Edward Hopper House - Artist of the Month

That would be me! July Artist of the Month at Edward Hopper House Museum Art Center in Nyack!!! Twelve of my paintings will be n exhibit!

If you've never been to the Hopper House, it's a sweet place to visit for art, art history, occasional musical events and, of course, a glimpse into the early life of American realist painter, Edward Hopper. The house was his birthplace and home for his early years and it stayed in the family, occupied by his sister through her lifetime.

Most of the home is a now gallery dedicated to promoting the arts and one room has Hopper memorabilia including some humorous sketches that illustrate the relationship he had with his wife, Josephine Nivison. Josephine was a successful artist when she met Hopper but she relegated her studio space to living quarters and abandoned her art to focus on Edward's career. (sound familiar, anyone?)

It's a fascinating story and a strong statement about the role of women in the arts. An article in The Guardian titled "Man and Muse" explains that when they met:
"Her [Josephine's] work had been shown alongside that of Modigliani and Picasso, Maurice Prendergast and Man Ray. ...Jo recommended Edward Hopper's work to the curators of that show [the Brooklyn Museum], and when they bought one of his paintings after the exhibition had ended, it was only the second he had sold in 10 years."

Supporting and promoting her husband's work became her full time occupation and she is basically responsible for his professional success. She, on the other hand, has been largely forgotten. Sigh.

Art history and gender politics aside, Nyack is a very cool town to visit for art, antiques and dining, as well as wonderful water views and beautiful old homes. So if you were thinking of a day trip this summer, why not visit Nyack in July! I hope you will stop by Edward Hopper House to see my work while you're there.

For a look at Edward Hopper's work, biography and more, follow this link to the Artsy website. 

Here are a few of the paintings that will be on exhibit:

Canning Season ©2012 Dorothy Lorenze

White Pitcher w Apricots ©2012 Dorothy Lorenze

Eeney, Meeny, Miny ©2013 Dorothy Lorenze

Thanks joining me on my art journey!