A regular feature that appeared monthly in
 

MARCH 2025

1. How old was Michelangelo when he completed the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

2. Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is among the world's most popular paintings. Where is the painting’s permanent home?

3. Name the Italian painter whose portrayals of Warsaw were so exact, his paintings were consulted when the city was reconstructed after World War II.

4. Mary Cassatt was an American painter in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What subject is she best known for painting?

5. Despite the onset of a debilitating disorder, Haida artist Bill Reid (1920-1998) was able to produce some of his greatest works. What disorder did Reid suffer from?

6. What is the main difference between titanium white and zinc white oil paints?

7. Name the Emily Carr painting that was found to have a portrait previously painted beneath it.

ANSWERS: 1. Michelangelo was 37. 2. The Mauritshuis Museum in the Hague (Located on the west coast of the Netherlands) houses the 17th-century masterpiece. 3. Bernardo Bellotto (1720-1780) specialized in vedute, or topographical views. 4. Paintings of mothers and their children. 5. Bill Reid, one of Canada's famous artists, suffered from Parkinson’s disease. 6. Zinc white is more transparent than titanium white. 7. Arbutus Tree was painted over a portrait of a dark-haired woman with eyes raised and hands clasped in prayer. It is thought to be a self-portrait of the artist.

​

FEBRUARY 2025

1. Which painting by Picasso was damaged by its owner, who was about to sell the work of art in 2006?

2. Name the artist who painted the Potato Eaters.

3. Who was the model for the portrait of Mona Lisa?

4. Name the famous impressionist artist who eventually went blind.

5. Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor once battled for ownership of a famous painting (from 2004 to 2007). Who is the painting’s artist and what is the name of the painting?

ANSWERS: 1. The Dream (or 'Le Rêve') was accidentally damaged by Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when his elbow pierced a small hole in the multi-million dollar canvas. Wynn was about to sell the painting for $139 million to another collector (Steven Cohen) but decided to repair and keep the painting. Years later (2013), Wynn eventually did sell the painting to Cohen for a reported $155 million. 2. Vincent van Gogh. 3. In the early 1500s, Lisa Gherardini sat for the portrait that her wealthy husband, Francesco del Giocondo, had commissioned from da Vinci. However, once the painting was completed, Giocondo decided not to buy it, and it eventually ended up at the Louvre. 4. Claude Monet (1840-1926), the “master of light and colour.” His paintings became fuzzier in the last 30 years of his life, due to his worsening vision. However, this effect added to his unique style. 5. The artist is Vincent van Gogh and the painting was View of the Asylum and Chapel at Saint-Remy (Vue de l'Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy). Taylor’s father purchased the painting for her at a London auction in 1963. From 2004 to 2007, she battled a South African family who claimed to be the original owners. Taylor won the court battle. The rare painting hung in Taylor's Bel Air living room for over 50 years, and after she died in 2011, it was sold by auction. Two other paintings owned by Taylor were also sold after her death: a self-portrait by Edgar Degas and a landscape by Claude Pissarro.

​

JANUARY 2025

1. What painting of the 17th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer is also referred to as the Mona Lisa of the North or the Dutch Mona Lisa?

2. What colour did artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) never use in his paintings?

3. What is the difference between a tint and a shade in colour theory?

4. What “exercise” did Henri Matisse do for two hours daily to keep his fingers limber?

5. In 2011, the painting Two Tahitian Women was attacked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, by a woman who believed it was evil. The work was part of an exhibit that featured the work of which artist?

6. Ocean Greyness and Lavender Mist are works of which artist born in Wyoming in 1912?

ANSWERS: 1. Girl with a Pearl Earring. 2. The Dutch painter never used green. Mondrian, an abstract artist, used black, white, gray and the primary colours to create his striking  combinations of straight lines and right angles. 3. A tint is the mixture of a colour with white, and a shade is the mixture of a color with black. 4. He played the violin. 5. Paul Gauguin (1848-1903). 6. Jackson Pollock.

​

DECEMBER 2024

1. Name the Russian-French artist (1887-1985) who often painted violinists.

2. Which American painter is famous for capturing the loneliness of city life in the thirties and forties?

3. What career did Edgar Degas turn down to concentrate on his art?

4. Which great French artist known for depicting feminine sensuality was confined to a wheelchair for the last 20 years of his life?

5. Who were the founders of the Vancouver Institute for the Visual Arts?

6. Name the famous painter born in Malanga, Southern Spain in 1881.

ANSWERS: 1. Marc Chagall often painted violinists because he played the instrument himself, and also in memory of his violin-playing uncle. 2. Edward Hopper. 3. Degas (1837 – 1917) abandoned his law studies at the age of 18. 4. Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). 5. The late Doris and Jack Shadbolt, long-time residents of Burnaby, BC, established the Vancouver Institute for the Visual Arts (VIVA) in 1988. It recognizes and awards two local Vancouver artists each year. VIVA was renamed The Jack and Doris Shadbolt Foundation in 1998. 6. Pablo Picasso.

​

NOVEMBER 2024

1. What type of surface is the Mona Lisa painted on?

2. She was born near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin in 1887 and decided to become a painter at age ten. Among her most recognizable works are close-ups of flowers. Who is she?

3. Who painted the famous painting of dogs playing poker?

4. Name the Canadian painter who became famous for his paintings of World War II.

5. Who is Anna Mary Robinson?

ANSWERS: 1. Wood. 2. Georgia O’Keefe. 3. Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, an American artist (1844-1934). 4. Alex Colville. The fine arts student enlisted in 1942. To his surprise, he was assigned to document the battle on paper and canvas. 5. She is the prolific painter Grandma Moses (1860-1961).

​

OCTOBER 2024

1. Artists have several techniques to help attract and hold a viewer’s attention. What technique did Johannes Vermeer use to capture and hold the attention of those viewing his masterpiece, Girl with a Pearl Earring?

2. Opus Art Supplies of B.C. celebrates its 50th year in 2024. Who was the founder?

3. Who painted The Persistence of Memory?

4. Name the artist who said, “Why do people think artists are special? It’s just another job.”

5. Early in his career, what art style did Robert Bateman create before finding a preference for wildlife?

ANSWERS: 1. The viewer's eye is automatically drawn first to the girl's own eyes, then down to her mouth, across to the pearl, back to the eyes -- and this flow repeats continually. Neurologists call this a “Sustained Attentional Loop.” In many of his paintings, Vermeer focused on one area of his work while the surrounding details were blurred. But with the Girl with a Pearl Earring, Vermeer used three focal points—the eyes, mouth, and the pearl. The girl captures our attention because she looks directly at us, and our gaze is continually held as it travels this “eye-mouth-earring” loop. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-secret-girl-pearl-earring.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-nwletter

2. David van Berckel (DvB) founded the business in 1974. It began as a small picture framing business and has grown into several locations throughout British Columbia, Canada. https://youtu.be/mYZwDVESqsE

3. Salvador Dali. 4. Andy Warhol. 5.  Abstract art.

​

SEPTEMBER 2024

1. Who designed the tongue and lips logo of the Rolling Stones?

2. In which century did artists first start painting on canvas?

3. What is the chief oil in oil paints used by artists?

4. Who painted The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp?

5. What is the meaning of grisaille?

ANSWERS: 1. Andy Warhol. 2. The 15th Century. 3. Linseed oil – made from the seed of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. 4. Rembrandt. In 1623 he painted Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, a Dutch surgeon, explaining the muscles of the arm to a group of doctors. Some of the spectators that Rembrandt included in the painting were doctors who paid to be included, a common practice for group paintings at that time. The more central the position in the painting, the higher the fee, with Dr. Tulp likely paying the most. 5. Grisaille (griz-eye) is a painting completed in one colour, usually grey. It is also used to refer to underpainting in grey or brown.

​

AUGUST 2024

1. Why were 17th-century artists worried about their 'bladders'?

2. When did artist paints become available in tube form?

3. Jonathan Buttall is well known in art, by what name?

4. What did the sunflower symbolize to Vincent van Gogh?

ANSWERS: 1. Prepared paints for artists first appeared in the 17th century and were sold in little bags known as bladders. They were made of skin and tied tightly to keep the paint soft and pliable. However, the bladders were prone to bursting, and they also had to be punctured for use – both of which let air into the bag, causing the paint to harden. 2. In 1841, the collapsible metal paint tube, similar to those used today, was invented by John G. Rand, an American portrait painter living in London. 3. Gainsborough’s Blue Boy. The Blue Boy is thought to be a portrait of Jonathan Buttall (1752–1805), the son of a wealthy hardware merchant. However, this has never been proven. Art historians speculate the boy who posed for the portrait is Gainsborough’s nephew. 4. For van Gogh, the sunflower was a symbol of happiness. 

​

JULY 2024

1. Name the Canadian artist who painted To Prince Edward Island, which depicts a woman on a ferry, holding up a large pair of binoculars that obscure her eyes.

2. The largest museum in the United States that is dedicated to a single artist is located in Pittsburgh. Who is the artist the museum honours?

3. Name the painting that sold at the highest price -- to date -- at a Christie’s Auction?

4. Name the prolific Canadian artist who lived from 1871 to 1945. She was known for her Impressionist-like paintings and studies of Native Canadian artifacts and trees of the West Coast.

ANSWERS: 1. Alex Colville. 2. Andy Warhol. The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (Warhol’s native city) holds an extensive permanent collection of his art. 3. Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Salvator Mundi (circa 1490–1500) sold for $450.3 million at Christie's on November 15, 2017. 4. Emily Carr.

​

JUNE 2024

1. What part of the Mona Lisa’s face took 12 years for Leonardo da Vinci to paint?

2. Celebrated pop artist Andy Warhol passed away in 1987. What was the cause of his death?

3. How many self-portraits did Rembrandt paint?

4. Which French artist is most famous for his paintings of ballerinas?

ANSWERS: 1. The mouth. 2. Warhol died of heart failure after gallbladder surgery. He was 58. 3. Almost 100, that are known of. 4. Edgar Degas created approximately 1,500 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings of dancers.

​

MAY 2024

1. How many paintings were saved from the fire that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019?

2. Pierre-Auguste Renoir's great-grandson, Alexandre Renoir (also a professional artist) showed his artwork in a 2018 exhibition in Tennessee entitled “Beauty Remains.” Why did he choose this title for his show?

3. Which Spanish painter had his first exhibition at the age of 16?

4. Is cadmium red a toxic pigment?

ANSWERS: 1. Twenty-one paintings were saved, miraculously suffering only minor smoke and water damage. The artwork includes 13 works from the Mays series, a collection of religious paintings created between 1630 and 1707. Since the 2019 fire, nearly 1,000 craftsmen worked to restore the cathedral and the paintings. After restoration, the paintings will be exhibited until July 2024 at Le Mobilier National in Paris and returned to the Cathedral in December 2024. 2. The exhibition title comes from a famous quote by his great-grandfather. When asked why he continued to paint with his painful arthritis in his advanced years, Pierre-Auguste Renoir once said, "The pain passes, but the beauty remains." 3. Pablo Picasso. 4. Yes.

​

APRIL 2024

1. In which century did artists start painting on canvas?

2. Has the famous British street artist Banksy ever revealed his full name?

3. Which abstract expressionist was known for using the "drip technique."

4. Which famous American painter was initially rejected by the US Navy during World War I for being underweight?

ANSWERS: 1. The 15th century. 2. Banksy has always been known by just one name. However, he “may” have revealed his first name in a 2003 BBC interview. In a long-lost interview posted on the BBC website as part of The Banksy Story series, the former arts correspondent Nigel Wrench interviewed the artist. Wrench asked if he is called “Robert Banks,” and the artist replied: “It’s Robbie.” 

3. Jackson Pollock. 4. Norman Rockwell was 17 pounds underweight but bulked up to eventually meet the Navy’s requirements. Rockwell’s first military assignment involved painting insignias on airplanes, and he was later recruited as an illustrator for the Charleston Naval Yard’s official periodical, Afloat and Ashore.

​

MARCH 2024

1. San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker designed a symbol of the LGBT movement that was unveiled in 1978. It has eight parts, each symbolizing a specific aspect of their lives that gay people should be proud of. What is the symbol he created?

2. Spanish Surrealist artist Salvador Dali had an uncommon animal as a pet. What type of animal was it?

3. Name the two BC artists whose work will grace both sides of the 2024 silver collector coin by the Royal Canadian Mint.

4. What is the name of the town where Leonardo da Vinci was born?

5.  Name the French impressionist-style painter who continued his work despite having crippling arthritis.

ANSWERS: 1. The Rainbow flag. 2. An ocelot named Babou. 3. Glen Green and Suzanna Blunt. Campbell-River-based artist Glen Green designed the image representing the Pacific coast, which features a pod of orcas swimming in front of a rocky island with mountains in the background. Green’s work has appeared previously on Canadian coins, including a special Vancouver 2010 Olympics quarter. The flip side of the 2024 coin is the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Vancouver portrait artist Suzanna Blunt, who created the portrait in 2017 for a Royal Canadian Mint coin. https://www.mint.ca/en/shop/coins/2024/pure-silver-coin-this-is-canada-wondrous-waters-pacific-coast   

4. The village of Vinci. 5. Pierre-Auguste Renoir. When he was asked why he continued to paint with his painful arthritis, Renoir made his famous quote, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains”.

​

FEBRUARY 2024

1. Name the German-American artist who painted the massive painting (more than 21 feet wide) of "Washington Crossing the Delaware."

2. "Cars" is a series of artworks commissioned by Mercedes-Benz in the 1980s. Name the artist who created the 36 silk-screen paintings and 13 drawings in his signature colourful pop style.

3. Name the well-known but secretive British street artist known by a single name.

4. Which artist, known for his afro hairstyle and "happy little clouds," drew inspiration from his time in Alaska while serving in the US Air Force?

ANSWERS: 1. Emanuel Leutze created the painting in 1851. It is exhibited in NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.. 2. Andy Warhol. 3. Banksy. 4. Bob Ross.

​

JANUARY 2024

1. In 1942, American artist Edward Hopper created an oil painting depicting four people in a downtown diner late at night. What is the one-word name of the painting?

2. Name the renowned Canadian artist who painted until he was 100 years old and was committed to art education for youth (he co-founded Artists for Kids).

3. How much water can you add to acrylic paint without worrying about adhesion problems?

4. Name the Irish actor and previous James Bond star who is also a talented artist, hosting his first solo show in 2023 in London.

ANSWERS: 1. Nighthawks. 2. Gordon A. Smith (1919-2020). 3. No more than 50 percent water. 

4. Pierce Brosnan trained as an illustrator at Central Saint Martins Art School in London in the late 1960s. The Mama Mia and James Bond star had his first solo show in Dec 2023 at the SMS Art Gallery in Nottingham. Art lovers viewed Brosnan’s Van Gogh-style works during his two-day show and had a rare opportunity for a personal meet and greet with him.