Michael SkalkaMar 29, 20213 minA Matter of TrustWe are faced with issues of trust in all areas of our lives. Art materials are no different. We trust that when it says Organic Lettuce,...
Michael SkalkaMar 22, 20214 minIndian Yellow: A Bovine StoryOne would be remiss if the story of the popular 19th century pigment Indian Yellow were not told. A preface to this story is the...
Michael SkalkaMar 15, 20215 minHow to Avoid Airborne EaselsWe are starting to get a glimpse of the start of the outdoor painting season approaching in the mid-Atlantic region. Soon, deciduous...
Michael SkalkaMar 7, 20214 minThe Discovery of Thenard Blue (Cobalt Blue)A new series of essays on the science behind the origins of pigments. An hour and 40-minute drive from Paris will take you to the town of...
Michael SkalkaFeb 25, 20215 minThis Art Is So Stupid a Monkey Could Paint That!This is probably a phrase that is muttered daily under the breath by some patrons who visit a modern art museum. It is easy to recognize...
Michael SkalkaFeb 16, 20213 minUranium and Copper Oxide Pigment“She wore blue velvet Bluer than velvet was the night Softer than satin was the light From the stars…” (Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris,...
Michael SkalkaFeb 8, 20213 minOil of SpikePsychologists say the sense of smell can connect us to memories embedded in the dark recesses of our brain. As a child, perhaps your...
Michael SkalkaFeb 1, 20213 minThe Cutting Room Floor...When preparing a lecture, it seems that a large quantity of unused material is generated that never makes it into the actual talk given....
Michael SkalkaJan 8, 20214 minDeceiving Pigment Names"The rhetorician would deceive his neighbors, the sentimentalist himself; while art, is but a vision of reality. What portion in the...
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20204 minGreetings from New YorkThe business of tracking down art materials leads to some interesting places. While on collection related business for work in New York,...
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20203 minMagni Nominis UmbraGiven what has happened in Rome in recent weeks (Editor's Note: April 2, 2005, the death of pope John Paul II), I though it would be...
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20202 minVermilionettes and Royal RedsIt is a humorous name for a group of colors. Vermilionettes and Royal Reds makes me think of the name of a big band from the 1930s. ...
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20204 minThe Priming LayerThe priming layer or ground a painting is placed upon has gotten a lot of attention in recent years. Since the priming layer serves as a...
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20205 minProtect the Skin You’re InWell, it’s not grammatically correct, but it is a poignant reminder that it is the only skin we have and we better care for it wisely....
Michael SkalkaNov 17, 20203 minBodies in the Cellar or The Old and Forgotten:Only a handful of theater enthusiasts would know the name Joseph Kesselring. However, many would recognize one of his most famous plays,...