The Octagon House

Check out my Art Appreciation Project: The Octagon House

Olivia and I plein air painted at the Octagon House in Cedar Point last October.



Bernie plein air painting at the Octagon House
October 2010.



Bernie's painting from that day... "View from the Octagon House".



Olivia painting the view from the Octagon House.
October 2010.

Olivia, Tami, and Raye Raye taking a stroll on the grounds at the Octagon House.
April 2011.

A Journey through the Passion Week of Christ in Art...

Jesus Christ has been a central figure in art for centuries. Artist... past and present... known and unknown... have captured the Passion of Christ in their artwork. This video celebrates that and is set to the music "King of Glory" by Third Day. A special thanks and credit to the following artists: El Greco, Caravaggio, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Titian, Reuben's, Leonardo DaVinci, Rembrandt, Ben Long, Lynn Phillips, Larry Seiler, Morgan Weistling, Bernie Rosage Jr., and several unknown artists.



The Passion of Christ in Art

The message of the Passion Week is timeless and priceless... it shows us "there is no greater love" than the love showed that week over two thousand years ago... "it is finished... the debt has been paid"...
May you and yours have a blessed Easter Holiday...
Bernie

Bernie interviewed by the Durham Independent Weekly concerning Arts Day 2011...

Letters from Mrs Hobbs Art Society
students at Carolina Forest Elementary
Click on image to enlarge

Connie Wenner, Stephen Greer, and I were interviewed by Byron Woods of the Independent Weekly concerning Arts Day 2011, the cutbacks, and visit with our (rather rude) Onslow County Representative George Cleveland. The two images are letters to Mr. Cleveland from Onslow County 5th grade art students in Mrs Hobbs art class at Carolina Forest Elementary.

Click HERE to read the article...

Letter from Mrs Hobbs Art Society
students at Carolina Forest Elementary,
Jacksonville, NC

Click on image to enlarge

ARTS DAY 2011... Do you want the good news first?



Council for the Arts representatives:
Brenda Johnson, Stephen Greer,
Connie Wenner, Bernie Rosage Jr.,
and Doug Parker.



I attended Arts Day 2011 last Tuesday in Raleigh, NC. I attended with fellow members of the board of the Council for the Arts as representatives from Onslow County. The event is organized and lead by ARTS North Carolina, a statewide advocacy organization for the arts. ARTS NC calls for equity and access for the arts for all North Carolinians, unifies and connects North Carolina's arts communities, and fosters arts leadership. The day is filled with key note speakers, arts advocacy materials and training, plus speaking with government officials to exemplify the importance of the arts on our economy, education, and well being. The event is a yearly Legislative event that organizes and facilitates Grassroots Advocacy... the main source of arts funding for Onslow (and most NC counties) County.



Karen Wells
Executive Director of ARTS NC



Most people have the misconception that government funding of arts means their hard-earned tax dollars are going straight to some hippie busker playing an acoustic guitar on the street corner, or an artist whose goal is to shock the world with crayon masterpieces, or the photographer whose wants to stretch the boundaries of censorship but the truth of the matter is that art is a investment.  Like most investments, there are some risks and some returns are greater than others but investing in the arts is a sound venture with overall paybacks too consistent to ignore.  When our tax dollars are used to fund the arts they provide direct economic benefits to states and communities, they create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases. A robust arts industry prepares our children for the 21st century, and fills our lives with discovery and learning. Government funding is a crucial element in maintaining the arts industry even in tough economic times.  After all, the arts are not part of the recession; they are part of the recovery. Pablo Picasso was on to something when he said, "Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life".

Jazz singer and NC resident,
Nnenna Freelon

On a positive note: I got to spend the day with some great friends plus meet a ton of people passionate about the arts! I got to hear inspiring stories by several speakers including the golden voice of jazz singer and NC resident, Nnenna Freelon. We had the pleasure of meeting Onslow County Representative Phil Shepard. He was kind enough to meet with several members of our group without an appointment. He even invited us to lunch but we had to decline as our lunch was already provided by ARTS NC.


On a negative note: Our meeting with Onslow County Representative George Cleveland was cut short from the fifteen minutes scheduled to a whopping three minutes. Our appointment with him was disappointing to say the least as his mind seemed elsewhere. The main disappointment was the 23% cut in funding of the grass roots art grants that will directly effect us here in Onslow County.





NC Legislature Building
Raleigh, NC

 

Plein air painting at the Beirut Memorial...

I had a great time painting last Sunday with plein air friends in the OOPS group at he Beirut Memorial.


Bernie at the Beirut Memorial, April 10, 2011.



Olivia taking her new BFF, Raye Raye, out for a stroll.



Are you a Renaissance Man or Woman?

DaVinci's drawing
of proportions from his journal.

The Renaissance, known as the “Awakening” marked a great revival in the interest of art, literature, and learning. Art made major advances in technique and attitudes. Before the Renaissance, artwork was flat and two dimensional. The Renaissance gave us many great artists, like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Much attention was brought to form and proportion giving paintings and drawing a more three dimensional look. The use of mathematics and geometry to achieve perspective and proportions became common. Mathematics also made architecture more sophisticated while art made it more aesthetic. More attention was paid to realism and anatomy in sculpture with more dynamic poses that were more lifelike. Literature was of the utmost importance and the acquiring of knowledge was a high aspiration during this period. The scholastic thinkers were responsible for breakthrough thinking regarding the nature of the universe. The idea that the universe could be studied and approached objectively was a radical new concept and this opened the door for science to flourish in the 17th century. Cities grew and prospered during the Renaissance and rulers learned to tax the people. Trade grew between cities and other countries. As trade in goods increased, trade in ideas grew also. This wealth helped sustain the political and social changes that were occurring at the time. Wealth made it possible for many persons to take on the role of patron… a supporter of the arts. Patrons ranged from wealthy individuals to institutions like the Roman Catholic Church. Artists were now commissioned to create works of art and gained great notoriety and respect. The atmosphere in society in general was shifting and became more accepting of artistic innovation and experimentation. As more people moved to the cities, their interest in the arts increased. Innovations from artists were encouraged and a continued value was placed on classical art and writing of antiquity. Even today, we think of a person as a Renaissance Man (or Woman) when he or she is proficient in a wide range of fields and interests.

 

Food for thought... Are you a Renaissance Man or Woman?

 

If not... how can you expand your interests, tastes, and talents like:

 

• Curiosita: An insatiably curious approach to life.
• Dimonstratzione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience.
• Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience.
• Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.
• Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination ("whole-brain thinking").
• Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.
• Connessione: A recognition and appreciation for the connectedness of all things and phenomena; "systems thinking."

 

This book may help... How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day.

Mark your calendar for Bernie's "Life, Light, and Pigment" solo show in June and July.

“Life, Light, and Pigment”
June 5 - July 29, 2011

Baysden Gallery ~ Council for the Arts
826 New Bridge Street
Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
910-455-9840

Opening Reception Sunday, June 5th, 2:30-4PM.

Bernie Rosage Jr.

“Life, Light, and Pigment” is a collection of oil and acrylic paintings from the past two years by artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. Most of the 40 paintings in the exhibit were painted from life, either in the studio or on location en plein aire. “Painting from direct observation really hones the artist’s skills and develops the art of seeing”, states Rosage. The exhibit also shows how Rosages’ work has evolved over a two year span. “I have moved beyond just capturing what my subject looks like to something deeper”… “I am striving for the divine and sublime as I paint now”, added Rosage. Bringing everyday objects to life in fresh and artistic ways by capturing light, mood, and atmosphere are goals he is consciously and consistently achieving.

Bernie Rosage Jr. is a native of Onslow County, North Carolina, where he resides with his wife, Tami, their children and grandchildren. Bernie’s passion for art started at an early age and continues as a self taught artist. He likes the term "self motivated to be taught" as he works hard to fuel his passion of painting. His painterly approach to color and texture adds to his unique sense of style, best defined as Impressionistic Realism. His subjects are often personal and convey feelings of peace, serenity, and nostalgia. "I am drawn to country roads, marshlands, cottages, barns, trees, open fields, flowing rivers, etc... anything that eludes to a peaceful, calming feeling when viewed," states Rosage. His paintings are a wonderful culmination of sensitivity and skill and are collected throughout the United States, Ireland, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

http://www.bernierosage.com/