Read Miriam’s thoughts, insight, and reflections on her work, art, and experiences.
We’re continuing to explore Miriam’s work through the lens of transition: This abstract piece was done from a scene at the Bryce Hospital (Alabama Insane Hospital) in Northport, Alabama where Miriam attended a Sunday School class her senior year in college at the University of Alabama. The woman depicted would sit and read her bible […]
Transitions 4: State of Mind Read More »
Looking at Miriam’s self-portraits through the decades. The first self-portrait was done in 1949 when Miriam was 14. The world was still in transition from war, the economy was uncertain, and Miriam was in transition from elementary school (there was no middle school then) to becoming a freshman in high school. Questions and changes abound
Transitions 3: Self-Portraits Read More »
Anyone who has ever experienced a injury, especially those requiring physical therapy, understands how difficult transitions can be from one position to another or from an injured state back to a healthy one. The study and final painting done in 1968 while Miriam’s husband was working through one of the periods of transition captures the
Transitions 2: Changing States Read More »
Spring is time of year when the weather and nature transition from dormant to alive. Life also transitions this time of year: students are about to from one phase of life to the next. Building projects begin in earnest. Relationships are publicly committed to and declared. And the list goes on. We’re looking at some
Art Transitions 1: Spring Read More »
Why is art “sportified” with competitions, judges, and prizes awarded? Over the last few decades, this sportification of art has become the popular norm in the low to middle-market art world. Some of the reasons for this competitive art culture include: Artists desperately seeking external validation for their work, especially new artists. Art competitions are
The “Sportification” of Art Read More »
Art and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs posts continued (see two previous posts for art (part 1) and art collectors (part 2) and the needs hierarchy): Museums and major cultural institutions generally collect and show art that itself is in the upper two stages of Maslow’s pyramid–Self Esteem and Self Actualization. The financial value of this
Part 3: Art Institutions through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Read More »
Continuing our thinking on art and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see last thread on the relationship of art to the pyramid): Art collectors can be found mainly in the top three stages of the pyramid. People struggling to have basic physiological, safety, and security needs met generally don’t collect original art. Very elderly, students, early
Part 2: Art Collectors through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Read More »
We’ve been thinking about how the financial value of art, artists, galleries and collectors connects to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We’ll start with art itself in general. (Note: Individual pieces may travel up and down! the pyramid.) At the lowest Physiological part of the pyramid, art is purely functional: the sculpture is needed as a
Part 1: Art through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Read More »
This work depicts the biblical story of Christ’s birth with Crestline Village in Birmingham, Alabama as the backdrop for the scene. Miriam says, “I again was influenced by a show at the Birmingham Museum. The work of William Dunlap with all the letters and words mixed into a Civil War work made a real impression.
Part 2: Unto Us and Birmingham Read More »
This is one of three in a series about the story of Christ’s birth–all pastel in blue with words on the works. “I was influenced by a show at the Birmingham Museum. The work of William Dunlap with all the letters and words mixed into a Civil War work made a real impression.” What makes
Part 1: Each to His Own and Birmingham Read More »