March 16th, 2024

Happy Saturday! I had an interesting experience this week; yesterday my day job put on a virtual panel discussion on neurodivergence in the workplace. Now, I don’t consider myself to be in that group but someone on my team who reports to me is and so is my step son (diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago), so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn more about it and how I can be supportive.

Hearing the panelists share their stories of struggle, discovery and acceptance was inspiring and eye opening. A couple points I took away were:

1. All of them had parents who resisted (at least for a while) getting them tested to see if they had neurodivergent tendencies.

2. Once the diagnosis was confirmed, they felt a sense of relief. Suddenly, everything "clicked" into place, and they understood why they had always felt different from others.

I know mental health is a heavy topic, but it was on my mind and I wanted to share just in case anyone reading this might be empowered by pursuing their own diagnosis or maybe there’s a family member or friend that you suspect might be struggling and needs that support to look into why things are the way they are. And if you don’t have anyone to talk to, feel free to reach out 🫡 

We’re going to be doing a deep dive this week into an artist from the state where I was born, California. I find his work very calming.

Artist Spotlight - Elmer Bischoff (1916- 1991)

Career

Elmer Bischoff, born in Berkley, California on July 9th in 1916 was immersed in the vibrant cultural landscape of the Bay Area from an early age. His interest in art was nurtured by this environment, leading him to pursue formal education in the field. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his BA and MA in Art. His education was grounded in the diverse artistic traditions that would later inform his unique approach to painting.

Bischoff's early career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Army Air Forces. His experiences during the war deeply impacted him, contributing to the emotional depth and complexity of his later work. After the war, Bischoff, like many artists of his generation, was initially drawn to abstract expressionism. He explored the expressive potential of color and form, contributing to the post-war American art scene's burgeoning interest in abstraction.

By the late 1950s, Bischoff, along with colleagues such as David Park and Richard Diebenkorn, began to experiment with incorporating figurative elements into his compositions. This marked a pivotal shift in his career and led to the emergence of the Bay Area Figurative Movement. As a key figure in this movement, Bischoff's work from this period is characterized by a blend of abstract expressionist techniques with the depiction of figures and landscapes. His paintings from this era, notable for their luminous color and emotional resonance, explore human experience's nuances and the natural world's beauty.

In the late 1960s and onwards, Bischoff's work once again veered towards abstraction. However, his abstract paintings retained a sense of atmospheric depth and emotional nuance, traits that had defined his figurative work. Throughout his career, Bischoff was also a dedicated educator. He taught at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) and later at the University of California, Berkeley. His influence as a teacher extended far beyond the classroom, impacting generations of artists.

Contributions to the Art World

Bischoff's most important contribution to the art world was the creation of the Bay Area Figurative Movement. The movement represented a significant departure from prevailing artistic trends, emphasizing the human figure's representation within a loosely expressive and abstracted landscape context.

Bischoff and the other figures in the movement sought a new direction that would allow for more personal and humanistic expression. They found the purely abstract approach somewhat limiting in its ability to convey the full range of human experience and emotion. There was a desire among these artists to reconnect with the long tradition of figurative art, which they felt had been somewhat abandoned in the rush toward abstraction. They saw potential in the human figure as a vehicle for emotional depth and narrative richness, which could be explored within the context of contemporary art.

For Bischoff, Park, and Diebenkorn, the move toward figuration was also a deeply personal choice that allowed for greater freedom in exploring their interests and experiences. This shift was not a rejection of abstraction outright but rather an expansion of the possibilities for expression within the medium of painting.

The physical and cultural environment of the Bay Area itself played a role in the development of the movement. The unique light, landscape, and vibrant artistic community provided a conducive backdrop for the exploration of new artistic paths. The region's openness to innovation and experimentation encouraged these artists to pursue their vision.

Style

Bischoff was known for his masterful use of color to convey mood and atmosphere. His palette ranged from subdued, earthy tones to vibrant hues, often within the same composition. This nuanced approach to color allowed him to evoke complex emotional states and imbue his figures and landscapes with a sense of depth and vitality.

One of the hallmarks of Bischoff's style is the seamless integration of abstract and figurative elements. Even as he returned to figuration, his work retained the gestural brushwork, emphasis on the surface, and compositional freedom characteristic of Abstract Expressionism. This blend resulted in figures that are at once grounded in reality and suffused with a sense of abstraction.

He had a unique ability to capture the essence of a place, whether a sweeping landscape or an intimate interior. His landscapes are noted for their atmospheric quality, with light playing a crucial role in defining the space. Interiors, on the other hand, are rendered with a warmth and immediacy that invite the viewer into a private world.

His figures are often depicted in moments of introspection or caught in a narrative pause, suggesting an underlying psychological complexity. Bischoff's interest in the human condition is evident in the way he portrays his subjects with empathy and depth, exploring themes of solitude, contemplation, and interpersonal dynamics. His love for jazz music influenced his approach to painting, particularly in terms of rhythm and improvisation. Just as a jazz musician improvises within a structure, Bischoff's paintings balance compositional coherence with spontaneous expression, allowing for moments of unexpected beauty and emotion to emerge.

Influences and Lessons

The works of European modernists such as Henri Matisse, with their vibrant color palettes and innovative use of space, influenced Bischoff. Matisse's ability to convey emotion through color and composition resonated with Bischoff's own artistic goals.

The landscapes and light of the San Francisco Bay Area played a significant role in shaping Bischoff's subject matter and approach to painting. The unique qualities of the region's natural environment influenced his use of color and light, contributing to the atmospheric depth of his landscapes.

Collaborations and dialogues with fellow artists David Park and Richard Diebenkorn were crucial in Bischoff's shift towards figuration. The shared exploration of integrating figuration with abstract expressionist techniques fostered a rich environment of innovation and growth.

Bischoff's career exemplifies the importance of experimentation and the willingness to evolve one's artistic practice. His transition from abstraction to figuration and back again demonstrates a commitment to exploring new avenues of expression, reminding us that growth often requires stepping out of our comfort zones.

The collaborative spirit of the Bay Area Figurative Movement underlines the value of working within a community of artists. Bischoff's interactions with his peers demonstrate how dialogue and collaboration can enrich one's artistic practice and lead to groundbreaking developments.

Style Representation

Collectors Corner - Dewi Simanjuntak

Dewi Simanjuntak - Selamat

Artist Highlight - 4everKurious

I first discovered Sondra’s work when I was invited into the Emergent Properties beta for the OpenStudio creation suite. Since then, I’ve collected quite a few pieces and it’s safe to say that I am now a fan. Her work has a very quirky style with muted color pallets and interesting compositions. You should definitely go check it out once you find out more about her and her work 😃 

Here is her bio in her own words:

Sondra Bernstein, renowned in Sonoma for her culinary ventures, has added back “artist” to her resume and in the past few years has embarked on a remarkable journey as a digital artist, embracing the world of AI and the metaverse. Known in the art community as 4everKurious, Bernstein is showcasing her lifelong passion for creativity and innovation in a completely new light.

After a successful 35-year tenure in the hospitality industry, Bernstein has reconnected with her roots in fine arts photography, a field in which she holds a bachelor’s degree. This transition marks a significant shift from her role as the proprietor of the girl & the fig, the fig café & winebar, and other ventures, to a focus on digital and AI-driven art.

Bernstein’s exploration into the digital art realm is not just a personal pursuit but a collective journey as well. She is a founding member and curator for an international art collective known as SearchLight, a platform that shines a spotlight on unseen artists. In addition to her curatorial role, Bernstein is a prolific creator and collector, contributing to and advocating for the growing field of AI art.

Her work in the metaverse, particularly as a metaverse architect and builder for VOXELS, positions her at the forefront of digital space creation. Bernstein’s art is a dynamic blend of her original photography and AI enhancements, reflecting a unique collaboration between human creativity and machine intelligence. This synergy of technology and artistry is evident in her diverse array of works, from whimsical interpretations of favorite bedtime stories to abstract pieces inspired by the essence of Sonoma.

In January 2023, Bernstein took on the role of resident artist at the girl & the fig, transforming the space into a gallery where her digital art is displayed year-round. A generous portion of the proceeds from her art sales is dedicated to supporting the Sonoma FIG Foundation, underscoring her commitment to giving back to the community that has been an integral part of her journey.

Bernstein’s work is a testament to the evolving landscape of art in the digital age, challenging conventional notions and embracing new technologies. Her journey is a vivid example of lifelong learning and adaptation, proving that creativity knows no bounds.

Can you share a pivotal moment in your life that profoundly influenced your artistic journey and the themes you explore in your work?

My mom was an artist and because of that I was exposed to a wide variety of art as a child. We went to a lot of museums (and museum talks) and galleries and I seem to recall her gathering her artistic friends for parties. My parents also collected a good amount of art from emerging artists. There was not a pivotal moment but many moments that pushed me to photography. (I realized my drawing and painting skills left a lot to be desired)

Is there a piece/collection that you created that holds a special emotional or personal significance for you? Can you share the story behind it?

What I have: I have a few pieces of art that I have saved from my parents collection that take up a lot of space on my walls. They remind me of the past - they are very different in style, medium and color palettes - I think that may be a reason that my collections are so varied. I don't have a favorite style or artist - I am drawn to so much.

What I created: This is a difficult question that I am trying to understand. Using AI has given me the ability to create way beyond what I could have ever imagined. The creation can sometimes be quick, the curation much longer. I feel that because I don't spend weeks, months on pieces I lack a deep relationship/connection to my art (individual pieces/collections). For collections that turn into stories, they come a bit closer as the fiction, memories or dreams become integral to the piece being a whole.

I only show the art that I am drawn to, much is left unseen. In saying all of that I love being a voyeur into my work, and am intrigued and delighted to see what appears on my digital canvas.

How do you navigate the relationship between personal vulnerability and public exposure in your art? Is there a piece of yours that felt particularly exposing to create or share?

Since my art practice and schooling happened a long time ago, re-entering the space, especially digitally I felt and projected imposter syndrome that took months and months to resolve.

Interestingly, creating my restaurants prepared me more for the exposure than schooling. Putting out a concept or even a plate of food to the public is super vulnerable for me.

I have to always remind myself - not everyone is going to like everything you create.

Last year at the request of my business partner, we replaced the existing art with my own. I would have never suggested this nor would I have done this if I was still in operations every day. Even more so now that so much of my work is AI and the controversy that surrounds it.

You're not only an artist, but also a long time restaurateur. In your bio, the tone for your restaurants is described as 'the right balance of quirky and elegant', and this appears to have translated to your AI art as well. Can you share how you arrived at your current style and what inspires it?

I believe that the style of my restaurants could only have happened because of my love of art and schooling. I have/had 3 very different restaurants where art was the a huge focus.

I looked at the spaces as large canvases for multi media/material projects. Color, texture, layers are all important components of both my restaurants and my art.

Can you give us a peek into your creative process? We all have different ways of coming up with the next idea, how do you turn that initial spark into something special? What are you favorite art creation tools?

My process continues to evolve. Currently I use my photography as a layer in the work, I feel that other than my words, I can include something tangible that no one else had a part in. These are not obvious and many times they are photograph of a texture or a color or a corner of something that made for an interesting composition. Experimenting with so many different platforms that started from apps on my phone - everything changed when I got access to Midjourney. You could say that the flood gates or the rabbit hole happened. I can vividly see the evolution in my art as well. For as long as Midjourney has been having their office hours on discord, I have tried to set aside the time to listen to the founders objectives and hear how other creators are using the platform. I feel that I have an insider's view of what is coming. It happened all over again with Emergent Properties, and I spend a lot of time creating collections there. So back to creating --- > it could look like this:

- Original photograph selection (as I create more and more work sometimes the photo is many generations deep)

- Midjourney - prompt, blend, describe, repeat.

- Sometimes Procreate or Photoshop to refine some of the details - mostly removing or covering something I could not get AI to do.

- Sometimes Chatgpt to get an 'outsider' picture of what is on the screen or to help with a prompt or revise a story that is evolving as the art does.

- Emprops - Similar to my process of repeating in Midjourney but there are way more buttons to understand and discover in EP. Turning something on or off, adding new variables and/or images as well as words can turn something upside down, and sometimes I find myself with another collection direction.

Art often requires a balance between discipline and spontaneity. Can you discuss a time when a spontaneous change of direction in your work led to a breakthrough or a significant change in your approach?

I am extremely disorganized and seem to multitask too many things at one time. I would say that my discipline is doing the work at least 5 hours a day and my spontaneity would cause me to work even longer. I am also relatively disciplined in my daily actions like social media or posting something on a platform.

If you could have a conversation with one artist, past or present, who has significantly inspired you, who would it be and what would you ask them about their own creative practice?

This answer could change tomorrow, but for today I would say Diane Arbus. She was a fascinating, bold artist. Her images are layered with realism, absurdity and crossing barriers with her fearlessness. I would want to discuss her relationship to the camera and the subject.

Are there any pieces or collections that you want to direct readers to check out?

For the most part I am presenting different collections on different platforms -

ZeroOne is pretty religious - I love the trading aspect

Revel - the same would apply but I am not sure if I am liking the direction it may go

FOTO - a photographic app that is in Beta

I also have work for sale on many NFT platforms - but that is a whole other conversation!

As I write this the most current collection on Emprops - The Hargrove Family Portraits is in its 3rd or 4th generation, so I am enjoying seeing the outputs as they appear. It is quirky and I appreciate the subtle hallucinations that AI is showing in some of these pieces - but you have to look to find them!

Final Thoughts

I want to thank those who reached out after last week’s bad news with kind words, it really meant a lot. It’s clear that loving pets is as universal as loving art.

Be safe out there if you’re playing the meme casino. Take your profits, don’t get greedy and live to trade another breakout.

As always, if you enjoyed this edition I would really appreciate if you shared it. Just hit the share button below. And if you’re not following me on X yet, I’d love to follow you back.

On that note, I’ll leave you with a quote about perfect for a Saturday:

Enjoy your weekend, friend!

P.S. If you have feedback I’d love to hear it! A reply to this email goes directly to me.

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