50's-60's Inspiration

Realities     Encaustic Collage on Panel

 I don't get network TV, relying on Netflix instead, so I'm always behind in watching a series. I have been watching the acclaimed series Mad Men, about ad executives in the late 50's and early 60's. I've been impressed by how well the series captures the ambiance of the times. 

I was in junior high and high school during the times the series covers (at least what I've seen so far.) I was a precocious reader. While I was still in jr. high I read The Saturday Review, Theater Arts, Show, and Realities (pronounced the French way.) These now defunct magazines were full of gorgeous images and writing that covered literature, theater, cultures of the world, art, and more. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy brought world-renowned artists, writers, and musicians to the White House. Some of the best Broadway plays of the century were written and produced during this period.

While there was a certain amount of kitsch during the period I'm talking about, it was also a time of innovative and powerful design trends. I did a couple of new encaustic collages yesterday inspired by the color schemes, art, and design of the period. I plan to do more soon.

 New Society         Encaustic Collage on Panel

Above: a precursor of Bob Dylan's Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat with Abstract Expressionist color and design.