George Underwood, 1947

Imagination is the key word in George Underwood's paintings. George Underwood joined Beckenham Art School in 1963.

At art school George Underwood became more and more interested in music. As a result he pursued a career in the music world. Along with life long friend David Bowie he made one record (The King Bees) and also a solo record under the name Calvin James.

After deciding that the music business was not for him, George returned to art studies and then worked in design studios as an illustrator. Initially he specialised in fantasy, horror and science fiction book covers.

Many of George Underwood's colleagues in the music business asked him to do various art works for them. This led to George becoming a freelance artist. Art work for the first T Rex album and later David Bowie's Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust album covers established him as a leading and creative art illustrator.

Robert Brackman (1898-1980)

Robert Brackman was an American artist and teacher, best known for large figural works, portraits, and still lifes.

Robert Brackman was born on September 25, 1898, in Odessa, Russian Empire (now in Ukraine). He immigrated to the United States in 1908 or 1910.

Brackman studied at the National Academy of Design from 1919-1921, and the Ferrer School in San Francisco.

From 1931, he had a long career teaching at the Art Students League of New York where he was a life member.

He also taught at the American Art School in New York City, the Brooklyn Museum School, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and the Madison Art School in Connecticut.

Giovanni Battista Crema | Divisionist painter

Italian painter Giovanni Battista Crema (1883–1964) was born in Ferrara on April 13th. Son of a lawyer, Carlo Crema, and Maria Cottica, already as a child he showed an out of the ordinary ability in drawing, so much so as to convince his parents to introduce him to the rudiments of painting with Angelo Longanesi Cattani, appreciated portraitist of the local high society, before entering academic studies.

A cultured, curious and enthusiastic man and artist, he enters the world of contemporary art at a very young age, even if the advance of the avant-gardes, to which he looks with skepticism, convinces him to isolate himself more and more and to undertake a completely solitary search.

After completing his training in Naples, with Domenico Morelli and Bologna, with Domenico Ferri, Giovanni Battista Crema arrived in Rome in 1903.

And it is in the Eternal City that, attending Giacomo Balla, he is seduced by the novelties of Divisionism, to which he will remain faithful in the decades to follow.

Alda Merini | Canto le Donne

Io canto le donne prevaricate dai bruti

la loro sana bellezza, la loro "non follia"

il canto di Giulia io canto riversa su un letto

la cantilena dei salmi, delle anime "mangiate"

il canto di Giulia aperto portava anime pesanti

la folgore di un codice umano disapprovato da Dio.

Lo Chan Peng, 1983

Louis Apol | Pittore di paesaggi invernali

Louis Apol (L'Aia, 1850-1936) è stato un pittore Olandese, uno dei rappresentanti più importanti della Scuola dell'Aia.

Il talento di Apol fu scoperto precocemente e suo padre gli fece prendere lezioni private di pittura. I suoi insegnanti erano J.F. Hoppenbrouwers e P.F. Stortenbeker.

Ricevette una borsa di studio dal Re olandese Guglielmo III nel 1868.

Si specializzò in paesaggi con atmosfere invernali, soprattutto foreste, in cui sono presenti manufatti artificiali, come un ponte od una recinzione. Raramente le persone sono raffigurate nei suoi dipinti.

Johnny Palacios Hidalgo, 1970

Nato a Callao in Perù, il pittore surrealista Johnny Palacios Hidalgo ha compiuto i seguenti studi:

1988-1990 Disegno e Pittura presso il Museo d'Arte di Lima;

1991-1998 Pittura presso la Scuola Nazionale di Belle Arti di Lima.

Per quattro anni l’artista ha vissuto a Puerto Rico e questo soggiorno ha inevitabilmente influenzato il suo lavoro.

Jessica Hayllar | Victorian painter

Jessica Ellen Hayllar (1858–1940) was a British artist and painter.

Hayllar was born in London and was the eldest daughter of the nine children born to Ellen Phoebe Cavell (1827-1899) and her husband James Hayllar (1829-1920).

The family lived at Mecklenburgh Square in London and also rented a country house in Suffolk for several months each year before moving to a large house, Castle Priory, by the Thames at Wallingford, then in Berkshire. Hayllar and her four sisters attended a day school in Gower Street and all were given art lessons by their father, who was himself a well-regarded painter.

Jessica Hayllar became the most prolific artist among the Hayllar offspring, although her sister Edith also achieved some recognition.