Walking Mammoth: America's Earliest Known Art

Experts in the field assumed it was fake but after passing through a barrage of tests University of Florida forensic scientists believe that the etched image of a walking mammoth carved into fossilized bone is America’s oldest known piece of artwork.

Walking Mammoth, Fossilized bone, 11,000 BCE

photo: National Geographic

Fossil hunter James Kennedy had the 15-inch fossil in a box under his sink for a few years before, when cleaning it up, he noticed an image carved into the bone. Some 13,000 years ago when gigantic beasts roamed what is now Florida a nomadic ice age hunter carved this image of a walking mammoth. What is remarkable is that no other such artifacts have been found. With this discovery no doubt some very old bones will garner a closer look.

 Movie Still, 10,000 BC, 2008

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Starting a New Painting

Sandpaper and Gesso: A Fresh Start

Sometimes gesso and sandpaper are the best solution for a stalled painting. I just prepared the ground to begin this painting with a fresh start. To help get me into a centered and holy painting attitude I Googled "Tibetan Sacred Painting" and on Oregon Art Beat I found this short inspiring video about Thangka Painter, Sanje Elliot.

Thangka Painter, Sanje Elliot

A Very Brief History of Tempra Painting

 Judgement Before Osiris, Tempera on Papyus, 1285 B.C.

Ever since I noticed the sweet $152.00 egg tempera set in the nice wood case in the Daniel Smith catalog I think I need it. I like to think that in a past life I was a medieval manuscript illuminator. 

 Primavera, Sandro Botticelle, Tempera on panel, 1482

Why start painting with a new medium at this point?

Russian Icon, Tempera on panel

Because I love the light clean quality of the medium of the medieval manuscript painters, early Renaissance painters, Russian icon painters, Egyptians and Pre-Raphaelites… and Andrew Wyeth.

 Crown of Flowers, Andrew Wyeth, Tempera on paper, 1973

Ai Weiwei: Middle Finger, Tiananmen Square.

Thanks at least in part to global pressure, not only from ambassadors and human rights activists, but from leaders in the art world and people like New York City's Mayor Bloomberg, Chinese authorities agreed to release the artist Ai Weiwei. But why would the Chinese arrest their most famous artist? Take a look at Ai Weiwei's work and its a pretty easy guess. Ai Weiwei uses contemporary art as a vehicle to express singularly bold social criticism.

Middle Finger Tiananmen Square, photo: Ai Weiwei

One piece that put Ai Weiwei on the wrong side of Chinese authorities was his installation, Remembering, at the Haus der Kundst museum in Munich. The piece commemorated the tragic deaths of school children during the Sichuan, China earthquake of 2008. 

 Remembering, Installation, Ai Weiwei 2009

It is widely believed that the reason so many school children were killed was because the schools that collapsed on top of them during the earthquake were poorly constructed due to corruption. Ai Weiwei visited Sichuan after the earthquake where he observed debris littered with children's school things. That inspired him to create a message using 9,000 colorful children's backpacks to spell out, "She lived happily for seven years in this world", a quote from the mother of one of the lost children.

Remembering, Installation, Ai Weiwei 2009

Like memories developing over time the message, placed on an outdoor wall behind trees was slowly revealed as the season changed and the trees lost their leaves.

Remembering, Installation, Ai Weiwei 2009

Another Quick Look at Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry TEASER from Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry on Vimeo.

Ai Weiwei: "I'm Home, I'm Fine, I Can't Talk."

 Ai Weiwei Returns to Studio After Release, photo: David Gray/Reuters

World renowned Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei who was detained in April by Chinese authorities has just been released on bail after being held for 81 days. 

China's state media claims that Ai Weiwei confessed to "economic crimes" and has agreed to pay the back taxes they say he owes. His family denies the charges. When asked if his probation will allow him to use twitter, (Ai Weiwei's was known for his popular tweets) Ai laughed gently and apologized for not being able to speak.

 Public Enjoying 100 Million Porcelain Sunflowers at The Tate 

photo Tony Kyriacou/Rex Features

Well known outside of China and perhaps especially in Britain for his recent show Sunflower Seeds at the Tate in London, Ai Weiwei received worldwide popular support while under arrest.

Ai Weiwei Not Talking To British Reporter