Georgia O'Keefe

At the end of the 19th century, two opposing art forms existed in Europe and America. Europe boasted progressive forms of art, such as Cubism, Expressionism and Futurism, while the United States featured more representational styles. In the early 1900s, though, a generation of artists bridged these opposing artistic cultures with what has become known as the American Modernist Movement. Led by the influential Georgia O’Keeffe, this group of talented artists depicted aspects of American life through iconic imagery, such as landscapes, cityscapes, still lifes and figurative works.

The Tampa Museum of Art begins its 26th season with “Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Time: Modern Masters from the Lane Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” on view from Oct. 1, 2005, through Jan. 8, 2006. Stunning masterpieces dating from 1900 to 1930 by O’Keeffe and other artists in the movement, such as Charles Sheeler, Arthur G. Dove, Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley, will be showcased in the exhibition.

While these artists collectively drove the American Modernist movement, Georgia O’Keeffe stood at the forefront.

Born to a simple farm family in Wisconsin in 1887, O’Keeffe discovered her artistic abilities at an early age, initiating her strong desire to become an artist. To pursue her career, she left home after high school and attended prestigious art institutes in Chicago and New York.

Frustrated by the blatant realism of American art at the time, she temporarily abandoned her passion until an influential teacher convinced her that she truly could express her emotions through her art. She consequently began experimenting with more abstract styles, and as a result, her first drawings are considered to be some of the most influential works of the period.

O’Keeffe eventually moved to New Mexico, where the breathtaking scenery had inspired her works long before she lived there. She continued painting through the 1970s, until blindness caused her to stop. Her most famous works, those of large-scale flowers, skulls, adobes and desert scenes, secured her spot as one of the most recognizable painters in American history.
The other artists whose work appears as part of the exhibit share an interesting past as well. Sheeler, who was known a precisionist, painted mostly industrial subject matter in works that became famous for their photorealistic qualities. Arthur G. Dove, on the other hand, adopted an abstract quality to his nature-based paintings. Known as “the quiet man of American Modernism,” he would use a series of overlapping discs and stem-like forms to represent trees and flowers, a style he called “extraction,” rather than “abstraction.”

Inspired by his work in Paris, Stuart Davis also took a different approach to abstract art, combining this style with the use of lettering to create a look all his own. Widely published in magazines, journals and murals, Davis became a true Renaissance man.

Marsden Hartley was a famed poet, painter and critic, and like his varying talents, his artistic style never remained the same. His early work reflected the art of European modernists with explosive color. He then shifted to Impressionism, and followed that with a stint as a radical abstractionist. With the onset of war, his paintings took on a more tragic tone, but he soon found that realism and emotional response could coexist, and began painting simpler landscapes and people.

“I am so excited that we can bring an exhibition of this caliber to the Tampa Museum of Art. With her bold, colorful paintings, Georgia O’Keeffe’s work is legendary,” says Cornelia Corbett, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “The list of exceptional Modernists in this show is impressive, and I know this exhibition will have something of interest for everyone.”

For more information on this exhibit, contact the museum directly at 813/274-8130, or visit its website at www.tampamuseum.com.

	At the end of the 19th century, two opposing art forms existed in Europe and America. Europe boasted progressive forms of art, such as Cubism, Expressionism and Futurism, while the United States featured more representational styles. In the early 1900s, though, a generation of artists bridged these opposing artistic cultures with what has become known as the American Modernist Movement. Led by the influential Georgia O’Keeffe, this group of talented artists depicted aspects of American life through iconic imagery, such as landscapes, cityscapes, still lifes and figurative works. The Tampa Museum of Art begins its 26th season with “Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Time: Modern Masters from the Lane Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” on view from Oct. 1, 2005, through Jan. 8, 2006. Stunning masterpieces dating from 1900 to 1930 by O’Keeffe and other artists in the movement, such as Charles Sheeler, Arthur G. Dove, Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley, will be showcased in the exhibition. While these artists collectively drove the American Modernist movement, Georgia O’Keeffe stood at the forefront. Born to a simple farm family in Wisconsin in 1887, O’Keeffe discovered her artistic abilities at an early age, initiating her strong desire to become an artist. To pursue her career, she left home after high school and attended prestigious art institutes in Chicago and New York. Frustrated by the blatant realism of American art at the time, she temporarily abandoned her passion until an influential teacher convinced her that she truly could express her emotions through her art. She consequently began experimenting with more abstract styles, and as a result, her first drawings are considered to be some of the most influential works of the period. O’Keeffe eventually moved to New Mexico, where the breathtaking scenery had inspired her works long before she lived there. She continued painting through the 1970s, until blindness caused her to stop. Her most famous works, those of large-scale flowers, skulls, adobes and desert scenes, secured her spot as one of the most recognizable painters in American history. The other artists whose work appears as part of the exhibit share an interesting past as well. Sheeler, who was known a precisionist, painted mostly industrial subject matter in works that became famous for their photorealistic qualities. Arthur G. Dove, on the other hand, adopted an abstract quality to his nature-based paintings. Known as “the quiet man of American Modernism,” he would use a series of overlapping discs and stem-like forms to represent trees and flowers, a style he called “extraction,” rather than “abstraction.” Inspired by his work in Paris, Stuart Davis also took a different approach to abstract art, combining this style with the use of lettering to create a look all his own. Widely published in magazines, journals and murals, Davis became a true Renaissance man. Marsden Hartley was a famed poet, painter and critic, and like his varying talents, his artistic style never remained the same. His early work reflected the art of European modernists with explosive color. He then shifted to Impressionism, and followed that with a stint as a radical abstractionist. With the onset of war, his paintings took on a more tragic tone, but he soon found that realism and emotional response could coexist, and began painting simpler landscapes and people. “I am so excited that we can bring an exhibition of this caliber to the Tampa Museum of Art. With her bold, colorful paintings, Georgia O’Keeffe’s work is legendary,” says Cornelia Corbett, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “The list of exceptional Modernists in this show is impressive, and I know this exhibition will have something of interest for everyone.” For more information on this exhibit, contact the museum directly at 813/274-8130, or visit its website at www.tampamuseum.com.
The Tampa Museum of Art’s exhibit, “Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Time,” will include several famous works by the legendary artist, including“Calla Lily on Grey,” 1928, above; “Deer’s Skull with Pedernal,” 1936, below; and “Ends of Barns,” 1922, bottom