Various Works by Paul Gauguin

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Paul Gaugin was a French post impressionist painter whose lush color, flat two-dimensional forms, and subject matter helped form the basis of modern art.

Gauguin was born in Paris on June 7, 1848, into a liberal middle-class family. After an adventurous early life, including a four-year stay in Peru with his family and a stint in the French merchant marine, he became a successful Parisian stockbroker, settling into a comfortable bourgeois existence with his wife and five children.

In 1874, after meeting the artist Camille Pissarro and viewing the first impressionist exhibition, he became a collector and amateur painter. He exhibited with the impressionists in 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1886. In 1883 he gave up his secure existence to devote himself to painting; his wife and children, without adequate subsistence, were forced to return to her family. From 1886 to 1891 Gauguin lived mainly in rural Brittany (except for a trip to Panama and Martinique from 1887 to 1888), where he was the center of a small group of experimental painters known as the school of Pont-Aven. Under the influence of the painter Émile Bernard, Gauguin turned away from impressionism and adapted a less naturalistic style, which he called synthetism.

He found his inspiration in the art of indigenous peoples, in medieval stained glass, and in Japanese prints; he was introduced to Japanese prints by the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh when they spent two months together in Arles, in the south of France, in 1888. Gauguin’s new style was characterized by the use of large flat areas of nonnaturalistic color, as in Yellow Christ (1889, Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, New York).

In 1891, ruined and in debt, Gauguin sailed for the South Seas to escape European civilization and “everything that is artificial and conventional.” Except for one visit to France from 1893 to 1895, he remained in the Tropics for the rest of his life, first in Tahiti and later in the Marquesas Islands. The essential characteristics of his style changed little in the South Seas; he retained the qualities of expressive color, denial of perspective, and thick, flat forms.

Under the influence of the tropical setting and Polynesian culture, however, Gauguin’s paintings became more powerful, while the subject matter became more distinctive, the scale larger, and the compositions more simplified. His subjects ranged from scenes of ordinary life, such as Tahitian Women, or On the Beach (1891, Musée de Orsay, Paris), to brooding scenes of superstitious dread, such as Spirit of the Deadwatching (1892, Albright-Knox Art Gallery). His masterpiece was the monumental allegory Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? (1897, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), which he painted shortly before his failed suicide attempt. A modest stipend from a Parisian art dealer sustained him until his death at Atuana in Marquesas on May 9, 1903.

Gauguin’s bold experiments in coloring led directly to the 20th-century Fauvist style in modern art. His strong modeling influenced the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch and the later expressionist school.

You can learn more about Paul Gaugin through the following links:

Paul Gauguin at Wikipedia

Paul Gauguin at ABC Gallery

Paul Gauguin at ArtCyclopedia

As MV Rachel Corrie draws nearer, Israel mulls easing Gaza blockade – Christian Science Monitor

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Sydney Morning Herald
As MV Rachel Corrie draws nearer, Israel mulls easing Gaza blockade
Christian Science Monitor
After a week of intense international criticism for its raid on the Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla,' a senior Israeli official told the Monitor the government may ...
Israeli forces seize new Gaza aid shipPress TV
The MV Rachel Corrie: A Closer Look at the Last Flotilla ShipPolitics Daily (blog)
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Thousands of Gazans cross as Egypt keeps key border crossing open – Xinhua

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Globe and Mail

Georgia Tea Party Republican for Congress: Government should just run the Army, maintain Waterways, and keep our Borders secure

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"a strong libertarian bent"

Tom Parrot is running for Congress in Georgia's 7th CD. He is an Air Force Veteran, and a CPA. He's a straight shooter:

At the core of our success as a nation is our commitment to freedom. In running for this office, I am fighting for the preservation of the Constitution because I understand the need to defend the Freedoms and Rights given to all Americans.

Parrot was highlighted by the Seattle Times, in an article on anti-incumbent Republicans running in 2010 - "About 2,300 running for Congress, most in decades":

"I guess it's a mild form of civil unrest," said Tom Parrott, a 59-year-old accountant who is making his first run for office as one of nine candidates in central Georgia's 7th Congressional District race. "I'm willing to spend 30 or 40 grand of my own money to get the chance to speak to people and maybe get my point across that we're really, really in trouble."

Parrott, who is running as a Republican and identifies with the tea party, said he has a strong libertarian bent. Obama's health-care law was the "straw that broke the camel's back" in his decision to run, he said.

"I'm not a wacko," he said. "I just think the government would be better if they just butt out and do the things they're supposed to do like running an army and maintaining waterways and keeping our borders safe."

Parrot is libertarian right down the line, most especially Military/Defense. From his campaign website:

Strong national defense - History shows that every time this nation has lost its strong military resolve, it has provoked attacks against our nation.

I will never forget December 7, 1941, and I will never forget September 11, 2001. If we attempt to appease those who attack us, we only invite more attacks.

And the winner is… Scott Taylor for US Congress – Virginia GOP Primary

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ex-Navy Seal clearly most libertarian even on Drug Issue

From Eric Dondero:

The Tidewater Libertarian Party in Virginia has decided to exert itself into the Republican primary for US Congress District 2 (eastern shore). While they are not making an explicit endorsement, they are doing the next best thing; requesting answers from all the contenders on controversial issues and publishing them on their website in detail.

The primary will be held June 8. It is a tight race for the nomination. The current Rep. is Gerald Nye, a Democrat, who is considered very vulnerable.

So far, three candidates have responded to the Libertarian Party call. All three gave very libertarian responses to just about all the questions. In fact, they're virtually indistinguishable, except for the style of their responses, and their emphasis.

Of the 10 questions, there was only one area where differences emerged; allowing states to decide on drug legalization.

Ben Loyola, who is considered to be the frontrunner in the race, stated:

I oppose efforts to legalize drugs, and feel there is a federal interest in interdiction of drug trafficking.

In fairness, on all other questions Loyola took a libertarian stance. This included a question on a national i.d. He would oppose such a plan.

The 2nd candidate Bert Misusawa answered "Yes" he would support allowing states to decide on legalization. But he added, "first we must define victimless," crime.

To Question 6, Should the federal government defer all law regarding victimless crime, including drug use to the states...?

Scott Taylor simply answered "Yes."

Taylor answered purely libertarian on all other questions, including: 2nd Amendment, eminent domain, blocking the EPA from imposing CO2 emissions, privatizing Social Security and Medicare, No on any and all bailouts, and No on national i.d.

Pro-Defense libertarians will be most pleased with his answer on the use of Military force overseas. Taylor responded:

I do not believe in nation building. However, if meddling consists of matters that have to do with national defense I support it.

Taylor is a retired Navy Seal. He is a combat Vet having served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

ScottTaylorForCongress.com