Field of Flowers
Egon Schiele
1910
Chalk on Paper
About the Art
This early drawing by Schiele is a mixed media study in black chalk, gouache, gold bronze paint and white body color on paper. Egon Schiele studied under Gustav Klimt and was influenced by the early expressionism of Van Gogh and Edvard Munch. You can see the world of expressionism colliding in this explosion of colorful blooms. Schiele’s signature dark lines and the flattening of space in between the background and tree, speaks of an artist who approached the subject in terms far beyond wanting to portray something decorative. He reveled in the surface of the image, in the exploration of materials and a bold graphic style that was very modern and brute in his day.
I had only seen Schiele’s nudes and distorted figures, but his flowers were an unexpected surprise. He loved creating and whether it was an exuberance of flowers, a forlorn stylized tree or a self-portrait dripping in suffering, he seems to have an honest examination of each and tried to get to the heart of his subject.
“At present, I am mainly observing the physical motion of mountains, water, trees and flowers. One is everywhere reminded of similar movements in the human body, of similar impulses of joy and suffering in plants.” Egon Schiele
About the Artist
“(12 June 1890 – 31 October 1918) was an Austrian painter. A protégé of Gustav Klimt, Schiele was a major figurative painter of the early 20th century. His work is noted for its intensity and its raw sexuality, and the many self-portraits the artist produced, including naked self-portraits. The twisted body shapes and the expressive line that characterize Schiele’s paintings and drawings mark the artist as an early exponent of Expressionism.” – Wikipedia
In his short 28 years Schiele produced over 3000 drawings and painting. He created some of the most impressive examples of drawings of the twentieth century.
In his early years his was mentored by Gustav Klimt and participated in group shows until his first solo show in 1914. He’s work was emotionally challenging and disturbing sexually to the public. His early years were filled with controversy and ended in a short imprisonment.
He later married and had to serve in WW1. During the war he still produced artwork and was even given a spare storeroom to use a studio. 1918 he started to enjoy his first commercial successes with over 50 pieces of work accepted into the Successions 49th exhibition. He died at age 28 from the Spanish flu pandemic, three days after his pregnant wife passed away.
Read more about Egon Schiele and view more artwork at the Art Story.
Our Sponsor
Our sponsor this month is Humblebeads. Please visit us tomorrow to see the prizes!
How to Enter the Monthly Challenge:
1. You need to have a Pinterest account. Go get one ASAP if you don’t have one already. It’s easy, fun and inspiring.
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Subject: Monthly Challenge Board Request
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Create something using an art bead that fits within our monthly theme. We post the art to be used as your inspiration to create. This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc. The art bead can be created by you or someone else. The challenge is to inspire those who use art beads and to see all the different ways art beads can be incorporated into your handiwork.
An Art Bead must be used in your piece to qualify for the monthly challenge.
***Beads strung on a chain, by themselves and beads simply added to wire or cord will not be accepted.***
Please add the tag or title JAN ABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog, if you have one.
Deadline is January 30th
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ENTRIES for ART BEAD ARTISTS!
• Beads Makers Pinterest Board – Art beads must be created by you and fit the Art Bead Scene’s monthly challenge theme. They can be made for the challenge or ones you have made before. Two entries per month are allowed.
One entry will be picked by the editors each month for a free month of advertising on the Art Bead Scene. Bead entries have to be pinned by the 30th of the month.
Beads only – do not post jewelry on this board. If a post doesn’t fit the challenge it will be deleted.
Monthly Challenge Recap
• Please post at least one single shot of your creation on the Pinterest Board. This will be used to make a collage for the Monthly Challenge Gallery. Every creation will be added to the collage, regardless of a blog post. So everyone gets included!
Your entry must be on Pinterest 2 days BEFORE the recap to be included.
• Be sure to share with us the name of the art bead artist in the description of your photo so that if you are selected for the weekly Perfect Pairings on Friday, both you as the designer and the art bead artist can get the credit you both deserve!
• An Link Up button will be added to the bottom of the Monthly Challenge Recap post. Here you will be able to link up your blog post if you have one. Be sure to hop around and see all the great inspiration and leave some comment love!
• The Monthly Challenge Recap with Blog Tour will be posted on January 30th.
Monthly Challenge Winners
• One prize winner will be selected at random from all blog posts added to the hop for the Monthly Challenge Recap post. So if you want to be in the pool for the second prize, be sure to use the Link button at the bottom of the post to share your process and inspirations!
• Winners will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on February 1st.
Perfect Pairings: Designer + Art Bead Artist
• Perfect Pairings focus on both the jewelry designer and the art bead artist.
• Be sure to point out all the art bead artists in your work in the description of the photo on the Pinterest Board. Links to their website or shop are appreciated. That way we can all find new art beads to love!
• From all the entries during the month, an editor will pick their favorite design to be featured every Friday here on the ABS, so get those entries in soon.
What is an Art Bead?
An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.
***A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.
Beaded beads, stamped metal pendants or wire-wrapped components are not considered art beads for our challenge.***
