Feb. 23rd: Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell

• Norman was born in New York City in 1894.
• He always wanted to be an artist and planned his life out that way so he could accomplish his dream.
• At age 14 he enrolled in our classes at the New York School of Art and two years later in 1910 He Left His High School to Study Art at the National Academy of Design.
• He began to study with Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgeman at The Art Studies League. He learned illustration from Fogarty which prepared him for his first commercial commission.
• His technical skills that he relied on during his career came from what he learned from Bridgeman.

A Quote from Rockwell

Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.
—Norman Rockwell

• his career started very early at the age of 16 when he was able to commission for Christmas cards.
• During his teenage years he was also hired to be the art director of the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America called Boy’s Life.
• When he was 21 years old his family moved to new Rochelle New York. This was a community which included famous illustrators such as J.C. and Frank Leyendecker and Howard Chandler Christy.
• Rockwell set up a studio and began producing for magazines Such As Life, Literary Digest and Country Gentleman.
• It 1916 when he was 22 years old Rockwell Painted His First Cover for the Saturday Evening Post. Rockwell considered this magazine to be “the greatest show window in America”. He considered this to be a great honour. For the next 47 years he painted another 321 covers for the Saturday Evening Post.
• It 1916 Rockwell married Irene O’Connor but they divorced in 1930.
• The 1930s and 1940s are considered to be the best years of Rockwell’s career.
• 1930 was when he married Mary Barstow. She was a schoolteacher and they had three sons. The family moved to Arlington Vermont and his work began to resemble small-town American life.
• In 1943 he was greatly moved by President Franklin Roosevelt address to the Congress. He decided to paint The Four Freedom Paintings.

1. Freedom of speech 1943
2. freedom of worship 1943
3. freedom from want 1943
4. freedom from fear 1943

• These works were very popular and they toured the United States in an exhibition sponsored by the Evening Post at the US Treasury Department and also through the sale of war bonds. They raised more than $130 billion for the war effort.
• even though the Four Paintings were very successful 1943 was also a very difficult year for Rockwell. A fire destroyed his Arlington studio and also destroyed numerous paintings and his collection of historical costumes and props.
• In 1953 the family moved to Stockbridge Massachusetts and sadly six years later his wife died unexpectedly.
• In 1960 working with his son Thomas Rockwell, Norman Rockwell published his autobiography called My Adventures as an Illustrator.

• In 1961 Norman Rockwell Started to Work at Look Magazine. During His 10 Years at Look Magazine he painted pictures illustrating some of his deepest concerns and interests. They included civil rights, America’s war on poverty and the exploration of space.
• It 1973 he established a trust to preserve his artistic legacy and placed his works in the Old Corner House Stockbridge Historical Society.
• This was later renamed the Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge.
• He later arranged to have his studio and its contents added to the Norman Rockwell Museum.
• In 1977 he received the nation’s highest civilian honour. It was called the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

• He died peacefully at his home in Stockbridge on November 8, 1978 at the age of 84.
• Students that lived in Brookshire County where Rockwell lived for the last 25 years of his life worked tirelessly to make sure that Rockwell was named the official state artist of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 2008.

Feb. 16th: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hope everyone had a very happy Valentine’s Day this past weekend!

The History of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day occurs every year on February 14th and is celebrated in countries all over the world.

Trivia!

Valentine’s Day originated from…?

a) Greek mythology

b) The Romans

c) The U.S.

Valentine’s Day is named after a….?

a) soldier

b) saint

c) emperor

What is cupid?

a) a ghost

b) a cherub

c) a baby

What does Cupid use to make people fall in love?

a) a bow and arrow

b) a violin

c) a wand

What flowers are the most common gifts on Valentine’s Day?

a) Lillies

b) peonies

c) roses

What does a yellow rose symbolize?

a) happiness

b) friendship

c) romance

What country spends the most on Valentine’s Day?

a) The U.S.

b) Australia

c) Italy

What do people appreciate receiving more on Valentine’s Day; candy (i.e. chocolate) or flowers?

T/F – Galentine’s Day specifically refers to women celebrating friendships on Valentine’s Day

T/F – Valentine’s Day is not the biggest holiday for florists

T/F – Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges

Jimmy Kimmel talks to kids about love!

Gabriel’s Song Choice: ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry

More videos!

Feb 11th: Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year on the traditional Chinese calendar.

• In the Chinese culture this festival is called Spring Festival because the spring season in the lunisolar calendar.
• The lunisolar calendar starts with Lichun. The Chinese calendar divides a year and 24 solar terms. Luchin is the first solar term. It’s literal meeting is the start of spring.
• Luchin marks the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season. It traditionally takes place from New Year’s Eve which starts the evening before the first day of the year to the lantern Festival which is held on the 15^th day of the year.

The first day of Chinese new year begins on the new move that usually appears between January 21 and February 20. This year The First Day of Chinese New Year will be on Friday, February 12. It is the year of the ox.

The Ox, in Chinese culture, is a hardworking zodiac sign. It can signify movement, which hopefully means that this year people will be able to start moving again, and not be stuck at home!

The Chinese calendar is taken very seriously in Chinese culture, and many people plan the year ahead based on the predictions for the year ahead. This could include making big decisions, like whether to start a business, get married, etc.

• The evening before New Year’s Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. This can be seen as the most important dinner of the year.
• This is a very large meal that usually includes dumplings chicken and pork. Fish can also be included.

• It is also very important during this tradition for Chinese families to have a clean house. They do this in order to sweep away any bad luck and to make way for good luck that may be coming in the next year.
• Another important part of the tradition is the declaration on Windows and doors with red paper cuts and couplets. A couplet is a pair of lines of poetry which outlined certain rules. They can also be seen on the sides of doors leading to people’s homes.

Another important part of the tradition is firecrackers and the giving of red paper envelopes. Money is placed as gifts in these envelopes.

For more info, check out this website!: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lunar-new-year-2021-ox/index.html

Feb. 9th: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, ceramicist and theatre designer, and he is considered to be one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He is famously known for his paintings, such as ‘Guernica,’ as well as for his influence in the art movement known as Cubism.

He was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881, and his father was a painter and sculptor. His father taught Picasso how to paint and draw, and by the time he was 13 his skill level was better than his father’s.

He moved to Barcelona to go to school for fine arts, but he often would skip class in order to wander the streets and sketch things that he saw. Picasso was known to be an innovator, and he soon abandoned his schooling in order to start experimenting with his own artwork.

Picasso is known for reinventing himself, and he continued to switch between styles of artistry throughout his life. As a result, his life’s work seems to be the product of five or six artists rather than just one.

For instance, between 1901 and 1904, Picasso painted scenes of poverty, isolation, and sadness, and all of his paintings were dominated by the colour blue. This collection of art is now known as Picasso’s Blue Period, and he was apparently depressed and lonely during this time.

His most famous paintings from this time:

Blue Nude, 1902

Blue Nude, 1902

The Old Guitarist, 1903-1904

By 1905, Picasso overcame his depression, and as a result he started to use warmer colours in his paintings. This became what is known as the Rose Period that lasted from 1904-1906.

Famous paintings from this time include; ‘The Family at Saltimbanques’ (1905), Gertrude Stein (1905) and the Acrobat and Young Harlequin (1905).

Cubism

Portrait of Dora Maar

Cubism was an artistic style that was majorly developed by Picasso. In cubist paintings, the subjects of paintings are broken down into geometric shapes and forms, which results often in asymmetrical, collage-like effects. This style of painting was shocking for the art world, and it got mixed reviews. Some were appalled by the deconstructive nature of cubism, and some were fascinated by its creativity.

In 1907, Picasso created what is known today as the inspiration and beginning of the Cubism movement, and it is the painting ‘Les Desmoiselles D’Avignon.’

Other examples of Cubist paintings:

The Weeping Woman

Self-Portrait

Violin with Grapes

Classical Period

Between 1918 and 1927, Picasso’s artworks explored more of Realism, rather than his experimentation. This was during the time of World War 1, and Picasso grew more somber during this time, and more interested in portraying reality in his paintings.

The Women at the Spring, 1921

The Pipes of Pan, 1923

Surrealism

From 1927 onward, Picasso became caught up in a new movement called Surrealism. This was a movement that explored the philosophical, and it was largely influenced by the Cubism movement.

His most well-known Surrealist painting, which is deemed one of the greatest paintings of all time, was completed during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. This painting is called ‘Guernica,’ and it depicts an aerial attack on the town of Guernica in Spain. When this attack happened, Picasso was outraged by the destruction and loss of life, and he started on this painting. The painting is a protest against war, and it shows different figures in many states of suffering.

Picasso continued to paint up until just hours before the end of his life, and in total created about 70, 000 works of art. He ended up spending most of his adult life in France, he had 4 children, and he lived until he was 91 years old. His last self-portrait he painted about a year before his death, and it is called ‘Self-Portrait Facing Death.’

Gabriel’s Song Choice: Prince Ali from Aladdin

Super Bowl Halftime Show!

February 4th: Vincent Van Gogh

Self Portrait, 1889

Vincent Van Gogh was a post-impressionist painter who became one of the most influential figures in the the art world. He was born in 1853 in The Netherlands, and he grew up in the countryside where he was able to observe a lot of nature.

Van Gogh worked as an art dealer in London and later Paris until he was about 27 years old, and this is when he started painting. He only painted for a decade before he died, and during this time created close to 900 paintings.

When he first began painting, he used peasants and farmers as models, and then flowers, landscapes and himself, as Van Gogh was too poor to pay subjects to pose for a painting. He used bright, bold colours, which was an unusual style at the time.

In about 10 years, he created 2, 100 works of art, including 860 oil paintings and many drawings. His paintings included mostly landscapes, still life, portraits and self-portraits, and he was known for using bold colours, and dramatic, large brushstrokes. These brushstrokes often create an affect that makes the painting appear as though it is moving.

One of the most famous Van Gogh paintings, and most famous paintings, is Starry Night. Van Gogh painted this in 1889 during his stay at an asylum in the South of France. He had admitted himself to the asylum after cutting off part of his ear during a psychotic episode. The painting is partially inspired by the view from his window, and also his own imagination.

This work was painted when Van Gogh was experiencing a difficult time with his depression and mental health, and this is reflected in the dark colours of the painting.

Why did Van Gogh cut off his ear? Vincent Van Gogh struggled with mental illness, and sometimes would experience psychotic episodes.

Van Gogh painted a self-portrait after this incident in 1889, which shows his bandaged ear:

Van Gogh ended his life in July 1890, when he was 37 years old. In the months leading up to his death, he threw himself into his art and produced many paintings in this time. He was creating essentially one painting per day for several months before his death.

Van Gogh only ever sold one painting in his life, and it was The Red Vineyard. This happened seven months before his death, and it sold for 400 francs in Belgium. He sometimes had to exchange his works for food or medical treatment, and he struggled for most of his life.

Most of Van Gogh’s art collection is shown in museums around the world, including the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Very few paintings have been sold to private collectors, and the the most expensive painting ever sold of Vincent Van Gogh’s is the Portrait of Dr. Gachet, who took care of Van Gogh in the final years of his life. It sold for a record price of $75 million at a Christie’s auction in New York City in 1990.

Other paintings by Van Gogh:

Almond Blossoms, 1890

He drew inspiration from Japan later in his life, Japanaiserie, 1887

Van Gogh Museum Website: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en

The Bedroom, 1888

Irises, 1889

February 2nd: Lee Ridley & Groundhog Day

• Lee was born on December 31, 1990 and is in English and up comedian.
• He has been a person with a disability since he was a very young baby and became the first standup comedian in Britain to use a communication device for his routines.
• His stage name is the Lost Voice Guy.
• In June 2018 he became very well known because he won the 12^th season of Britain’s Got Talent.

• Ridley is originally from Consett County Durham in England.
• He was diagnosed with a neurological form of cerebral palsy at six months of age. It was because he had a brain infection and was in a coma for about two months. His movement was affected as well as his speech.
• He received his first communication device when was eight years old and was educated at a school for disabled children.
• He attended the University of Central L,ancashire and received an undergraduate degree in journalism between the years of 1999 to 2002.
• In 2006 he worked as a journalist with the BBC and also local newspapers. In 2007 he took on the role of online content manager for the city of Sunderland.

Career

• his career in comedy began in 2012. It started because he was at a show by Ross Noble in which Ross tried to impersonate Stephen Hawking and Ridley used his comedy to challenge Ross’s routine.
• Ridley thought he could do a much better job of impersonating Stephen.
• He used an iPad synthesizer app called Speak It. 
• He preprogrammed it with sentences that he would use in his routine that he would be performing.
• He would use material that people enjoyed and laughed that in the previous shows. Sometimes he would even create new material through his synthesizer on stage in real time.
• Unfortunately his first successful show in Edinburgh in 2013 had to be cut short because he developed serious pneumonia.
• In 2014 Ridley won the BBC radio new comedy awards and decided in 2015 he began to pursue a professional comedy career.
• His new show was called Disability for Dunces and the next year perform the sequel which he called Volume 2.
• In 2017 he started performing and they shall which made fun of inspirational videos and memes about disability. It has always been important to him to show ability instead of disability.
• He is now a patron of the Sequel Trust which is a communication disability charity.
• In 2018 Ridley began starring in a role on radio for sitcom Ability. He co-wrote this with comedian Catherine Jakeways.

• He played Matt a person with a disability who moves out of his childhood home to share with his best friend from school. This friend treats him like an equal not like a disabled person.
• In 2019 he competed in America’s Got Talent the champions and unfortunately was eliminated in the preliminary round. He also released his first book called I’m Only in It for the Parking.

Today is Groundhog Day!

Carolyn’s research on Groundhog Day:

February 2 Groundhog Day – The story goes that watching a groundhog come out of its hole can determine the weather forecast for the coming weeks. If it is a sunny day and the groundhog sees its shadow, it supposedly is afraid and it goes back to its hole to sleep for six more weeks of winter. If the weather is cloudy and the groundhog does not see its shadow, it stays outside, which people believe means that the worst of winter is over and spring will come soon. About 10 communities in Canada have this tradition today, attracting the attention of tourists and media alike.  Wiarton Willie, from Wiarton, Ontario is the most famous groundhog in Canada ­and has been predicting the weather since 1956.

Groundhog Day is based on the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, which was halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox.  It was when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this practice and selected an animal–the hedgehog–as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, although they changed from hedgehogs to groundhogs.  The first Groundhog Day was February 2, 1887 in at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  

Groundhogs go into hibernation in the late fall; during this time, their body temperatures drop significantly, their heartbeats slow from 80 to five beats per minute and they can lose 30 percent of their body fat. In February, male groundhogs emerge from their holes to look for a mate (not to predict the weather) before going underground again. They come out of hibernation for good in March.  Also they aren’t very accurate.  Data from 13 Canadian cities over the last 30 to 40 years indicates the groundhogs’ predictions were correct only 37% of the time.

Today’s results: The groundhogs in Canada have called for an early spring!

Today’s song:

Jan. 28th: Impressionism & Claude Monet

Impressionism

This is an art movement that happened in the 1800s, that is characterized by thin, small brush strokes, and there is often movement that is somehow shown. Impressionism originated by a group of artists based in Paris, France. Impressionist paintings usually show a landscape, and often incorporate light and how light affects a scene. For instance in the painting below:

This painting is by Claude Monet, and it is called Impression, Sunrise, and was painted in 1872. This painting is credited with inspiring the name of the Impressionist movement, and it was showcased at an Exhibition in Paris in 1874, that became known as the Impressionist Exhibition.

Claude Monet

Monet is credited with being the founder of the Impressionist movement. Claude Monet was a French painter, who was born in 1840 in Paris. Monet painted many masterpieces that are hanging at museums all over the world, and his paintings are mostly to do with nature. He used lots of colour in his paintings, and was most inspired by nature as it appeared at different times of day.

Monet did not conform to blended, realistic looking paintings, rather he used bold colours and short brushstrokes. This makes his paintings look more hazy the closer you are to them, but from farther away the colours blend together and the picture is more clear. It’s been said that Monet sometimes got frustrated with his work, even burning or cutting paintings, and estimates range as high as 500 pieces.

After the Exhibition of the Impressionists in 1874, Monet continued to work alongside other painters following this new method of painting. This included Renoir, Pissaro and Manet, and they would often exhibit their works together.

Monet gained financial and critical success during the late 1880s and 1890s. This was after years of few successes and hardship, and in 1883 he moved himself and his family to Giverny, a small town outside of Paris in France. In Giverny, he painted some of his most famous paintings today, and the subject was always his garden.

Monet is famously known for painting his waterlilies, as well as a Japanese-style bridge that went over the pond in his garden.

Monet also spent time in his early years in Zaandam and Amsterdam in Holland, and painted the scenes there:

He also spent a lot of time later in his life, in the early 1900s in London, England. He focused largely on the hazy atmosphere from pollution and large buildings in the city scene.

In 2019, a Monet painting sold for the most ever at an auction in New York, and it sold for $110.7 million. The painting is called ‘Meules,’ or Haystacks, and was painted in 1890, and it is also the most expensive Impressionist work ever sold.

Song of the day: “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

Jan. 26th: Tony Heaton

• he was born Anthony James Heaton on October 11, 1954.
• He’s known for being a British sculptor, disability rights activist and arts administrator.
• He was ordered an OBE (which is a very high honoured award called the order of the British Empire.) In 2013.
  • It is a British order of chivalry that rewards contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public service. It was established on June 4, 1917 by King George V.

• He was CEO of the arts charity called shape until March 2017.
• In 2012 he won the competition to produce an installation celebrating channel 4’s involvement in the London 2012 Paralympic games. It was from this is work the Monument to the Unintended Performer came to be.
• This monument shows a person in a wheelchair, holding a discus (disc to throw)
• It was outside the Channel 4 building in London (tv channel), and it is in the shape of a 4

Early Years          

• he was born in Preston Lancashire in 1954.
• When he was 16 he was in a motorbike accident leaving him with a spinal injury. He switched from a comprehensive school to a local arts college at Southport.
• From 1972 he was self-employed in various positions. He was employed as an artist, songwriter, disk jockey, record shop owner, progressive rock band member and a mural painter.
• In 1986 Heaton and rolled himself in Lancaster University and studied a visual arts degree while earning a living as a sign painter.
• Heaton began experimenting with environmental sculptures on the sands at Morecanbe  Bay. This professor at the time was the head of Lancaster’s sculpture department. He noticed that the marks left by Heaton were immediately different from the footprints of his fellow students and urged him to develop work on this. Heaton stated, “a chance comment about the marks left in the sand by my feet and crotches made my tracks immediately identifiable became the catalyst for a whole series of works relating to disability and by interaction with the environment”.
• His first piece of disability art was a plaster cast of his feet and stick imprints.

Artistic Career

• Heaton’s early sculptures often use materials such as collecting cans, wheelchairs, and x-rays.

• This sculpture was made in 1994 called Great Britain from a Wheelchair.

• In 1990 and early piece called Spring Back depicting a spinal x-ray juxtaposed above the shock absorber springs of a scrapped motorcycle referring to the accident which caused his injury and the metal strengthening spring that was placed inside his spine.

Heaton created Shaken not Stirred in 1991. This sculpture consisted of a 7 foot high pyramid consisting of 1760 charity collecting cans that was brought crashing to the ground when he threw an artificial leg at it. He wanted to show that the hierarchical system could be destroyed by people with disabilities collectively working together and the power that that could have.

Jan. 21st: A New Day!

The inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris happened yesterday, and already President Biden has made some major changes for the United States:

• He launched a “100 days Masking Challenge” – asking the American people to wear their mask for 100 days, and he is issuing an Executive Order requiring masks and physical distancing in all federal buildings, on federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors
• Re-engaged with the World Health Organization – reversed the withdrawal with the WHO that the previous President started, President Biden will participate in a WHO Executive Board meeting later this week
• Coordinate a Unified National Response to COVID-19 – created the position of COVID-19 response coordinator, who will be responsible for coordinating all elements of the COVID-19 response across government, including managing efforts to produce and distribute PPE, vaccines, and tests.
• Rejoin the Paris Agreement – President Biden signed to rejoin this agreement, along with 189 other countries already in the agreement, and the goal of this agreement is to fight climate change
• Other Executive Orders made:
  • Roll back President Trump’s Environmental Actions
  • Launch an Initiative to Advance Racial Equality
  • Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
  • Reverse the Muslim Ban – this ban restricted entry into the U.S. from primarily Muslim and African countries
  • Stop Border Wall Construction
  • And others!!

Trump Trivia!

What colour tie is Trump known for wearing?

a) blue

b) red

c) striped

Where was Trump instead of the inauguration?

a) Hawaii

b) Scotland

c) Florida

What did Trump continuously say about the news?

a) That it was fair

b) That it was fake

c) That he liked watching it

What was Trump’s favourite pastime?

a) golfing

b) hiking

c) swimming

Trump was permanently banned from Twitter: True or False

Who tweeted it?: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/02/politics/trump-kanye-who-tweeted/

Welcome President Biden! And Celebrating America

Parody Videos (Goodbye Trump!):

Carolyn’s Song Choice: “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars

Jan. 19th: Banksy

Bansky

Girl with Ballon, 2002 London Series

• he was born in Bristol England. He is known as a street artist, political activist and film director and has been active in the 1990s.
• He uses satire and dark humour and graffiti well creating very distinctive stencil art. His works of political and social undertones have been appearing on streets, walls, and bridges throughout the world.
• Bansky’s work involved collaborations between artists and musicians and has said that he is inspired by 3D who is a graffiti artist and founding member of the musical group called Massive Attack.
• He displaces work on publicly visible places such as walls and self built physical pieces.
• He no longer will sell photographs or reproductions of the street graffiti. But his public “installations” are commonly resold. Sometimes they even have to remove the wall that the installations were painted on.
• He made a documentary film called Exit Through the Gift Shop in 2010 which made its debut at the 2010 Sundance film Festival.
• In January 2011 Bansky was nominated for the Academy award for best documentary feature for this film.
• In 2014 he was awarded Person Of the Year at the 2014 Webby Awards.

His identity

• bansky’s name and identity remain unknown and there is still a lot of speculation.
• In a 2003 interview with the Guardian bansky is described as white 28 years of age scruffy in appearance and always wears jeans and a T-shirt. He has a silver tooth and wears a silver chain with silver earrings.
• He was born on July 28, 1973 in Yale approximately 19 km from Bristol and then to London in 2000 where he is now. He began his career when he was 14 years old.
• He was expelled from school and served time in prison for petty crime because graffiti is illegal.
• Very little otherwise is known about Banksy, and there is much speculation about his identity. Apparently, his identity is even hidden from his family.

A quote from Brad Pitt:

He does all this and he stays anonymous. I think that’s great. These days everyone is trying to be famous. But he has anonymity.

Early career 1990 to 2001

• bansky started as a free hand graffiti artist in 1990 to 1994. He was part of Bristol’s DryBread Z Crew with two other artists known as Cato and Tes.
• Soon after he met a photographer named Steve Lazarides who began selling his work and then became his agent.
• In 2000 he started to do the art of stenciling because he started to realize how much less time it took to complete.
• In the 1990s he was even the goalkeeper for the Easton cowboys and cowgirls football team and toured with them to Mexico in 2001.
• His first known mural was painted in 1997 to cover an advertisement of a former solicitor’s office in Bristol. It is called the Mild Mild West.

In the early 2000s, Banksy relocated to London, where he experienced some fame and popularity, and his silkscreen prints and stencil paintings started to break records in sales in auctions at Sotheby’s . Eventually, Banksy decided to travel to Palestine and he stencilled nine images on the Bethlehem wall.

His artworks are often opposing war, which can be seen here:

His artworks

In October 2013, Banksy had a month-long residency in New York City, called “Better Out Than In.” In this he unveiled a new piece of art everyday, and mid-way through he went onto the street anonymously and began selling his pieces for just $60. Only 8 pieces of his art were sold, and after his residency he made it known that they were authentic pieces, signed by him. Once people knew who the paintings were by, the value of them skyrocketed, and one of them eventually sold for over 56, 000 pounds, or close to 100, 000 dollars.

In October 2018, a painting by Banksy sold at a Sotheby’s auction for close to 1.04 million pounds. Shortly after the painting was sold, the painting started to pass through a shredder that had been installed in the frame.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Banksy unveiled a new artwork in the foyer of the Southampton General Hospital. The painting shows a young boy playing with a ‘superhero’ nurse doll, and after unveiling he said that he hopes the painting brightens up the hospital and he thanked all healthcare workers.

Banksy has left artworks all over the world, including in Australia, France, Italy, the United States, Jamaica, Israel and Canada. Here are some of his in Toronto!

Banksy’s website: https://www.banksy.co.uk/out.asp

Google Arts and Culture: https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/banksy/m023b7b?categoryId=artist

Jean-Luc’s Song Choice: “Intentions” by Justin Bieber ft. Quavo