Art is the Solution

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post entitled The Craziest Self-Portraits of all Time , in which I described some of the more unusual self-portraits I have encountered during my studies of art. I had a lot of fun with that post, so, today, I want to share a few more crazy self-portraits. Let’s dive in! Pumpkinhead Self Portrait by Jamie Wyeth - Jamie Wyeth is a member of the famous Wyeth family, and is the son and grandson respectively of celebrated painters Andrew Wyeth and N.C. Wyeth. Although he’s probably not as well known as his relatives, he’s certainly a famous and talented painter in his own right. One of his most famous and strangest paintings is his Pumpkinhead Self Portrait . In this painting, Wyeth removes himself from his own self portrait, a somewhat self deprecating gesture that invites the viewer to examine the work as a painting, not as an image of its creator. Alternatively, it might just be that the Wyeth family like Halloween. According to my research, “the Wyeths ...

Don Quixote Source: pablopicasso.org The other day I wrote about a painting by Pablo Picasso that I don’t particularly care for, so today I wanted to show you a piece of art by Picasso that I actually do like: Don Quixote . This simple drawing is one of the most iconic images in Picasso’s oeuvre. In fact, I’m sure everyone reading this blog post has seen it before; it’s everywhere! Over the years, this drawing has become one of the quintessential symbols of Spain. It depicts Don Quixote de la Mancha— the eponymous character of Miguel de Cervantes’ famous novel—his horse and squire Sancho Panza. Windmills churn in the background, a reference to Don Quixote’s famous joust with the windmills, which he believed to be giants. Picasso created it for a French magazine, which featured the drawing on their cover in honor of the anniversary of the novel. Picasso was an incredibly prolific artist; in fact, he is estimated to have produced about 50,000 pieces of art during his lifetime. So, wh...

Cat Catching a Bird Source: pablopicasso.org For years, I’ve thought of myself as a person who doesn’t really like Pablo Picasso’s art. It’s not that I don’t acknowledge his talent and the way he’s changed the artistic landscape; I just always thought that his work didn’t speak to me. Anyway, I thought that until one day I woke up and realized that the walls of my house were dotted with Picasso prints that I purchased. It turns out that I like Picasso after all, imagine my surprise! My appreciation for Picasso’s art snuck up on me, but I’m fairly certain I will never have a print of Cat Catching a Bird hanging in my house. This painting—which is the subject of today’s post—is unapologetically gritty. Here Picasso depicts a cat in the act of tearing a bird into bloody pieces. Although I personally consider cats to be lovable, cuddly animals, Picasso’s painting captures the wild side of the animal, personifying the wild and brutal hunter that lurks behind the house pet. ...