Why the Bauhaus? The Bauhaus movement in Post Modernist Germany was to be a part of a seminal artistic movement throughout the art world. Founding members included Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Those strongly influenced by the movement are American luminaries such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles and Ray Eames, and the great depression era WPA artists such as Grant Wood and Diego Rivera. It gave rise to German expressionism in both painting and films, such as Fritz Lang‘s Metropolis which became a huge influence in the Hollywood film industry in the 30’s and 40’s. The philosophy was a call to integrate the arts and crafts once again into a creative living endeavor. In today’s world, the designers, artists and craftsmen can be clearly seen as a powerful influence in film and theatre. Our founding members are experienced artists who make their living creating art, not for art’s sake, but art for the enrichment of the soul of both the artist and the viewer. We believe all art should have a point of view.
The Artists:
Karen Keller graduated from UCLA with honors in Graphic Design, and did post graduate studies in Illustration at Art Center College of Design. She also studied Production Design, Art Directing, and Directing. She has over 25 years experience in the professional animation industry, mostly at Walt Disney Studio’s Feature Animation division. She has provided artistic talent in many areas of animation production, including layout and concept design, story boarding, visual development, and art direction. Ms. Keller maintained a key role in many globally successful films. She was selected by the Disney Artist Development Department to share her knowledge with artists and support staff at the Walt Disney Company, lecturing on Layout in the Production Process, Cinematic Visual Structure, Creative Perspective, and Cinematic Color Design, as well as serving on the Artistic Review Board.
Ms. Keller has an extensive background in film and animation production with key leadership experience and a proven rapport with creative talent. She has worked with the top talent in the animation industry and consistently receives high praise. She is currently part of the distinguished faculty at the Laguna College of Art and Design as an adjunct professor of Layout and Scenic Design.
http://www.imdb.me/karenakeller
Building upon her experience in both production and education, she has begun this new Studio in Manhattan Beach to serve as both a professional base and an artist’s salon. The larger idea is to promote art of all types and provide a personal vision to all level of artists, helping them to grow and develop their talents. If this sounds interesting to you, please contact us and we will send you more information.
Madeline Schumacher graduated with honors from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University Drama Department with studies in theater design, specializing in costume. She has worked in film, television and theater. Her professional credits include Costume Design for The Tempest and How I Learned to Drive for Santa Monica Rep, Costume Shop Manager for the CalArts Dance Department and is currently Costume Generalist at the Center Theater Group in Los Angeles.
Manifesto of the Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar
April 1919
“The ultimate goal of all art is the building! The ornamentation of the building was once the main purpose of the visual arts, and they were considered indispensable parts of the great building. Today, they exist in complacent isolation, from which they can only be salvaged by the purposeful and cooperative endeavours of all artisans. Architects, painters and sculptors must learn a new way of seeing and understanding the composite character of the building, both as a totality and in terms of its parts. Their work will then re-imbue itself with the spirit of architecture, which it lost in salon art.
The art schools of old were incapable of producing this unity – and how could they, for art may not be taught. They must return to the workshop. This world of mere drawing and painting of draughtsmen and applied artists must at long last become a world that builds. When a young person who senses within himself a love for creative endeavour begins his career, as in the past, by learning a trade, the unproductive “artist” will no longer be condemned to the imperfect practice of art because his skill is now preserved in craftsmanship, where he may achieve excellence.
Architects, sculptors, painters – we all must return to craftsmanship! For there is no such thing as “art by profession”. There is no essential difference between the artist and the artisan. The artist is an exalted artisan. Merciful heaven, in rare moments of illumination beyond man’s will, may allow art to blossom from the work of his hand, but the foundations of proficiency are indispensable to every artist. This is the original source of creative design.
So let us therefore create a new guild of craftsmen, free of the divisive class pretensions that endeavoured to raise a prideful barrier between craftsmen and artists! Let us strive for, conceive and create the new building of the future that will unite every discipline, architecture and sculpture and painting, and which will one day rise heavenwards from the million hands of craftsmen as a clear symbol of a new belief to come.”