dictator of Germany during World War II (1939-1945) and was responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews and other nationalities that came to be known as the holocaust.  This tyrant dictator was a cruel and evil man, and was not only a dictator; he was also a painter/artist.

Hitler, as a painter was not appreciated for his paintings. His skills were not impressive to the art world. Hitler wanted to become a famous painter and tried to get his paintings sold or put into museums but, he was never taken seriously for his art work. In 1937, Hitler enforced the Nazi Reich to collect paintings during the invasions of Europe to be displayed in Germany to the public for the German people to view the “Perverse Jewish spirit” before invading other cities throughout Germany and Austria. These collections of paintings, sculpture, print, etc... Were called “Degenerate” Exhibits. One of my favorite Artists Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was one of them; expressionist painter, along with James Ensor, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh to name a few. Even though, some of the art work was collected for Hitler’s personal viewing, he continued to have these exhibits viewed as degenerate pieces of art to the people of Germany.

Now, to get on with my favorite art history story, Hitler wanted to invade France for many reasons but, one of them was to raid the Louvre in Paris, France for the art work that was displayed there. Before the invasion of France, the curator of the Louvre heard that Hitler had an infatuation with seizing art work to be destroyed or displayed of degenerate art work. Therefore, the curator asked the people of Paris to come to the Louvre and remove all art works from the museum and to hide them in places that would be kept in secret so, that Hitler would  not take France’s art history from them or removing the prized possessions of the Louvre. Many famous paintings were displayed at the Louvre; Mona Lisa by da Vinci, and the Raft of the Medusa by Gericault, just to name a few.  Many famous artists had paintings or art work at the Louvre including; Raphael, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Michael Angelo and Renoir. So, you can imagine Hitler’s desperate wanting or destroying these wonderful pieces of art work for his own amusement or to satisfy his power hungriness.  The people of France came to the Louvre and removed all the art from the Louvre on the eve of Hitler’s invasion of Paris. The people were told by the curator to not tell him where they would hide these artifacts because he would die first before telling the Nazi Regime where the art work was hidden.  

As the story goes, or as I was told in one of my college courses, once Hitler entered Paris, the Louvre was one of the first places he wanted to invade. Hitler liked everything to be documented or filmed during WWII including the killings of millions of Jews, the bombings, and the medical experiments that were performed on the prisoners.  So, when they arrived at the Louvre, it was filmed and documented.  I have never seen the film of it but, the story is documented. Upon arrival, Hitler opened the doors of the Louvre, to only be disappointed because it was EMPTY!! All of its art work was GONE!! I researched and found that he was very upset when he saw this and that he even killed one or two of his men for not knowing this would happen and even stopped the filming of his findings of the Louvre that he found was empty. 

Here’s the good part!!! Years after the war, the curator asked the people that came and hide the art work to bring them back to its home at the Louvre. Astonishing, to the curator and the people of Paris, every piece of art work that was taken out of the Louvre was RETURNED-undamaged!!! Not one was sold, damaged, or kept hidden; all of it was returned. Amazing!  A great triumph of patriotism in the country of France and to show the world that art is important to keep for the generations to come and visit these wonderful pieces of art that is part of our history. We thank you!

I hope you enjoyed this story. It’s one of my favorites!!

Painting… What’s it all about?

  “Cave painting of aurochs”

Painting by definition in Wikipedia is paint/pigment and color applied on canvas, glass, paper, wood, etc. with a paint brush, sponges, paint knives, or airbrushes.  Painting is an art medium that is used by an artist to express themselves through paint and color. Also, composition, line and abstraction along with the seven elements of art are used in paintings. Paintings can be naturalistic, landscape, representational, imaginary, or abstract.

Paintings and drawings are the oldest known art form used visually. Ceramics and sculpture, I think would be considered oldest art forms used in physical form or 3- Dimensions due to ancient bowls, cups, weapons, idols, etc. made in ancient times.  However, on 2-Dimension plane, paintings/drawings would be the oldest art work made on any given surface, such as stone or tapestry in ancient times. What years are we talking about? Some 32,000 years ago a painting was found in a cave in France called, “Cave painting of aurochs” known to be the oldest painting. It shows red ochre and black pigment engraved on a rock wall in the forms of rhinos, horses, and buffalos. However, later discoveries found rock fragments in caves or rock-shelters in Western Australia of paintings to be 40,000 years old.

Why I mention painting being the oldest medium used in art is because we need to know the history of art to know where we are going with it. Throughout history, art is used to represent what the artists viewed at that time in history. Just like the cave painting, it showed us what life was like for those people back then. I wonder what people would view us as 20 years from now. Art/paintings have changed so much since then and paintings have become more intriguing and advanced just as our generation has. I heard that more paintings are done on computer with graphic design or vector photo shop, etc… It’s because our generation is all about technology, yet I still feel we need to not let go of our old tradition ways of painting/drawings techniques.

As artists, we grow with the times and view things differently while using our medium to represent our time, space, and importance. What does the artist today want to say to the world? Is it all about us personally or do we want to say something to the people of the future world on how we lived in our time?

Why Picasso? Why cubism?

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907)

Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) is most recognized artist in the 20^th century. Picasso was a painter, sculptor, ceramicist, and stage designer.  In almost all my college classes in art school, Picasso was mentioned in every medium.  I almost got sick of hearing his name over and over.  Picasso did this and did that.  His was a Guru on everything he touched!! Picasso was involved in many art movements such as, Rose Period, Blue Period, African-influenced Period, Surrealism and Cubism to mention a few. I respect him as an artist because I am an artist myself. However, there are plenty of other famous and non-famous artists that are out there that influenced a lot of art movements.  Why the big thing with Picasso? Was it that everything he touched turned into an art movement? Was it just because of his popularity? I think it’s all of the above.

I personally don’t like his vain nature about his art. I remember watching a video on him and how he was so sure of himself as an artist. In knowing this, he knew that everything he created would be noticed and valued. I read that Picasso is most expensive art work that anyone can own, being from his drawings to his sculpture work.  I have to say, I do like his work but not the artist himself.  My favorite movements of his are the African-Influenced  with the painting of “Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), Museum of Modern Art, New York “ Surrealism “Guernica, 1937, Museo Reina Sofia” and Cubism (Synthetic Cubism) “Three Musicians (1921), Museum of Modern Art”.  All three of these paintings are very similar in their style and someone would say that it is cubism. I have always liked Surrealism and cubism, especially when they are used together.  The difference between surrealism and Cubism: Surrealism is usually associated with dreams or unconscious images put into a real life scenery as for Cubism is more of a 3-Dimensional perspective put onto a 2-dimensional surface. For instance,  Marcel Duchamp “Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 “ (1912) shows a nude descending a staircase from all sides of the nude on a two-dimensional view and the painting shows so much movement  that it is captivating.

So, why cubism? Well, I have to say that once you have created art in a 3-dimensional way as in sculpture or ceramics it does influence in how you create art on a 2-dimensional surface as in drawings or paintings. It gives the artist as view from all sides and expands your vision or creativity in a good way. I noticed the more I work on 3-dimensions that my paintings and drawings are more improved. I also noticed, that the more I paint, my drawings are much better. This astonishes me because I don’t why that is, both are 2-dimensions. Although, I can see why Picasso was so famous for his paintings because he saw things in a 3-dimension way and used his vision on his art to represent that.

Therefore, Picasso will always be famous for everything he did in the art world. We can only be so lucky to be such big influences in the 21^st century. Maybe someday, we can create a own art movement that will influence many artists around the world.  

Presentation is everything!

I just recently got permission to display my paintings publicly for the next three months at a local business. This is my second public showing since my senior show in May 2011, which was a requirement for me to graduate so, really it didn’t count.

I learned a lot in college about presentation of your art work. A lot goes with your presentation and how they public views you as an artist along with your talent. As a professional painter, I take pride in presenting my paintings in a public area. I wish I could make a living as a painter, but that is unrealistic and I would have to be dead to make millions. As a woman, it’s even harder to make it this art world and there’s so much talent and competition out there, you have to unique, talented, and presentable.

Here are some helpful guidelines that I have learned in college and still use today to present my art work. (I am using painting as example) but, these guidelines can be used in all art work.

·         Choose your best work

·         Write an artist statement that goes along with your art work or series; Artist statement is a one page description of the art work you created, include influences, the reason behind the art work, what inspired you on creating your art work, and materials used in your art work.

·         Write artist bio. Artist Bio is different than Artist Statement. Bio is more personal, for instance about yourself—where you work, what education you received, and a short explanation on why you are an artist and the choice of medium (painting, sculpture, ceramics, etc.) you use.

·         Make titles for all your art work when presenting. This includes: Your name, title of art work, size, medium used, year, and price of art work.  I use Presentation white card board material and glue typed paper onto card board and cut it out. Size of titles depends but stay in range of 2” x 3” or 3”x 5” no bigger than that.  Place right of the art work on wall

·         Keep a portfolio on all your work: photos and documentation of all art work.  

·         Framing of paintings—some galleries require it. It can be very expensive, save some money ahead of time.  Display of other work—show boxes, framing of drawings, display pedestals, etc. can be very expensive also.  

·         Business cards or post cards. When presenting your own show or display, always have business cards available. Post cards are the best! You can put a an image of your work in front of post card with all your information on the back and the people can take one with them. People like that. I keep my refrigerator full of them of fellow artists or art shows that I went to. 

Information on Business cards:  Name, website, email, and phone number

Information on Post Card:  Name, name of series, dates of showing of your art work and where and time, website, email, no phone number.

·         Presentation: written and verbal.  This is most terrifying thing that an artist has to do, but sometimes it’s requirement for you to do it at certain shows that you are presenting your art work. Usually in colleges, Galleries, and art museums’.  I had to do one in front of my professors and fellow college friends.  Luckily, it was only 10-15 minutes of torture but, afterwards I was not afraid as much and plus, if gives you a chance to talk publicly about yourself and your art work and what artist doesn’t like to talk about their own art work? None..we all like to discuss out art work!

The hardest thing for me was the questions and answers afterwards.  It’s always good to be prepared in what you will say about your work. When I did mine, I made up possible questions that would be asked and honestly answered them. Presentations are usually done on a power point slides, and you should have notes on what each slide that you are showing to the audience. The presentation should have an opening statement and closing statement about your art work. Most in important! Don’t forget to breathe! Take deep breathes and quick pauses. Slow your speech; speak clearly and loud enough for people in the back row to hear.

I hope this helps some of you. It has helped me and I continue to use these guidelines as a continue to grow as an artist. Good Luck!!!

Lucy Inserra

Display at Boulvard Bread Company in Little Rock

  River Market District

Jackson Pollock...Pour it out!

Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956)

An American Abstract Expressionist painter that still captivates me with his techniques of painting, from his (People/figures) imagery purposely in-lined within his abstract action paintings to the free flow of paint from a stick with one single hand motion and  the pouring of paint straight from a paint can. His paintings show so much movement, balance, value, texture, color, etc. that it’s amazing to me!  Not only his technique captivates me, but the scale of his paintings is astounding!!  I was lucky enough to see one of his paintings in Dallas (DMA) “A Dream and Portrait” 1953. The painting was huge!! Took up the whole wall!! Like most of his paintings that are in the size of 8 feet or larger, it takes your breath away.

Just recently, I watched the movie, “Pollock” (2000) played by Ed Harris for the hundredth time. His influence inspires me in creating my own abstract paintings. During my studies on Pollock in college and beyond, he was the first painter that took non-traditional way of painting to a new level. He removed the duck/cotton canvas from a frame and placed on the floor of his studio/barn. Pollock felt more at ease and being part of the painting when it was on the floor in such a large scale. He also didn’t like using the familiar square size of a painting, so he would lay out this large stretch of canvas that extended beyond 4 feet. Pollock used industrial paint, alkyd enamels, or house paints because of the flow of the paint was easier to manage. He also did not use paint brushes during this technique called “Dripping or action painting” instead he would use a painter‘s stick or pour the paint straight from the paint can and even using basting syringes. Pollock would not come in contact with his paintings with a brush, he would sometimes step onto the painting or when he signed them with his hand prints. I also heard that if you look very closely in his paintings, you could find cigarette butts, ashes from the his cigarettes, and even his foot prints in his paintings.

When Pollock was asked about if his paint was controlled or about mistakes made while he was creating this painting technique, in Life Magazine article, he stated that the paint was controlled in some state. For Pollock would dance, walk onto the canvas, view the paintings from all sides and apply the paint where ever the painting wanted him to. The painting itself would speak to him and it would come to life!  My favorite answer to his question about, “What happens if you make a mistake”? Pollock answered, “I don’t recognize the mistake, I accept it”. Wonderful! For it was a mistake that he discovered his technique in dripping in his studio by spilling paint on the floor of his studio and went from there. A beautiful mistake! 

 My personal input on Pollock…he was an artist that was breaking new ways in the modern art world and trying new techniques that each artist strives for to make it in this world. To be unique, yet stay traditional. I don’t like to abandon my old traditional ways of painting, but finding new ways of using paint and imagery is important to change with the times. For art speaks of our lives, our time in this century for people to see in the future what it was like during this brief stay in this world.   



A Dream and Portrait 1953



Oh! That James!! A Smart-ass Artist!! Love it!!



James Ensor
“Skeletons Warming Themselves” (1889) Oil on canvas, 29-1/2 x 23-5/8 in. (74.8 x 60.0 cm)

James Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) Painter and Printmaker, who was known to be an expressionist and surrealist painter who caused a lot of uneasiness in his paintings. His paintings were sarcastic in terms of inhumanity in this world and religion.  Most of his paintings were themed with masks or carnival appearances that were grotesque.  I liked that he used fake Skeletons in his studio and would dress them up for his still-life paintings.  I also liked that he would use bright colors to receive psychological impact from his viewers while keeping his paintings skills with complete freedom.

The reason I mention him is that I was impressed in seeing his painting in Dallas, Texas at the Kimbell Art Museum in 2011 named, “Skeletons Warming Themselves” (1889) Oil on canvas, 29-1/2 x 23-5/8 in. (74.8 x 60.0 cm). It was a small painting but, the impact/impression was very powerful in both, sarcastic and in the wonderful painting skills he has with color. I personally did an artist copy of this painting. My painting is very colorful against his, but I am sure it was colorful at one point but, because of the passing of time, the original painting faded in color.  I was also interested in his themes of masks, color, and theatrical themes for it was exactly what I was thinking about my senior show in 2011, with the use of masks that was associated with my fear of clowns, while using theatre themes.  I was blown away when I saw this painting and found some association with it. I have attached my artist copy and his original painting. Enjoy!



Artist Copy done by Lucy Inserra in 2011



Painter’s block… Losing my mojo.

All artists go through it, a time where everything is inspirational and nothing is coming out.  When I graduated from college in May 2011, my mojo was at the highest and it lasted for almost a year.  I automatically started on a new series of paintings, 10 paintings total. The moment I stopped and started on other projects to get ideas, looking at photographs, and doing some sketches, I have all the ideas together but, nothing is coming out. Even though, my second part-time job is a painting teacher, I am still painting. My next step, is to work on something out of the norm for me, abstract paintings. But, I find that hard to do for abstract is just using the elements of art and trying to express something through paint and brushstrokes.  I still continue to do paintings from my senior show-masks, still-lifes, and music series and also the series I just finished with the abandoned houses…I still continue developing the vision I see in those series. Now, I am just stuck…gathering information and no mojo to do it or afraid to start something and won’t  like it. A painters block..it sucks! When real life gets involved, where I am paying bills, cleaning house, and dealing with minor details in life in general, that artistic mind gets lost and forgotten after a time. For me, it’s my sanity and brings me peace when I am painting or creating, it makes life more exciting for me.  As a painter, this is my survival food and keeps me alive, without it I would vanish into the world of chaos, no meaning. I realize that every artist goes through this and it’s just another stage of developing the next art piece.  So, I have given myself permission to use this time collecting ideas, sketching and photographing images that speak to me.  Painting is my passion, it’s my mojo!  

I made a list of encouragements for painter’s block or an artist’s block and I hope it encourages you too if you are having artist’s block. (Block is usually associated with writers and mojo is associated with sexual appeal; self-esteem or self-confidence). 

·         Read articles, watch movies or you tube movies  on your favorite artists.

·         Have conversations with friends that are artists on what projects they are working on or discussing ideas with them.

·         Keep sketching your ideas or images that interest you.

·         Collect photographs, magazines clippings, go back to old sketches or ideas that you have made.

·         Find an environment to inspire you: a park, a walk, listening to music or going to the theatre, visiting a museum etc.

·         Don’t feel guilty in this time away from your creativity; use this time to collect your ideas or information.

·         As a painting teacher, encourage someone else to become creative-it inspires you to do the same.

·         Don’t be afraid to try something new and out of the norm, this could be your calling or you can learn from the mistakes made or it encourages you to try other mediums.

·         Don’t ever give up!!! The most important thing to remember.  Don’t ever stop creating your vision or idea to come to life because someday it will happen and all the elements will come together in you and in your art work. 

·         Keep telling yourself that you are an artist, and no one can take that away from you. Just keep going on and grow as an artist.

Painting and Music..together.

Debra Hurd-Artist

I am a big fan of music, all kinds of music except country music.  While I am painting, music plays a big part of my process for I cannot paint without music in my ears. Music does influence the painter believe it or not. I came to this conclusion when I took a class at my local art center where music and paint was taught together and how it would change the painting technique on the canvas. The class listened to classical music, and we noticed that our painting gestures were slower and more controlled, whereas when the music changed to more heavy metal, or pop music our painting gestures were faster and more loosely applied to the canvas. Interesting I must say!!

 I noticed in my own painting sessions that the music I am listening to influences my gestures when applying paint to my canvas. So, I listen to specific music in whatever painting I am creating or what I see the vision to be. I also noticed that the music controls my color applications to my painting. For instance, if I was listening to classic rock music like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or Styx, I notice my colors are blues, greens, and yellows. My gestures are slower and more controlled for I am relaxed and have an easy feeling so, it comes through my paint brush.  If I was listening to more alternative music, or rock music like Nickelback, Seether, or GodSmack, my colors are brighter in color; my reds, blues, yellows , and even greens are NOT diluted (color is vibrant) and my texture is more applied.  I also noticed my hand gestures with my paint brush are more loose and expressive.  I like that!

On my research on music, I found that music and art really work together or are very similar. Look at the 7 elements of music:

Rhythm-idea of time relates to music

Melody-sequence of pitches

Harmony-melody into chords

Dynamics-relative loudness and quietness

Timbre-specific sound from instrument

Texture-musical lines in a song works with each other within the music

Form-all parts put together within the music

Did you notice??? They are very similar to the 7 elements of Art; texture, form, space, shape, color, value, and line.  Music has a way expressing someone’s emotion, anger, sadness, excitement, etc…so does painting! But, we do it silently. Painters express themselves through paint and brush strokes; music influences more of this expression. I know it does for me when painting and listening to music. I cannot do it one without the other. Tell me one of things that influence you while you are creating your art piece?

Materials used while I am painting in oil and acrylic. Very Helpful, Use them!

For Oil

Use only AP (Approved Products) label materials to avoid fires and toxic inhalation.  

·         Natural Turpenoid:  perfect for cleaning paint brushes or to remove paint from canvas.

·         I use safflower oil for solvent: mix with oil paint to thin oil paint; can buy at any grocery store; OR use Linseed oil from any art store.

·         Use Viva paper towels: very soft and gentle on your paint brushes and doesn’t leave those paper partials on your paint brushes.

·         Use Dove soap for hands and to clean paint brushes: I found this soap heaven sent to use for cleaning up.

·         Use Winsor and Newton Oil paints: very good quality oil paints-easy flow and good for mixing.

·         Use Strathmore Paper palette: easy to clean up-just wrap up and throw away and safe.

·         Use Cover-lid palette: easy to keep your oil paints wet for next painting session-make sure you put some solvent (Oil) on oil paints.  Also, use paper palette to line inside your covered palette.

·         I use synthetic paint brushes (hair like brushes): very smooth and easy to clean, great to use for specific brush strokes. There is also bristle brushes-very hard texture brushes if you want more of a paint brush look.

For Acrylic

Use acrylic paints are very safe to use for your health and for environmental reasons.

·         Acrylic paint is water based: never use any solvent just water to thin out paint; never mix oil with water.

·         Use Viva paper towels

·         Use Dove soap

·         Use Strathmore Paper palette

·         I use synthetic paint brushes

I hope that some of these materials are helpful to you.

Linseed oil

Covered Palette

Kirchner..one of my inspirations.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner "Two Women in the Street" 1914

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German Expressionist painter in the 20^th century. He was one of my biggest inspirations during my college years and he is not recognized as much in the art world as he should be.  Kirchner is well known for his paintings of People in the Berlin Streets. His paintings are amazing because of his use of imaginary color and his use of lines. What captivated me the most was perspective of his imagery with his brilliance of color (See attachments). Kirchner’s brushstrokes are loose and carefree while keeping the lines flowing throughout his paintings. Kirchner’s forms of lines are imaginary without losing the total form of the people or buildings. His paintings show expression of feelings and emotions among the Berlin Streets of Germany.  Personally, I continue to study his work by doing artist’s copies and I still really enjoy painting them.

A little history of this painter, Ernst studied art history along with freehand drawing in college, later he co-founded the group of “Die Brücke” (The Bridge) in 1905, and became committed to his art work and trying to develop the technique of expression that bridges between past and the present.  Kirchner’s technique created an art movement of a new style of expressionism in the art world.  In 1914, Kirchner volunteered in World War I and by 1915 had a nervous breakdown that took him years to recover. Kirchner was still developing his painting style and working with print making styles as like monograph and some graphic design works. By 1933, Kirchner was labeled by Hitler as a “Degenerate Artist” by the Nazis regime, where over 600 of his paintings were confiscated from public museums were destroyed or sold. Kirchner was discouraged and went into another depression trauma over these events that destroyed most of his work. Along, with the upcoming of World War II dictated by Hitler that eventually overcame Austria, in which was close to his house. These events led him to his own suicide.

A very sad tale about an artist that was a big influence in the Expressionist art movement.
 Expressionism was born out of Germany and Kirchner was a big part of that art movement with very little recognition of his style.  Most of his paintings are displayed in National Gallery of Art in Washington and Museum of Modern Art in New York City.  Have to mention, his work was personally displayed in the Armory Show in 1913—the Armory Show was one of the biggest, well-known art work displays of modern art in America.  Research all the artists that displayed their work at the Armory Show, it’s amazing!






Ernst Ludwig Kirchner " Nollendorfplatz " 1912



Ernst Ludwig Kirchner "Street-Berlin" 1913