Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Explore The Colorful Art And Unique Individual That Is Paul Klee

By Lena Stephenson


The Bauhaus school that sprung to prominence between World War I and II was inspiration to many artists. Students and instructors there were a gifted group. These were individuals who challenged thoughts concerning what art is. The lectures and writings of the esteemed who taught there often influenced the generations which followed.

One of these highly skilled individuals was known for his great drawing technique and his concise, thought provoking lectures. He influenced the way many people think about modern art, creating more understanding and acceptance of it through his devotion to expressing his own art in many modern schools of style. Swiss artist Paul Klee undeniably has an important place in art history due to his intensive work on color theory and his lectures named Writings on Form and Design Theory. In later years, these were translated so that English readers could gain access to them.

He came from the town named Munchenbuchsee, Switzerland. Swiss people are either known as Swiss French or Swiss German, depending on the part of the country they live in and the language they speak. His nationality was therefore of the German designation. His father taught music and his mother was a singer. Both parents were highly skilled, having trained and met in Stuttgart at the Conservatory there. Paul learned to play violin very well and his parents supported his musicianship as long as they lived. His love of music tended toward the classics, but his artistic desires included a passion for exploration of the latest trends. He compared the elements in his paintings to rhythmic structure in the music he played. His devotion to both forms of art lasted his lifetime.

When he first entered the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, he spent his time drawing highly detailed pictures. His tendency to avoid using color prompted him to consider that perhaps he might never paint very well. Later on, he began to experiment with colors and painting, drawing inspiration from many artistic movements. For this reason, others did not view him as creating any particular style, but rather being an exploration of many. He was distracted during his academy years by drinking and pub liaisons with women. He did have a child that unfortunately died within a short time after its birth.

Expressive color filled his works. His art was created with childlike strokes. He often chose to paint on found materials, simply to break away from traditional paper and canvas. His students knew his ability to compare and contrast themes from literature, music and the visual arts. He believed these were challenging pursuits. His work with intense color palettes was often combined with his own abstract language of symbols. He used a wide variety of them to indicate things important to him, but was unconcerned about how others interpreted what he painted.

As a philosopher, he viewed his artwork as a means to show the essence of other places and times. He believed these existed as realms around our world. He viewed these as not being material, but rather spiritual, though not necessarily religious, places. Doing so helped him to retain an interest in fantasy and the imagination in a very childlike way.

Critics do not view his artwork as being of any particular style. Considered difficult to categorize, many schools of thought influenced him. The bright colors and bold patterns are two elements that define his paintings.

Since a picture paints a thousand words, viewing his art is the best way to get to know this individualistic icon of modern painting. Studying the sketchbooks offers a tutorial in best drawing practices. Reading the four diaries he wrote tell the intimate recollections of his life. Everything he touched tells a portion of this amazing man.




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