Kristy Lee Art

My Visit to Kunsthaus Zurich Museum        On one of my summer vacations, a few years ago, I set my sights on Zurich, Switzerland. Id heard that it was a small but cultural city. As we walked along this quaint but very beautiful city I came upon the museum Kunsthaus. This museum houses one of the most important art collections in Switzerland.  Even entering this place, I felt that we were about to see some fantastic pieces, and I wasn't disappointed. I found myself standing just inches away from the art of Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Edvard Munch, and so many more. It was when I walked up to Rembrandts, Self- Portrait, that I became emotional. I was standing so close, I felt him. I thought of how he would have been standing this close, painting this portrait and I became overwhelmed. Being an artist myself, that paints portraits also, I could feel the time and effort that it would have taken him all those years ago. I have never been this close to greatness. There

Painting with Mike Snow     Last September I had the great fortune to travel to Saussignac, France for my first painting retreat. I chose this retreat so as to have a loose, fun, art experience. So I said to myself, Self, why not travel to some fantastic town in the south of France to do it? Im sure I talked myself in and out of it so many times that I wasn't even sure whether I sent in the paperwork to secure my spot. But in fact I did, and now I had to go! So I put on my big girl panties and set my travel plans in motion. I could not tell you how fantastic this whole experience was!   We made our way to Paris, which itself is fantastic, then caught the high speed train to Bordeaux, also not a shabby place, where we then transferred to a local train that would bring us about an hour into the countryside to the town of Sainte Foi Le Grande. Oh, and did I mention that I didn't listen to my husband and packed way too much, forgetting that Id have to shlep it around myself. S

“Paul”       A few years ago, I was introduced to the artist Paul Scarborough. We clicked immediately. Sometimes in life you meet an angel and don’t even know it. That is what Paul was for me. We would talk for hours on the phone, about our art. He encouraged, supported and guided me forward with my art career. He was a believer in my talent before I was.    Paul was a generous man, always with a kind word to offer other artists that he met. Paul himself was a terrific artist, always humble though. He started with watercolor landscapes before moving to very loose abstract expressionism. It is because of Paul that I moved from painting figures and portraits, to Abstract art myself. I had always had an interest in doing so.    With Paul’s encouragement I decided to devote my summer to only painting large art. Large and loose. I moved from one style to another, always working on getting looser in my technique. I would check in and we would talk about what we were both wor

Disparity in the Arts?   Ok, so this past summer I decided to look into the whole topic pertaining to the disparity between men and women in the arts. This summer would be filled with art and art exploration. I am very aware that in the early years women were not permitted to to paint, which is why the museums are full of art painted by men. I wondered if that had changed much in these centuries. I started my journey for answers at NAWA and then met with the museum head at the Zimmeli Museum. What they both said was that change is happening, but happening slowly. I wondered if I would see this big change in my lifetime? Did I mention that I could be like a dog with a bone when gathering information? I decided to find out if this was a universal problem. I boarded a flight and traveled extensively though Europe to check into this. What I found out, was that change seems to be happening quicker there, and that might have something to do with the fact that more and more of the big

 Michael Cheval is a Russian Artist, living in New Jersey now.  He specializes in" Absurdist" paintings, drawings and portraits. I first met Michael Cheval at an auction for art collectors. I immediately feel in love with his work, and knew that I would want to own one.  Unfortunately for me, I got sick that evening and missed out, because all of the pieces I was interested in, SOLD!  I was pretty bummed. The next day I ran into him. He was so generous with his time. He offered me tips for my art journey, and answered all of my questions, about his career.  Less than a year later, I ran into him again at a gallery in my town. What are the odds? Again he was so generous with his time. He was painting this sweet piece of art and yet stopped to spend time talking to me.  Id love to spend five minutes in his head to see where the amazing ideas he comes up with, come from. Id say he is a fine artist, but with a twist! Visit his website, chevalfineart.com  and you will see his

Chelsea- Gallery Heaven      The Chelsea area in NYC has become a mecca for Art Galleries, but what are those galleries doing for the artists on their walls, I wondered. I decided to take a walk along the west side and check it out.  Each Gallery had wonderful art on pretty walls. I enjoyed roaming from gallery to gallery, I saw some interesting art, but I couldn't tell you much about it. When I walked into each gallery, I was surprised how I was greeted, if greeted at all. Some just handed me a plastic covered booklet with the art names and some had pricing. Very unfortunately, thats all I got with regards to the art from all but 3 galleries, and I visited about 20. No one asked if I needed or wanted any info or help with questions. No one explained the art piece or offered me any extra information than was on that plastic covered booklet.I was disappointed! I kept thinking that if that was my art on those walls, how I'd feel if no one represented my work with my informati