(I originally posted this in November 2009, but when the images diasappeared, I had to find, and repost them, and I was reminded what a great man Andrew Wyeth was! I felt the need to repost...)
Andrew Wyeth died almost a year ago (January 16, 2009) at the age of 91. I was never so much a fan of his work, as I was an admirer of his work, until I recently finished reading a biography on his life and art: Andrew Wyeth A Secret Life, by Richard Meryman. It is such a wonderful book, that I hated to finish it! Not only does the book give one a better understanding of Andrew himself, but also of his father, NC Wyeth, and his son Jamie Wyeth (both artists). The book delved into their interesting, and complicated relationships with one another. The story of NC's death was heartbreaking, but the perspective on death from Andrew (learned from his father) was fascinating! They seemed to view death as they did life....and that is possibly what makes Andrew's work so interesting to me. In a time when modern art was thriving, Andrew managed to stay true to himself and his work. He painted what he knew, and never questioned it. (He had watched his father "sell out", just to keep his family happy in the style to which they were accustomed.) I had always wondered how the Helga paintings came about, and I thought there may have been a hidden agenda, until I read about them. The story makes total sense, and I personally feel they are some of his best work, although maybe since I am currently painting nudes, they resonate with me. (We even get to see how the lives of his models sometimes turn tragic.) The era Andre Wyeth grew up in is certainly an age gone by, and I found it fascinating to share that time, while reading the book. His paintings definitely have a quiet solitude to them that I find immensely pleasing, that also records a time not so far in our past. Check out some of the Andrew Wyeth portraits on YouTube, and definitely read the book! If you like, or are curious about the Wyeth family, it will be well worth it.
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