Kim Chong Hak

 

The Phoenix Art Museum has two new exhibits up and I recently stopped by to take a look.  Both exhibits were fascinating but I didn't have enough time to really study them so I will be going back again.  The first exhibit was of the work of a South Korean artist by the name of Kim Chong Hak.  His paintings were big and bold and full of life.  He has a somewhat abstract painting style but the images almost come alive when viewed.  Above is one called "River" that was painted in 1987.  

This one is called "Snowy Mountain" and it was painted in 2008.  It almost looks like a photograph one might take of the very tops of some high mountains.

This one wrapped around a corner and it is just bursting with colorful flowers in all shapes and sizes.  It's called "Pandemonium" which seems quite appropriate.  It's a riot of color and charm.  It makes you feel happy just to look at it.

 

Random Snaps

 

I snapped a photo of these gorgeous chrysanthemums that I saw at my local Whole Foods store.  I just thought they were so beautiful in their perfect fall colors.  They almost look a bit unreal but I assure you they were real plants.

I snapped this shot when I went to the opera a week ago.  The Herberger Theatre always has an art show going on in their lobby area and this wonderful rooster caught my eye.  It was painted by Margaret McNeal and it's called "Roger Rooster" and a fine looking rooster he is.

I snapped this photo while I was stopped at a traffic light. I glanced over and saw this crazy looking wiring running along the street.  That is one huge mess of wires and other things.  I need to drive by here again to see if it still looks this way or if this was some sort of temporary arrangement.

The Art of the Bouquet

 

My sister sent me another one of those pretty pop-up cards that turn into something that looks very real.  I have this one sitting on my desk where I can admire it every day.

I also did a little photo editing to see what interesting looks I could come up with.  I like this one that makes it very bright and artistic.

This one landed the whole bouquet in Paris.

This last one turned most of the flowers a pretty shade of blue but what I really like is how it gave the vase a rather sinister looking face.  

I enjoy creating these little diversions.  

Tradition to Abstraction

 

Here is another set from the archives.  Back in the spring of 2009 when the first Chihuly exhibit left the Desert Botanical Garden, the next exhibit arrived in November of that year.  The new exhibit featured the sculptures of Native American artist Allan Houser.  The exhibit contained some very traditional sculpture along with many abstract sculptures.  The one above had central position at the garden visible as you entered.  It is called Spirit of the Wind.

This sculpture was positioned along the wildflower trail.  It depicts two woman having a conversation and is appropriately called Dialogue.  

This last one was a more traditional sculpture and it is called Warm Springs Apache Man.  This exhibit remained at the garden until the end of spring 2010 and was just as popular as the Chihuly exhibit.   

From the Heard Collection

 

I have four more paintings from that display from the Heard's collection of paintings.  This one is called "A Nickel for Your Thoughts" and it was painted by Jaune Quick-To-See Smith.  

This one really drew me too it.  I thought it looked like those awful brush fires that are happening all over the world.  It's called "New Blood" and it was painted by James Lavadour.

This one was composed of four panels and was created by James Schoppert and is called "Kaa Gee Soak" which I'm assuming comes from the Tlingit language.  I tried to find a translation but only found that "Kaa" means person.  

This last one has a touch of humor to it.  It's called "Tall Visitor at Tacito" and it was painted by Gary Cohoe.  

I enjoyed seeing all these large scale paintings in one gallery setting together.  The exhibit contained quite a variety of subjects and styles.  

Another Artful Morning

 

I was at the Heard Museum again on Saturday for another one of their "Artful Mornings" lectures.  I took the opportunity to walk through the changing gallery where they have a selection of paintings from the Heard's Collection.  They were all large scale paintings many of which I had seen before in different locations.  However, there were a few that hadn't been on display in decades.  

The painting at top is by Linda Lomahaftewa and it's Untitled.  To the left  is another painting by Lomahaftewa.  I love the brilliant colors in in both of these.

This painting must be a very new acquisition because it's dated 2026.  It was painted by Nanibah Chacon and it's called Bed Rot 1.  It is described as acrylic on polytab.  I had to look that up to discover that  Polytab is mural cloth.  I was drawn to the bright colors and all the patterns as usual.

This last one was painted by Joe Baker and it's called Phoenix House with Chartreuse Chairs.  It was painted in 1980.  It looks like the artist might have made visit to a house in Phoenix with saltillo tile floors and possibly an R.C. Gorman painting on the wall.

The Light Bloom Left Behind

 

It looks like the Desert Botanical Garden acquired one of the Light Bloom sculptures that were on display in 2024 and 2025.  This will be pretty when it's lit up at night.  You can see my photos from that exhibit here and here.

I used a photo editing technique on one of those older photos and gave it a pastel look that I think turned out very well. That color combination is pleasing to the eye.

The Rattan Bicycle

 

Here are two more observations from my recent visit to the Phoenix Art Museum.  I loved seeing this bicycle covered in basket weaving. It's called "Cicloviaerea (Aerial Velodrome)" and the artist is Jarbas Lopes.  It's a beautiful piece and it actually looks like someone could ride it.  

The other piece that caught my eye last week was this one by Louise Nevelson. It's called "Royal Tide V".  I've seen this piece around the museum before but for some reason, on this day it made me think of a piece I put together for one of our art Challenges.

Here is that piece.  The challenge subject was "Masks, Mannequins and Marionettes".  I actually posted this photo after the art challenge back in 2016 so some of you might remember it.  I still have this piece that I made.  It's currently sitting on my balcony.  

Music at the Art Museum

 

I got an email from the Phoenix Symphony listing some upcoming summer events and one of the events listed was a 30 minute brass concert at the Phoenix Art Museum early Wednesday evening.  I decided to check that out.  The symphony players were part of the brass quintet and they played in one of the galleries with lots of museum goers as their audience.

Each one of the pieces they played had some reference to art such as two movements from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.  It was a perfect little diversion from a heat filled day.

Of course, while I was there I wandered around a bit to see some art pieces that weren't on view the last time I was there.  

This untitled sculpture by Robert Therrien caught my eye because it was looming over the musicians in the first photo above. The piece is untitled but is described as a flagpole.  Apparently Therrien is known for turning everyday objects into larger-than-live depictions.  

Unusual Artistry

 

Two weeks ago I met some friends at a little wine bar that was new to all of us.  It's called Hidden Track Bottle Shop & Wine Bar and it lives up to it's "hidden" name.  It's tucked away in a small strip center that was once the studio setting for artist Bill Tonnesen.  

Tonnesen is the artist who creates full body sculptures that are scattered around town.  You can see one here and anther one here on previous posts.

This one is hanging from the outside wall of the little center where the wine bar is located.

In another location, I found this reindeer lounging on a shelf in a wall.  

I believe they are both sculptures left over from when Tonnesen had his studio here.

The wine bar itself was a cozy little space that served some of the best bar food I've ever had.  Everything on the menu had a European twist to it and everything was delicious.  I will certainly return here again.  Maybe I'll find some more hidden sculptures lurking around the property.

A Flash of Color

 

A flash of bright colors caught my eye as I drove past this house so I tuned around to see what it was.  

The homeowners have added some colorful glass sculptures to the front of the house and one along the side where the garage is located.  They are beautiful works of art and they look very nice against the dark color of the house.  

An interesting addition to the front of a house.

Super Humans

 

As a follow up to yesterday's post, I decided to do a little more playing with that editing app to see what other "Superman" images I could conjure up. 

This one is from a photo of me with Tower Bridge in the background.

It looks like the River Thames has been paved over!

This one is also a photo of me standing next the Tardis from Dr. Who.

In this one it looks like Superman has brought along the instruction manual for operating a Tardis.

And, here I am sitting on the front patio of my friend Glenda's house.

Just look at those muscles!

I tried the same effect on a photo of an angel statue and this one turned out rather strangely.  There is a sort of sinister look to this guy. I think he might be about to cast a spell.

Artistic Expressions

 

I was playing around with one of the options in my photo editing app and discovered one particular option that intrigued me.  I used a photo I posted back in 2024 of an artwork at the Celebration of Fine Arts.  You can see the original piece in my photo here.  I loved this version of that same art work created by my editing app.

When I'm working with a photo, this option gives me multiple versions but in order to see each option I have to select the each of those samples at the bottom of the screen one at a time.

Once I've selected them all, I can choose the one I like best to download.  Once I download the one shot, this page closes and I have to repeat the whole routine if I want another version.

Even though it can be a bit tedious to repeat the process to get a second or third option, I still enjoy using this particular option because of the variety it produces.  There is always one with a metallic look like the one to the left.

There is always one option that produces a 'Superman' themed image.  That particular one always makes me chuckle at the way it incorporates Superman into the image.

I enjoy playing with this option.  Especially when I find the perfect photo to work with.

Zuni Girl

 

Zuni Girl is a sculpture by Native American artist Doug Hyde.  She stands in a quiet corner near where the parking lot meets the courtyard at the Heard Museum.  I thought I had posted a photo of her before so I went back and looked and sure enough I did a post a photo of her 10 years ago. 

Back then, there were no plants around to shade her.  She looks much better with all the plants around her and casting soft shadows.

Museum Employee Art

 

As I mentioned yesterday, here are three more employee art pieces that were on display at the Heard Museum.  

The one above is three individual round canvases painted by Sylvia Richardson a sales support specialist.  It's called "Messengers: Cicada, Butterfly & Dragonfly".  They were painted in acrylic paint.

To the left is a piece called "Airborne Worm Dance II" by Jay Payestewa - Daugherty who is a shop associate and buyer. This one is a mixed media piece.

This last one is painted by Rebeka Peshlakai who is the Institutional Giving Coordinator.  It's called "Hi Dad".  Her message said it was a painting of one of her dad's favorite fishing spots.  I particularly love the way she painted the clouds and cliffs in this one.  

I'm always impressed by the amount of talent that makes up our world.  

The Lecture Room

 

I took this photo in the room at the Heard Museum where the Artful Mornings lectures are held.  You can see the beaded bag and the soft sculpture I featured yesterday on the table.  About once a year, this room is filled with art works that are created by members of the Heard Museum staff.  You can see three of them behind the speaker.  

Here are two closer views.  The one above was painted by John Bulla (deputy director & COO) with help from Laura Beckman.  I know it looks like it might be composed of beads but it's actually acrylic paint.  That must have taken hours and hours of work. It's called "Baxter Jax - Sun Dog".  

I really like the one to the left also.  It was painted by Nolan Lightfoot (security officer) and it's called "The Hunt".  If you look closely in the bottom left corner, you will see a figure in a red shirt among all that yellow.  It made me think of someone making his way among a forest of aspen trees.  

I'll show you a couple more tomorrow.