Art Herstory: Sculptress Camille Claudel, 1864-1943

Fascinated with stone and soil as a child, as a young woman Camille studied at the Académie Colarossi. In 1882, Claudel rented a workshop with other young women. Alfred Boucher became her mentor and asked Auguste Rodin to take over the instruction of his pupils. Around 1884, she started working in Rodin's workshop. Claudel became a source of inspiration, his model, his confidante and lover. She never lived with Rodin, who was reluctant to end his 20-year relationship with Rose Beuret. Knowledge of the affair agitated her family, especially her mother. As a consequence, she left the family house. In 1892, after an unwanted abortion, Claudel ended the intimate aspect of her relationship with Rodin, although they saw each other regularly until 1898. 

After 1905 Claudel appeared to be mentally ill. She destroyed many of her statues, disappeared for long periods of time and was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. She accused Rodin of stealing her ideas (which may be true) and of leading a conspiracy to kill her. In 1913 at the initiative of her brother, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The form read that she had been "voluntarily" committed, although signed by a doctor and her brother.

There are records to show that while she did have mental outbursts, she was clear-headed while working on her art. Doctors tried to convince the family that she need not be in the institution, but still they kept her there. Her mother forbade her to receive mail from anyone other than her brother. The hospital staff regularly proposed to her family that Claudel be released, but her mother adamantly refused each time. Rodin's friend, Mathias Morhardt, insisted that her brother, Paul, was a "simpleton" who had "shut away" his sister of genius. Camille Claudel died in 1943, after having lived 30 years in the asylum at Montfavet and without a visit from her mother or sister. 

- Edited from Wikipedia, LINK

This was originally published on the homepage of Eclectix, 

in the "Pretty In Pink" issue, March. 2012

For the "Pretty In Pink" online exhibit, click here.

Lenn Cox’s Wax Woman Installation

For the Arnhem Mode Biennale 2011 fashion show earlier this summer, Lenn Cox built this lugubrious lady lying in a fetal position on a bed. Not sure how long the candles were left to burn...

Link to her site and more pix.

(Originally posted in the Eclectix  "BURN" Issue, August 2011,

 along with the permanent online exhibit of fire-related art, LINK HERE.)

Carved Matchstick Sculptures

These tiny sculptures are all the size of a matchstick! 

A simple and original message from the Makati City Fire Station (above).  Great advertising from DDB.

Above Three: Publicado Por Dr.Fofato, Dos Fosforos Bailando Tango and Santa by Javier Gobai 

 Don’t you just love the fact that he used a match head for Santa’s sack?

 Above: Mythology matchsticks - Venus de Milo, David and Mercurio  by Christian Hernandez

Monkey by Linda Master

Parrot by Linda Master

Artist unknown, Photo by Steven Depolo 

(Originally posted in the Eclectix "BURN" Issue, July 2011,

 along with the permanent online exhibit of fire-related art, LINK HERE.)

WOW! The Tim Burton Show Just Keeps On Ticking...

While in Los Angeles at a family graduation, we made a detour and squeezed in the current Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA (LINK) and very glad we did! Sure, I expected it to be a great show (after all IT IS Tim Burton), but the size, span and depth of the show was unexpected. It starts with the great entrance cave installation (above) and from there opens into room after room of all things Burton.

His childhood and adult influences are represented, college works from his days at Cal Arts, short films, sculptures, doodles, notebooks, movie story boards, oil paintings, character studies and models, costume originals and pieces from his movie sets. There are many pages form his journals and these were some of my favorites, his talent and wit are delightful, a fresh peek into Burton's twisted, lovely brain.

"Persecution Complex", a journal doodle by Tim Burton

Another journal page,  titled "Schizophrenia" ( or maybe "Split Personality"?)

There is also a super trippy black light room with scribbles on the walls and a large, kinetic carousel sculpture floating and spinning in the center of the room. (LINK - to a short vid someone posted on the web) I could have stayed in there all day!

The exhibit itself was somewhat confusing to traverse, it didn't have a great flow and as usual, they were letting too many people in - despite the timed ticket sales. However, it is very worth fighting the crowds for and delivers a lot of Burton art and perspective, not just an excuse for mass merchandising by Disney. In each room, there are fun little windows peeking thru to the next room, giving the viewer a tease to what is coming up. All his movies - from Beetlejuice, Nightmares Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride to Alice in Wonderland - have items on display. A fantastic and honorable exhibition of one very talented and prolific dude! Kudos to the curators for this show, it's nice to know living and offbeat artists can be taken seriously in the museum world.

The coveted leather costume from Edward Scissorhands

Loved all the facial expression models of Jack, they really hammered home all the work that goes into just one character animation...

A fun little inflatable install blows upward at the very end of the show.

Eclectix Sale: A Wonderful Dark "Holy" by Anita Collins

Anita Collin's newest piece is "Holy X" and she is just crying for a new home.  Holy is fully protected on the outside like a full plaster body cast but , still wounded on the inside. What simple pill or prayer can or soothe heal her... only love could... 

She is all hand made and one-of-a-kind, 5" bust.  

Price $800, contact: eclectixp@yahoo.com

New Eclectix Interview With Anita Collins

Just one of the many outstanding works by artist Anita Collins- above is the scary-mad "Kush". To read the new interview with her and see a gallery of her works go here.

Jammin' Johns: Do Your Dirty Deed in Style

From the Incredible Things blog comes a great link to some musical toilet seats. Beautifully done accents for that musician who thought they had everything... The artist and maker is Marvin Maxwell, a Kentucky music store owner. They're music to your rears.... 

Link to Jammin' Johns

Just In Time For The Day of the Dead, John De Jesus

Artist and sculptor John De Jesus just sent us his gorgeous hand painted skelly carvings. They are great gurl skeletons, from many different walks of life, one for everygurl! Deeply carved reliefs, out of wood, hand painted, recessed into the niche altar style of classic El Dia de la Muerte retablos. A great, hip gift for that special someone in your life.

(My personal fave is the rocker chick Wanda, above...) 

Who doesn't need some fantastic sculpture to liven up

that Day of the Dead decor?

For all the relief images and info on prices, go to the Available Art section of the Eclectix site, here.

Lee Bontecou at Moma, New York

Visited MOMA this summer and loved so much there that I got a little behind. Just saw too much art this summer, poor pitiful me! 
Lee's show - "All Freedom In Every Sense" was well worth my sore feet staying earthbound. At first I was hesitant, not being keen on a lot of abstract art, but the elements of figurative surrealism and construction in her works won me over. She is definitely one of those artists whose works you HAVE to see in person, the textures and dimensions just don't cut it in a picture. 
The works were really a mixed media, just about every medium was represented. While her choices were eclectic in materials, they all came together under her eye and vision. Fantastic sculptures, lithos, paintings, light projections, drawings, industrial constructions - some reminding me strongly of Max Ernst and Kandinsky. Some pieces had a wonderfully dark science fiction feel to them and some an organic lightness. Even the shadows cast off from the art were fantastic.  

Shadows from one of her works

If you get a chance to see her work, do it!

A Bathing Beauty at Harrod's, A Hunk Worth 530,000 Pounds

While playing tourist in London this August, we had to make a run thru the famous Harrod's department store. Of course, our American dollars couldn't afford a thing in there but it was fun to look. The historical building with it's art deco features all intact and in tip-top shape, didn't let us down. In one of the street windows was a huge bathtub, carved from a single block of white rock crystal from the Amazon in Brazil. It was so friggin' beautiful I had to share. Just wondering how much environmental damage they did to the Amazon to get this opulent tub for some pampered person to eventually take a bath in. Not to mention the shipping, wonder how much this puppy weighs...
The natural light shone thru the marble veins casting different hues, from jade greens to whites to peachy golds. Crafted by Italians (who else?) with diamond cuts, portions of the crystal were left unfinished to highlight its natural jagged state. The tub is 7ft long and 2ft deep and costs a mere £530,000!

Tried to get you fashionistas some photos of the glittering, decadent evening wear on display there, but I was chased away by a salesperson after only this one shot of a Valentino dress. Guess they thought I might steal the pattern and go home and whip one up. As if...

Bay Area Townie:Sheri DeBow's Art

Fourth In a Series on Bay Area Artists:

Inspired by the "This Town" Exhibit at Eclectix Gallery, Thru August 16th

Sheri's art is full of fun exuberant energy and feminine wiles. Creating art dolls and 3D sculptures out of eclectic sources, just about everything and anything. She uses paper mache, paper clay, fabrics, trims, clays, found objects and paints to fashion characters in perky and exotic poses. In fashions inspired by vintage, punk, a hint of the 80's and some Victorian influences, her women come alive with bright color, captured forever in a moment. Sparking our curiosity, she makes us want to know the story behind the character. Fairy tales, myths, child-like emotions and circumstance all merge in her beautiful assemblages. From her pieces in " The All-Gurlz Show" at Eclectix to her recent solo show "Caught in the Headlights" at Bloom in Napa, we were once again enthralled to lay our eyes on the art that so reflects her as a person - the incredible positive vibes and warmth layered with an undercurrent of dark wonder. Just like her dolls, caught in the moment, our eyes were opened wide and happy about it!

Sheri will have some work in the up-coming exhibit, The Tattoon Show at Eclectix Gallery.