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Hi,

I was feeling quite energized today. I put this down to positive feedback to my ongoing exploration of art.

While looking over my notes I saw that a few artists I've been thinking about exploring died shockingly young.

To name but a few, these included: Manet, Van Gogh, Vermeer, Spencer Gore - and the artist I explored in haste today: George Bellows (1882-1925).

An acute appendicitis took George too soon.

George - a core member of the Ashcan School of artists at the beginning of the 20th century - was dedicated to his art and made efforts at capturing society and the world around in a dynamic, almost kinetic, manner. His poses and colours were often injected with energy. Using a high contrast against typically dark and earthen tones and hues, George make good use of colour and the thick oils he painted with. He seemed to work at a fast pace! He loved his family and his wife and daughters often modeled for him.

In his youth he was a semi-pro athlete and worked part-time illustrating his college newspaper.

He's probably more famous for his capturing the drama of city life (The Men of the Docks, 1912, is a fine example of this!) and the 1909 painting of a boxing match 'The Stag at Sharkey's'.

With the theme of youthful talent burning out suddenly, it's worth noting that Velma's pin-up pose is as a memorial to Marilyn Monroe (1926-62). She was found dead at her small home on this day in 1962. Murder? Suicide? Bungled cry for help...? I guess we'll never know.

Deciding to avoid the perhaps more obvious 'Seven Year Itch' white dress pose, I borrowed heavily for Velma's peg legged pose from a famous 1952 bathing suit calender shoot.

In deference to both the date coinciding with Monroe's death and Bellows' fascination with speed - I spent only as long on this as I felt I needed to.

I confess, I had fun working on this. It pushed my skills too.

So, here's peg-legged Velma - hoping to catch something of Marilyn's energy and poise in the sun!

I hope she amuses more than she offends.

Best wishes to those who stop by here - and a sincere thanks to all those who offer encouraging words, downloads, views and add my submissions to their faves.

John

Description
Hi,

I was feeling quite energized today. I put this down to positive feedback to my ongoing exploration of art.

While looking over my notes I saw that a few artists I've been thinking about exploring died shockingly young.

To name but a few, these included: Manet, Van Gogh, Vermeer, Spencer Gore - and the artist I explored in haste today: George Bellows (1882-1925).

An acute appendicitis took George too soon.

George - a core member of the Ashcan School of artists at the beginning of the 20th century - was dedicated to his art and made efforts at capturing society and the world around in a dynamic, almost kinetic, manner. His poses and colours were often injected with energy. Using a high contrast against typically dark and earthen tones and hues, George make good use of colour and the thick oils he painted with. He seemed to work at a fast pace! He loved his family and his wife and daughters often modeled for him.

In his youth he was a semi-pro athlete and worked part-time illustrating his college newspaper.

He's probably more famous for his capturing the drama of city life (The Men of the Docks, 1912, is a fine example of this!) and the 1909 painting of a boxing match 'The Stag at Sharkey's'.

With the theme of youthful talent burning out suddenly, it's worth noting that Velma's pin-up pose is as a memorial to Marilyn Monroe (1926-62). She was found dead at her small home on this day in 1962. Murder? Suicide? Bungled cry for help...? I guess we'll never know.

Deciding to avoid the perhaps more obvious 'Seven Year Itch' white dress pose, I borrowed heavily for Velma's peg legged pose from a famous 1952 bathing suit calender shoot.

In deference to both the date coinciding with Monroe's death and Bellows' fascination with speed - I spent only as long on this as I felt I needed to.

I confess, I had fun working on this. It pushed my skills too.

So, here's peg-legged Velma - hoping to catch something of Marilyn's energy and poise in the sun!

I hope she amuses more than she offends.

Best wishes to those who stop by here - and a sincere thanks to all those who offer encouraging words, downloads, views and add my submissions to their faves.

John