Art Appreciation 101

Art Appreciation Activities Handout

Sign up to receive a handout with nine fun art appreciation activities for all ages. These games and challenges will help you connect with artworks and practice key art appreciation skills like attention to detail, comparison, and visual description in the process. I hope you'll have as much fun trying them as I had dreaming them up!

European Art · Museums

Frick Madison Shines New Light on Old Friends

On the afternoon of March 4th, I was one of the very first people to experience Frick Madison, the Frick Collection's new installation in the Whitney Museum's former home at 945 Madison Avenue. The surprisingly-wonderful combination of historical art and Brutalist structure literally shines a new light on the Frick's beloved artworks.

Manuscripts · Medieval Art and Architecture

Astrology and Zodiac Signs in Medieval Art

Medieval Europeans were pretty serious about astrology. The belief that that stars and planets influenced daily life was fundamental to the medieval calendar and cycle of seasons. For this reason, zodiac signs appear all over medieval art and architecture, often in unexpected places. Check out some examples in my article for DailyArt Magazine.

American Art · Books · Women in the Arts

A New Graphic Novel Introduces Edmonia Lewis

As a big fan of 19th-century African-American and Native-American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, I was excited to find out that she's now the subject of a new graphic novel, Seen: Edmonia Lewis. Thanks to publisher BOOM! Studios, I was able to read and review an advanced digital copy ahead of its September 2020 release.

European Art · Renaissance Art

All About Italian Renaissance Art

Everybody is familiar with the Italian Renaissance because of artists like Leonardo da Vinci and artworks like the Sistine Chapel ceiling. This time and place includes some of the greatest household names in art history, as well as countless other artists of great merit. But do you know what the Italian Renaissance was all about and why it was so special? Find out in my brief guide for DailyArt Magazine.

Books · European Art · Renaissance Art

Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy Brings Michelangelo to Life

Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy is a 1961 biographical novel about Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). I'm glad that people kept pushing me towards this book until I couldn't resist anymore; I enjoyed it greatly and recommend it highly. Here's why.