By Michael Canaday
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Butler Art Institute is showing a tribute of one of America's greatest painter, Andrew Wyeth. He passed away this year on Jan. 16 at the age of 91 at his home, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania where he was born in 1917.
Wyeth will live on in the minds of America through his complex detailed paintings of simple things; he has painted his way in the fabric and the hearts of America.
Butler's present tribute showing of Wyeth works will be shown till Feb. 28, so there still time to see the 15 great examples on display; Wyeth pieces are always on permant display.
Andrew Wyeth, the third generation in a line of artists, is the son of N.C. Wyeth, the famous illustrator and one of five children, all successful. He was recognized early for his artistic talents. By the age of 15 his father was teaching him the academic lessons of the painted arts. Wyeth was completely home schooled.
The great American painter Winslow Homer was one of Wyeths' self proclaimed influences. As his career continued to flourish, painting mostly farms, rural landscapes, animals, still lifes and his friends and neighbors, he canvassed the essence of country life in America.
Wyeth painted in wate
rcolor or egg tempera, and was classified a regionalist artist, depicting Maine or Pennsylvania in composions. Adored by all his peers, he captured Americans' praises as well.
One of his best known works is "Christina's World" (not shown) produced in the 1948. Its subject, Christina Olson, neighbor and friend, had polio. Olsen may have seemed an unlikely subject to have been so well received, but this painting seems to show all that is nice and bad in the world, all on the same panel.
Other nationally acclaimed greats are: "Winter", 1946; "Groundhog Day", 1959; "Master Bedroom", 1965; "Mega's Daughter",1956; "Helgas Series", 1971-85; and "Snow Hill", 1989. Googling any of these titles will bring plentiful results.
Wyeth was not like Van Gogh and other famous artists in the sense that his success was always recognized and received during his life. Appreciators could see his talent openly and it was unmistakable. His style is reminiscent of a butterfly- natural, beautiful, and simultaneously complex and simple; he demonstrates small everyday parts of the world we can all relate to.
Wyeth embraced his talent, painting up to his final days with conviction and he recieved countless awards and global honors. In 1970, he became the first living artist to be displayed in the White House. In 1963, President Kennedy awarded him with the Presidential Freedom Award, our country's highest civilian honor. He also received the gold medal for painting and numerous honorary degrees; this includes his induction to both the French and Soviet art academies. Acceptance by the French is an outstanding accomplishment in light of their distaste for American works. Most recently, he accepted the Congressional Gold medal in 1990.
He holds the highest auction records for any living artist. Before his death, it would be hard to buy an Andrew Wyeth for what a large house would cost. The fact that he is considered "America's finest artist" is reinforced by his auction records and the superfluity of awards.
The Butler Institute of American Art, the largest museum dedicated to just American fruits, is in line with the masses when it came to Wyeth as well.
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"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape- the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it; the whole story doesn't show".
-- Andrew Wyeth
Wyeth will live on in the minds of America through his complex detailed paintings of simple things; he has painted his way in the fabric and the hearts of America.
Butler's present tribute showing of Wyeth works will be shown till Feb. 28, so there still time to see the 15 great examples on display; Wyeth pieces are always on permant display.
Andrew Wyeth, the third generation in a line of artists, is the son of N.C. Wyeth, the famous illustrator and one of five children, all successful. He was recognized early for his artistic talents. By the age of 15 his father was teaching him the academic lessons of the painted arts. Wyeth was completely home schooled.
The great American painter Winslow Homer was one of Wyeths' self proclaimed influences. As his career continued to flourish, painting mostly farms, rural landscapes, animals, still lifes and his friends and neighbors, he canvassed the essence of country life in America.
Wyeth painted in wate
rcolor or egg tempera, and was classified a regionalist artist, depicting Maine or Pennsylvania in composions. Adored by all his peers, he captured Americans' praises as well.One of his best known works is "Christina's World" (not shown) produced in the 1948. Its subject, Christina Olson, neighbor and friend, had polio. Olsen may have seemed an unlikely subject to have been so well received, but this painting seems to show all that is nice and bad in the world, all on the same panel.
Other nationally acclaimed greats are: "Winter", 1946; "Groundhog Day", 1959; "Master Bedroom", 1965; "Mega's Daughter",1956; "Helgas Series", 1971-85; and "Snow Hill", 1989. Googling any of these titles will bring plentiful results.
Wyeth was not like Van Gogh and other famous artists in the sense that his success was always recognized and received during his life. Appreciators could see his talent openly and it was unmistakable. His style is reminiscent of a butterfly- natural, beautiful, and simultaneously complex and simple; he demonstrates small everyday parts of the world we can all relate to.
Wyeth embraced his talent, painting up to his final days with conviction and he recieved countless awards and global honors. In 1970, he became the first living artist to be displayed in the White House. In 1963, President Kennedy awarded him with the Presidential Freedom Award, our country's highest civilian honor. He also received the gold medal for painting and numerous honorary degrees; this includes his induction to both the French and Soviet art academies. Acceptance by the French is an outstanding accomplishment in light of their distaste for American works. Most recently, he accepted the Congressional Gold medal in 1990.
He holds the highest auction records for any living artist. Before his death, it would be hard to buy an Andrew Wyeth for what a large house would cost. The fact that he is considered "America's finest artist" is reinforced by his auction records and the superfluity of awards.
The Butler Institute of American Art, the largest museum dedicated to just American fruits, is in line with the masses when it came to Wyeth as well.
------------------
"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape- the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it; the whole story doesn't show".
-- Andrew Wyeth
