Category: Art

Every great painting includes extraordinary techniques and features that collectively add to the
overall impact of the artwork. When vivid and unexpected color combinations may stun the
viewer, and artists may use patterns to create a sense of serenity, texture in art is an innovative
technique that gives my artwork character, allowing it to be seen without feeling.

Texture as an Invisible Sensation

Different mediums have different ways of expressing texture. Using a wet brush, I create
smooth, sleek surfaces to create a feeling of calm or tranquility. On the other hand, I may use a
dry brush to create rough and jagged textures to convey a sense of chaos or unease. Texture
can help set up the atmosphere of a scene, significantly affecting the physical and emotional
effects of the piece. I apply a thick layer of paint through the impasto technique, giving my
artwork a three-dimensional quality while conveying motion and emotion.

Signature Techniques

As a composer of color, shape, and energy, I use uniquely developed painting techniques that
set my artwork apart from anything people have seen before. Through “lacquer paintings,” “soft
paintings,” and “window paintings,” I aim to create artwork full of optimism and beauty.

Lacquer Paintings

“Lacquer paintings” are composed of colorful paints on a wood or metal panel adorned with gold
or silver leaf. After the colors are completely dried, I apply layer after layer of lacquer to the
surface to give it a glowing effect. Finally, I hand-polish the piece between each lacquer coat to
give the surface a uniquely shiny look.

Soft Paintings

I invented “soft paintings” in 1977 and was the only one in the world who used them for many
years. Starting with a colored drawing, I layer fabrics of various textures and shapes and
interlock them to the background using a threadless 9000-needle sewing machine. The colorful
materials blend, creating a harmony of vibrant colors.

Windows

I wanted this technique to seem like my audience was looking through a window, sparking a
natural curiosity while creating a clear distinction between the outside and the inside. I start with
a wooden box and paint the inside of it. Then I attach a handmade wooden frame to this box,
creating the illusion of looking through a window to a landscape or room. The frame is then
gilded with gold or silver leaf and layered with many coats of lacquer, using my lacquer painting
technique to create a painting with many levels.

Depending on who you ask, the meanings behind art and music can be many things. Considerations can be made for philosophical, etymological, and historical definitions, and some blend them all as they talk about these forms of expression.

The good thing about all of this is that much of the definition’s pillars are subject to interpretation, as are the underlying pieces. In other words, though a few of the working interpretations are covered below, feel free to continue your research until you have settled on a perception that suits your sensibilities most aptly.

What Defines Art and Music?

The basic etymological definition comes from the Latin word “ars”, which roughly translates to skill or craft. Of course, this is still very broad. Therefore, it helps to try to contextualize things a bit.

This is one of the fundamental points of confusion and even conflict. Some would say art is a superset while music is a subset. In other words, music is a form of art. Therefore, you would provide a working definition for art, and music would simply be a child element covered under the umbrella of the same definition.

On another note, art is one of many forms of emotional expression. The aim is to put a piece together that evokes an emotional response from an audience. Using this definition, you could also say that music is also listed as another form of emotional expression, bearing the principles of harmony, unity, rhythm, and balance.

That’s not to say some of those properties are not present in art, but the categorization does not necessarily allow for the interpretation of art via the sense of hearing. Instead, sight and touch are the primary drivers, while music appeals to that hearing.

How Are Art and Music Related

From the previous points, there are essentially two working classifications that lead to two different relationships. Using the first where music is a subset of art, you get a parent and child relationship. Music needs art to exist, but it does not necessarily hold the other way around. Similarly, while the development of art may influence music, the inverse is not necessarily true.

Looking at the other classification that separates the two, you get a different relationship entirely. Here, both music and art are on equal footing. Therefore, it’s that’s much more likely for one to have a hand in the other’s development and vice versa.

This is not in the literal sense, as you cannot impose color onto music. However, music does have tones, and artistic patterns could be used to shape the way these are composed.

On the flip side, a musical piece could lead to a certain emotion being communicated. An artist, upon experiencing the same feelings could end to use colors and patterns that can recreate feelings on sight.

Is Music a Form of Art?

With all that has been said before, this question, while it often comes up becomes a bit of a moot point. There is no definitive answer here. What interpretation do you choose to accept?

Should you say that art is the overarching construct, then yes, music is undoubtedly a form of art. If not, then both are simply different forms of expression that are just as high as each other in the hierarchy.

Does Art Influence Music?

This is probably the first area in which both sides can agree. Whether you think music is independent of art or a part of it, there is no denying that art is going to have a profound effect on music.

However, music has the distinct advantage of being continuous and fluid. Make no mistake, art is outstanding, but it often appears static in the absence of optical illusions. There aren’t necessarily highs or lows as you hear in music, though one piece of art can certainly provide a series of different ideas and contrasting feelings.

What this means is that music can adapt techniques introduced in the world of art and provide a voice to a visual. It wouldn’t be the first-time occurrence and may even help in providing some much-needed artistic context.

Do Music and Art Go Together?

Yes, the two blend extremely well and often can support each other greatly. For example, you may see an art exhibit with a musical score meant to reinforce the environment that the art creates.

It’s a simple question of finding pieces under both classifications that agree with each other and represent the union well. It’s just as easy to choose art and music that does not sync very well, creating anything short of a disaster.

About Calman Shemi

Many would describe Calman Shemi as an artist, and he most certainly is. However, he does not necessarily refer to himself that way, instead of calling himself a composer of shape, color, and energy.

Looking at what his artistic expertise has led him to develop in the world of pottery, sculpture, and even painting, it’s hard to disagree with the sentiment.

Calman Shemi has been passionate about what he does for many years, being born in Argentina in 1939 and graduating from the School of Sculpture and Ceramics at the tender age of 20 years old. You needn’t look further than his impressive collections to see what his masterful path has yielded.

Conclusion

Art and music have an undeniable relationship, even if it’s not easy to agree on what that interaction may be. You got a look at two potential viewpoints that have very different implications and are now encouraged to form your own opinion.

What would life be like without color? It might be difficult to imagine a world without warm flushes of pink, violent flashes of red, or vast floods of blue. Humans figured out long ago how effortlessly color can tell a story or invoke a feeling. Even outside the realm of the arts, it is intricately woven into the fabric of society.

Color has become such an essential component in people’s lives, and it makes perfect sense. Every aspect of humanity involves color in some way, so its influence is easy to see and that’s exactly the point – of sight. It’s not hard to understand why that would be of significance to a largely visual species.

Ancient Greek Philosopher Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers in history and is credited as the first to bring the concept of color theory to light.

He not only suggested that all colors came from black and white, but further believed that four basic colors represented the elements of the world: gray for the earth, green for air, blue for water, and red for fire.

However, it was English mathematician and physicist Sir Isaac Newton, who proposed, nearly two millennia later, the seven colors making up the visible light spectrum.

Throughout history, great minds have devoted themselves to the tireless pursuit of advancement in every known field. One such mind, Albert Henry Munsell, defined a system of color based on quantifiable attributes: value, hue, and chroma.

What do these attributes mean exactly? Hue represents the color specifically, e.g., red, blue, green, etc. Value represents the brightness of a color, i.e., the quality that distinguishes a light color from a dark one. Chroma represents a color’s intensity, i.e., how vivid color is.

All modern systems of color descend from Munsell’s invaluable contribution. His precise scientific definition allowed color to be completely distinguishable from any other perceived one.

Meaning of Color

Thanks to Albert Henry Munsell, color can be defined as the property of an object based on its hue, value, and chroma. These attributes rely completely on functional photoreceptors (the cells in the retina that respond to light) so without vision, there can be no perception of color.

Electromagnetic radiation within a range of wavelengths visible to the human eye is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum known as the visible spectrum. That visible spectrum contains all colors that humans can see.

Light and the ability to see it aren’t the only factors involved in color perception, however. There can be differences in how observers respond to stimuli, and this can affect individual interpretation. Therefore, one person can see blue while another person sees purple even though they’re both looking at the same color.

Meaning of Colors in Art

The colors of the spectrum, chromatic colors, include all shades except for black, white, and grey (known as achromatic colors). A color with even the slightest amount of hue is a chromatic color; they are colors in which only one wavelength of light dominates.

An object’s color is determined by the way light interacts with that object and color attributes make it possible to reproduce these colors. Naturally, this is a great boon to artists since it allows them to recreate the colors that they see.

Artists of varying disciplines use color to portray light, depth, mood, etc., in their pieces. They use their knowledge of color theory, i.e., the guidelines for mixing, combining, and manipulating the color spectrum, to produce truly exquisite works of art.

When discussing the meaning of colors as it relates to art, one cannot overlook color theory. It involves the color wheel which includes primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary colors are orange, green, and purple. Tertiary colors are achieved by mixing primary and secondary colors.

Tints and shades are important artistic concepts. A hue can be manipulated by adding white (to produce tints) or black (to produce shades).

About Calman Shemi

No serious discussion that seeks to highlight the artistic value of colors can be considered complete without the mention of Calman Shemi.

The 83-year-old, Argentinean-born sculptor and painter graduated from Mendoza’s School of Sculpture and Ceramics. Shemi understudied Libero Badii, an Italian Argentinian, whom he credited with placing him on the one true artistic path.

In 1961, Shemi joined Kibbutz Carmia. He would settle there for the next 20 years where he worked in agriculture and as a sculptor working with wood and clay.

During this period, Shemi created the “soft painting” technique he’s so famously known for. Shemi uses a layering technique on colored with various textures and eccentric shapes, doing so over a color drawing. The fabrics get meshed to each other and the background, thanks to the expert use of a sewing machine that’s both threadless and features 9,000 needles. The result is a vibrant piece infused with vividly explosive color.

Calman Shemi was and still is the type of artist that seeks to challenge both himself and pre-existing conventions. He succeeded in achieving these goals with the development of his lacquer painting and window painting techniques.

Though Shemi’s lacquer and window painting styles are unique, they still share similarities with centuries-old, ancient art techniques of Japan and China.

His visually stunning and innovative artwork is heralded as nothing less than a celebration of color, a declaration of exuberance, and a bold departure from the norm. You are encouraged to review his catalog, which is a testament to the experience he has garnered.

Few things have the broad and universal power of floral language; humans have used flowers to connect with nature and the sacred for thousands of years. Humans also use them to commemorate important events and get through difficult times.

Floral art draws on this to speak, create, and share by combining ancestral wisdom with current techniques and secrets.

What Is Floral Art?

The skill of using plant materials and flowers to create an eye-catching and harmonious composition or display is known as floral design or flower arrangement. Refined floristry can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt’s culture.

This art of floral design is very important in our society. It has a significant role in social interactions and interior design. Also, it’s crucial in our relationships and for enhancing our general quality of life. Working with flowers is not only enjoyable, but it also adds a delightful depth to our lives.

What Is the Meaning of Floral Art?

Flowers in contemporary art retain the symbolic value imprinted from the beginning of time. Viewers will be able to reveal much more fully what the authors put into paintings in the future if they notice flowers in paintings and understand their importance.

The first stable symbols arose in the Middle Ages, during the creation of religious art – a rose and a lily. Due to its scarlet color and thorns, the first flower effectively framed stories of Christ’s suffering. When red and white roses were mixed in an artwork, it represented Christians’ solidarity in their beliefs. Lilies took up the role of the Virgin Mary’s faithfulness.

On the other hand, flowers were not just utilized to reveal the plot or character. Essentially, even floral still life has a distinct depth of meaning. They appear to be designed to become ornaments, capturing the moment, freshness, and beauty of the objects around them. However, even though this is still a painting, it always helps to look deeper into the work of flowers.

What Type of Art Is Floral Design?

Floral design is a creative art form as well as a decorative craft. While there is no universal definition of “art,” flower design must be extremely creative, original, and emotionally connected to the artist and the viewer to be deemed art.

Famous Artists` Paintings with Flowers

Here are some outstanding examples of artworks where the above symbolism can be seen. Flowers can play a significant part in encapsulating a specific message between the lines in famous painters’ works. They can also simply thrill the eye and heart, transmitting pictures of beauty for all eternity.

“Flora” – Giuseppe Arcimboldo

It’s not because of her natural looks that the girl’s photo came out so delicate and mysterious. The skin was made of white-pink petals, and the garments were made of many beautiful leaves and inflorescence. Even if everyone didn’t grasp the painting’s significance, it is nevertheless respected today.

“Meditative Rose” – Salvador Dali

This is a serene painting in which the scarlet rose takes center stage, which is unusual for Dali. It flies through the sky like the sun, and two lovers have taken shelter beneath it. Rose paintings are often associated with love, serenity, and tranquility. Some sense of passion and trials in this flying flower for each marriage and everyone uniquely.

“Flowers in a Glass Vase” – John Constable

John Constable, an English Romantic painter, is most known for his landscape paintings, which depict the countryside around his home. Flower painting, on the other hand, was a well-established element of the artistic heritage by the time Constable was working. He dabbled in many other genres, including still-life paintings, like many other notable artists before and after him.

Flowers in a Glass Vase is an oil study painted on millboard that now belongs to the Victoria & Albert Museum, which received the contents of Constable’s studio from his daughter.

Constable uses a dark, muted color palette with splashes of red and yellow on the flowers to create drama with the juxtaposition of light and dark.

“Hibiscus” – Hiroshige

Flowers, whether used to create extravagant floral arrangements or used in woodblock prints, have a long history in Japanese culture. Hiroshige’s depiction of hibiscus blooms is a triumph, with their bright orange color leaping off the page. The name for hibiscus in the Japanese language, also known as hanakotoba, means “gentle.”

These flowers are offered as a greeting to visitors as a social ritual. Hiroshige featured the blossom numerous times in his color woodblock prints, including this one from 1845. He occasionally incorporated birds interacting with the hibiscus, but in many cases, such as this, he used the plant to cover the entire composition.

“Flower Fields Silver” – Calman Shemi

Calman Shemi‘s intellect is an abstract that defies description. Shemi understands the subtlety of the image and turns it into a unique expression, where others would see a sunset or a landscape solely by shape and color. His work is a swirl of color and brightness. Moreover, his ideas range from outlandish to practical, but the paintings he creates are among the most imaginative and daring in modern art.

Conclusion

Throughout history, humanity has sung about the beauty of flowers. They are commonly found in the context of significant life events and are commonly used in religious, mythical, and dramatic plots in art. Wildflowers, gardens, and imaginary flora have long been symbolic in human culture. It demonstrates how subtly the author felt about his work and how the flowers can provide a diverse interpretation of the artwork.