Born, apparently, to be a Philistine, I have never understood the great fuss made over Andrew Wyeth - unless it's just more of the eternal self-congratulation of the Eastern Cultural Establishment (or in other words the immortal Us.)

His stuff has always seemed sophomoric and much more depressing than disturbing. But everybody knows I have no taste.

Andrew Newell Wyeth exalted the commonplace.
My personal favorite:
http://chasingtailfeathers.tumblr.com/post/27006146802

Andrew Wyeth knew completely and wholly what he was about. Not pleasing you, for one thing. There is a presence in his work that is often an unseen presence - a person just around the corner. Also, either a sound or a silence.

His star will rise and many will wonder why they never understood his work when he was still with us. He was as close to a present day Vermeer as any I can think of.

Zzzzzzz....

'S OK. You get to think I'm shallow, I get to not like his stuff.

I have little doubt that I would find much of your taste in music puerile, for whatever that's worth. I've made peace with not finding it necessary to educate.

I prefer NC Wyeth.

nc wyeth pirate prints

I like a little fun in my fine arts; if I want navel-gazing I can do that quite well at home.

The days when a pope or a duke could commission art and take apart the artist for a failure is not truly appreciated.

"Now Mikey - think; if you do not pull your head out of your rear the Duke will have that done just before removing that head from your neck."

*scribbles*

"Virgin Mary made out of dung is just out! Now how about a nice, calm, nondecapitating still life?"

Your eyes are smitten; artists like Andrew Wyeth would balm them except for your conscious ignorance.

Note to fathers: when Andrew Wyeth asks if your daughter can show him around the place, YOU SAY NO.

Are we sure "Christina" is not P.J. O'Rourke in drag?

Like others here, I was indifferent to Wyeth paintings until in 1977 when I lived in NYC, I was out for a walk and passed the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art where they were exhibiting not his paintings but rather his drawings. I'm no art critic or intellectual. My reaction was visceral. I don't even remember which drawings were exhibited. But the drawings were exquisite and exciting. I left the exhibit appreciating the nuance, the subtlety, and details in his work. Through Andrew Wyeth I discovered his father, NC. Their talents give me chills.

Musta' found a good deal on a bulk lot of brown paint.

And MarkH drives towards the goal. He shoots. He scores! Nothing but net!

BillH can now go to his room and think about what he jus said.

You have to admit that Shibes' comment is pretty funny.

Oh yeah. First class.

"I have little doubt that I would find much of your taste in music puerile"

Feeling a bit testy? :-)

I find Wyeth's work extremely interesting. Photos and prints do not do his paintings justice, they are very different in person. I don't like all of his work--some of his paintings I actually dislike. But some I love, and what most people don't realize is that his work is really quite varied. It's not all brown! Last year I went to an exhibit of Wyeth watercolors, and they are completely different from the work we are most familiar with. I saw one watercolor that I loved so much that I didn't want to leave it. I just wanted to stand there all day and have the amazing experience the painting created.

The thing about Wyeth that is ultimately so compelling is that he was a true artist. Like Gully Jimson in The Horse's Mouth (a great book that is a fascinating portrait of what it must feel like to be an artist), he was so fully engaged in the creative process that he lived, in a sense, in a different world.

I read this biography of Wyeth last year and really, really enjoyed it: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Wyeth-Secret-Richard-Meryman/dp/0060929219/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1421853411&sr=8-4&keywords=andrew+wyeth&pebp=1421853502605&peasin=60929219

The author knew Wyeth pretty well and had already written one book about him, as well as many articles. He became the go-to guy for articles about Wyeth because he could get the interview. Eventually Wyeth chose the author as his official biographer--and the process they used was astonishing. Wyeth gave Meryman free rein to write whatever he wanted, with no restrictions, and Wyeth didn't even want to read it. The one condition was that Wyeth wouldn't sit for any new interviews. But Meryman knew enough from all those years, and he interviewed everyone else, including Betsy and Helga. The result is a portrait worthy of the artist, comparable, in a sense, to a Wyeth painting: realistic, unvarnished, honest, and full of so much love for his subject that its essence is made clear.

I have a quote from Wyeth on the image board I keep for inspiration--this was his artistic goal: "Not to exhibit craft, but rather to submerge it; and make it rightfully the hand-maiden of beauty, power, and emotional content."