What was Cezanne’s project and what did that have to do with Matisse?

What was Matisse’s project and what did that have to do with Diebenkorn?

And what were all three doing and what does that have to do with our own painting?!

Continuing with the ongoing exploration of Modern Masters as a source for inspiration and direction, we’ll be working with still life as a motif, first through the lens of Cezanne, and then through the lens of Matisse and lastly, Diebenkorn.

• Through Cezanne we will explore the deeper nature of painting from perception, and its creative relationship to the discovery of strong composition.
• With Matisse we will work with color as light, shape/rhythms, and the meaning of fine-tuning an edge.
• Diebenkorn will give us a chance to play with what we have gathered in a full and painterly and exploratory way.

The Weekly Syllabus:

• Week One: A Presentation on Cezanne’s project as an introduction to the Deeper Possibilities of Painting.  Beginning our Still Life painting a la Cezanne and his questions.
• Week Two: Continuing the painting through the lens of Cezanne.
• Week Three: An introduction to Matisse’s project and how it was influenced by Cezanne.  Beginning our still life painting through the lens of Matisse.
• Week Four: Continuing the still life painting and focusing on shape, compositional re-working, and edges.
• Week Five: A 3rd session on the still life painting through the lens of Matisse.
• Week Six: An introduction to the still life painting of Diebenkorn.  Quick, playful experimentations with still life painting through the lens of Diebenkorn.
• Week Seven: Continuing our exploration of still life through the lens of Diebenkorn.

Painting, as a form of discovery, becomes a vehicle for inner exploration and a metaphor for living.