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The Art of Gertrude Abercrombie

“I am not interested in complicated things nor in the commonplace, I like to paint simple things that are a little strange.”

Gertrude Abercrombie
Abercrombie1 600x477 The Art of Gertrude Abercrombie
C64319cf 35d0 e156 31bb 41f22b0e85d7 600x438 The Art of Gertrude Abercrombie
Gertrude abercrombie horse owl and chaise The Art of Gertrude Abercrombie

I am excited to share the work of one of my favorite artists, Gertrude Abercrombie. I can’t get over her color palette! It’s gorgeous and moody. We have a painting of an owl and cat in our collection, and it is always a pleasure to view it. (As you may know, I am obsessed with owls.)

Here’s some background information on Gertrude Abercrombie. She was born in Texas in 1909. Her parents worked for a traveling opera company. She and her family briefly lived in Germany until World War I broke out. They relocated to Illinois, where she remained until her death in 1977.

Abercrombie was involved in the Chicago art and jazz scenes. She was a painter and pianist. She loved hosting salons in her apartment with appearances from notable musicians, such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

Read more…

A Quick Update!

Hello friends & art lovers!

I finally set up an Instagram account for this blog. Follow @theuncommoncanvas on Instagram. It’s an easy way to stay up to date on posts, especially if you are trying to cut down on e-mails. I don’t know about you, but my inbox has been flooded lately! Of course, I will still send out the blog post updates vie e-mail if you are subscribed and prefer that. (I only send about one e-mail per week and only if there is a new post up.)

I will be posting additional content on Instagram, including artists not featured on this blog and book recommendations. Find me there and let’s connect!

One more thing! I should also mention that we have a new artist submission page here. After receiving many e-mails from artists about their work, I decided to create this submission form to make it a more streamlined process. If your art falls along the lines of the work shown on this blog, I would love to share it if it seems to be a good fit.

Take care and stay well!

Visual Treats

Here is a round-up of a few artists that we came across this past week. Of course, they all feature birds, which we know is an obsession that needs to be reined in a bit. But you must admit that they are beautiful.

KOWHAI WATERFALL Visual Treats
Kathryn Furniss, Kowhai Waterfall

The above painting is by a self-taught artist from New Zealand, Kathryn Furniss. Her colors are so pleasing to the eye. She works with acrylics and ink and gets her inspiration from the New Zealand landscape, flora, and birds. More of her work can be viewed on her website.

“I use birds to tell stories or portray feelings…birds connecting the past with the present, being a spirit, past loved one or guardian of the other.”

– Kathryn Furniss, from her website
Summer j hart flowers for sleeping Visual Treats
Summer J. Hart, Flowers for Sleeping

This lovely owl was made by Summer J. Hart, an artist from northern Maine. We love Summer’s art, and are happy to promote a young and emerging artist from Maine. Please check out more of this work on the artist’s website.

Jl848r 580x 2x Visual Treats
Jon Langford, Cuckoo Bird

Jon Langford is a musician and artist who is originally from Wales. Jon has called Chicago his home since the 1990s. He is one of the founders of the punk rock band, The Mekons, among other notable groups. His original artwork and prints are available through Yard Dog Art – one of our favorite galleries located in Austin, Texas, specializing in folk, outsider, and contemporary art.

Please note that all images are copyright © of the individual artists and used on this blog for educational purposes. Selling, printing, or repurposing artwork without an artist’s permission is not cool!