Style Imitating Art: “Interior with a Book”

About Style Imitating Art…

Style Imitating Art comes from Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. You can think of it as fashion meets art museum! Style Imitating Art challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Every other Monday one of the three selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, they share their outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Terri chose this week’s art work. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. I have really been impressed with the different art work we’ve seen this year. It’s been challenging at times but always fun! You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here.

Inspiration art work…

About the artist…

Richard Diebenkorn was born in Portland, Oregon on April 22, 1922, but his family soon moved to San Francisco, California. He began his artistic career at the merry old age of four or five years old. Diebenkorn enrolled in Stanford in 1940. While there, he met Sarah Stein, Gertrude Stein’s sister, and visited her home. It was there he saw, for the first time, the works of Cezanne, Picasso, and Matisse.

A little more…

In 1943, Diebenkorn married Phyllis Antoinette Gilman. That was also the year he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. During this time, it would seem the nomadic life became the norm for the Diebenkorn family. First stationed on the West Coast, the artist attended the University of California, Berkeley before leaving for the East Coast. While on the West Coast, Diebenkorn studied under Worth Ryder, Erle Loran, and Eugene Neuaus. He would pick up European Modernism from these three, the first two having studied in Europe and the third emigrating from Germany in 1904. On the East Coast, Diebenkorn made use of the various art museums in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia. It was here he also discovered the newly emerging New York artists like Robert Motherwell.

Still more…

With the end of World War II, Diebenkorn was discharged from the USMC. The small family returned to the San Francisco area. For the next several years, Diebenkorn (and I’m guessing his family, too) would traverse the country, living in California, New York, Illinois, and New Mexico. During this time, he was both studying and teaching at various places. Diebenkorn’s style was abstract expressionism. He would eventually dabble in figurative painting and was part of the Bay Area Figurative Movement. His works from that time would include interiors, landscapes, still lifes, and the human figure. I think, given the date of the inspiration art work, this was painted during the Bay Area Figurative Movement.

And, yet more…

Diebenkorn is one of those artists whose work seemed to evolve over time. I think, after researching him, he isn’t, exactly, an artist you can plant a label on. He continued to paint, explore drypoint and printmaking, and teach for several years. His painting, Ocean Park #126 sold in 2018 for almost $24 million! Among his many awards are the Edward MacDowell Medal (1978) and the National Medal of Arts (1991). He was also elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate in 1979 with full Academician in 1982. In 1989, due to ill health, Diebenkorn downsized his art works and continued to produce prints, drawings, and smaller paintings until his death from complications of emphysema on March 30, 1993 (source).

About the art work…

Painted on canvas with oils, “Interior with a Book” measures 5 feet 10 inches x 5 feet 4 inches (177.8 x 162.56 cm). That is a really big painting! It is currently on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO.

“In Interior with a Book, Diebenkorn integrates flat areas of color with more realistic passages suggesting three-dimensional space.  The right two-thirds of the canvas present a landscape, sky and interior space in terms of an abstract pattern of horizontal bands of color.  Perspective, or the illusion of receding space, is achieved through the intersection of these horizontals with the diagonal lines of the window frame.  The careful placement of a chair, book and trees enhances this illusion of depth. The empty chair and open book suggest the absence or eventual presence of a solitary figure, creating a mood of quiet anticipation (source).“

My interpretation…

I almost always know when I’m going to have difficulty interpreting a piece of art. It’s usually a piece I really like and could see myself owning. But, when it comes to translating it, I don’t know, I think I’m just too in the moment. I hope that makes sense because that was the case here. As I look out the “window,” I see water rather than sky. Water influenced my decision to wear not only this kimono but also this dress. I think the swirly patterns of the kimono and the crinkled texture of the dress mimic that feeling of movement. I chose the camel colored sandals to reflect the table in the foreground of the painting. I could lie and say the greens were reflected in the plants on my patio. But, the decision to take the photos here was last minute. I thought the greens were nicely picked up in my kimono.

The Lewk!

These sandals are some of my favorites. I tripped once and scuffed the toe, but I wear them anyway. These are Franco Sarto, and I also have them in black. I’m not 100% sure why, but I thought wooden accessories were the right “lewk” for this outfit. The necklace, matching bracelet and two other bracelets are from Stella & Dot. The earrings are old and from Target.

Wrap it up, Marsha!

I wish I had oodles of money and a huge house! I would have all kinds of art. With only a few exceptions, I have really liked all the art pieces I’ve interpreted in this series. The only originals I have are ones I’ve painted, either in art classes or those wine and canvas things! So, can we talk? Are you a collector of fine art? Or, are you like me, and only aspire to the prints? Do you like impressionism or figurative art best? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise I do respond!

Affiliate links and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. As of right now, I also have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. I am also an affiliate with Clara Sunwoo. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off your entire order. I am an April Cornell Brand Ambassador for another season. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off any order over $75. For the Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer, use Marsha12 to get 12% off your order at this link: https://www.zuvilife.com/products/buy-zuvi-halo-hair-dryer?sca_ref=4039595.v4RNNsWxxF. If items are on sale, you can use Marsha5 for an extra 5% off sale prices. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

Thank you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so glad you’re here…commenting, reading, emailing, subscribing, or following! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, and Style Splash. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Gail and Emma every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

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