Last year, The Colorist inaugurated a new award in the spirit of "top ten" lists, named the Top Ten Art Blog Posts of the year. Posts that made this list were memorable, displayed one or more noteworthy pieces of art, or had expository merit.
What influenced me the most in my choices of the best post of the art blogging year 2009, was the quality of the posts as blogged. That is to say, they were great blogs - they had content so meaty you could chew on them. They stayed in my memory and lingered there. The artists made me want to write, post or paint as well as they did!
Awardees are welcome to copy and paste the medal jpeg. No attribution is necessary.
Here, then, are my choices for the year 2009, Top Ten Art Blog Posts.
Milton Caniff's Studio
February 28, 2009
Gurney Journey, James Gurney
Boyhood memories, task-oriented studio layouts and dreams. This post influenced me when I had an illustration assignment this year.
"Milton Caniff laid out his studio..."
My Father Asks for Nothing
March 3, 2009
Sippican Cottage, Gregory Sullivan
Respects. As seen through the eyes of his son, a WW II veteran relives, reluctantly but with quiet intensity, his days as a serviceman. Bring a Kleenex and use it. And if you don't need it, kick yourself in the ass.
"He rarely spoke about that. My father and his confreres considered themselves part of a thing greater than the sum of their parts in it..."
Stephen Haller: Remembering Morandi
March 31, 2009
Joanne Mattera Art Blog, Joanne Mattera
Mattera interviews Haller; Haller reminisces about the Italian master.
"...after that school year I set out to find Morandi in Bologna."
Opening Tonight at the Howard/Mandville Gallery
May 9, 2009
A Painting Today, Karen Jurick
This slide show of Jurick's exhibit, set to a Dean Martin track, gave me a vision for musical content in a blog post that is clear, and topical. It is an example of music illuminating painting. And it swings!
Leonard Cohen, Courtesy of Barney Davey, from Art Print Issues
May 23, 2009
Ancient Artist: Developing an art career after 50, Sue Favinger Smith
Age-immaterial powers. I wanted music on my blog after seeing this one.
Jeanne Hébuterne in Red Shawl, 1917Modigliani
Modigliani Madness
July 16, 2009
Museworthy, Claudia Hajian
Claudia's post from June 18, 2008, Modigliani’s Muse – Jeanne Hebuterne and the “Rock Star” of Montparnasse, was a bell weather post for her blog, and sets the scene for Modigliani Madness. Tragic, funny and illuminating - Claudia's posts will fascinate you on many levels.
"Fortunately not every woman who crossed paths with Modigliani had her life devastated."
The Kiss
Klimt
Klimt
Gustav Klimt Kiss Vienna
July 19, 2009
Fine Art by Kelly Borsheim, Kelly Borsheim
Unique, individual criticism of the masterwork.
"I had the distinct impression that she had just died."
Old Drawings #39
Boogie Street, Harry Bell
July 27, 2009
Harry's three artworks entitled Sunday Market, which are a charcoal drawing, a collage of mixed media, and finally an oil painting, reveal his process visually. The painting actually comes out stronger than the already awesome drawing, which is a a sign of mastery.
ReflectionsPastel, Mixed
24" x 24"
Loriann Signori
Love at First Sight
July 28, 2009
Loriann Signori's Painting a Day, Loriann Signori
A magical trip to Washington State, where Loriann live-blogged her workshop with master pastelist and teacher Richard McKinley. I chose this piece as my favorite, and you should take the time to read through all of her July posts to experience her "nirvana" experience of outdoor painting.
Working on the Same Subject in Different Media
October 23, 2009
My French Easel, Benoit Philippe
The same scene, done three independent times in watercolor, then in pastel and then in oils.
Thank you for the listing, Casey. So cool to win a spot on your list of top ten art blog posts.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2010!
Thanks again,
Kelly
Your art and your blog are so enjoyable, Kelly. Thanks for your insightful blogging.
ReplyDeleteThis is GREAT!!! Every site is full of interest in addition to the specific articles (blogs) you cite!
ReplyDeleteThanks
As I was typing it out, I knew the treat that my readers would be getting - I am delighted to get to share these artist's blogs with you.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Kasey - I'll be sure to mention it next Sunday in 'who's made a mark'.
ReplyDeleteI see we have a number of the same artists in our view! ;)
Glad to Make a Mark on Sundays, Katherine.
ReplyDeleteI can't read as widely as you, and always utilize your blogroll to read around. I'd like to think of a few as "my own find" - whether true or not. I love Kelly's street art time in Florence, and I think she's the only sculptural artist that I have seen in blogs.
And, Claudia provides a dimension, that of artist's model, that is an anachronism these days, I think. Matisse had his regular, and very important persons, who contributed to his ouvre by being professional and unique in their talent.
What I especially like about these bloggers is they teach me so much...
ReplyDeleteCasey, wow! This is fabulous. I am beyond humbled to share this honor with such outstanding fellow bloggers. What a wonderful year-end treat! Many, many thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteHere's to a great 2010!
Claudia
I enjoy Kelly's posts also.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the inclusion, Casey! I'm really looking forward to following up on the others on the list.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for acknowledging Claudia the worthy muse in the list. She is deserving!
ReplyDelete...rog lyngaas
Hi Casey- You're very kind. I'll wear my medal with my speedo and cowboy boots, and of course a fez.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy and productive New Year.
As long as you square the fez, I am pleased. Live long and prosper.
ReplyDeleteLoriann, your's was based much on the actual artwork, as well as some of the way it was blogged. I feel it was the strongest one I have seen this year!
Thanks regarding the MAM award final. I am humbled by that one.
Looks like I answered Loriann's comment from a different post. *Good one*.
ReplyDeleteThank you it is so fun to read and learn about new sites and I love the different interests which they encompass.
ReplyDeleteTina, Carole, Harry, icedog, Kaylyn, Claudia - thanks for commenting and reading!
ReplyDeleteCasey - Thank you so much for including my blog post. I'm honored - and my thanks also to Barney Davey for introducing me to Leonard Cohen. Plus all these other great blog posts. What a great way to start 2010.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Sue
Casey, it is a great honour to be in your top 10 posts, as I really like your pastel paintings. Also, congratulation on being the top painting of the year on Making the Mark, Katherine Tyrell's blog. Benoit
ReplyDeleteThat's right, Sue. I remember that you gave an attribution where you found the Cohen video. You're great at blogging, and I enjoy reading Ancient Artist very much.
ReplyDeletePhillipe, it is great to read your comment, and thanks for the praise and for reading here.
In the history of my blog (3 years even) I have had a few posts go way over the standard for "hits" or pageloads in blogger-speak. This Top Ten is always guaranteed to do huge numbers, as you might guess, with solid content that is targeted but diverse, and lots of links. But, when I saw my numbers from 1 or 2 days ago, after someone quoted Sippican Cottage at a blog I've never had the pleasure of reading before, my numbers went way over even my best post (I think it was Alyson Stanfield's book interview).
The moral of the story: go outside your genre once in a while to gather new readership. I'll be interested, though, to see the "stick" rate from this huge mound in my stat chart.