“I make the most outrageous demands on my imagination and leave aside everything else.” ~Franz Marc Franz Marc (pronunciation) was a German painter and printmaker best known for his influential role in the development of Expressionism. A prolific artist, Marc produced...

 “I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste.” ~Marcel Duchamp Marcel Duchamp (pronunciation) was born in Blainville-Crevon, France (pronunciation), on July 28, 1887. He began his art studies at an early age and showed...

“Never let anyone define what you are capable of by using parameters that don’t apply to you.” ~Chuck Close Chuck Close is an American painter, artist, and photographer who achieved fame for his large-scale portraits. His work is associated with the Photorealism and...

“It is the depth and intensity of an artist’s experience that are the first importance in art.” ~Grant Wood Grant Wood was an early American artist made famous for his honest depictions of American life, such as his famous painting, 'American Gothic.' Grant Wood was...

 “I don’t paint to live, I live to paint.” ~Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning (pronunciation) was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on April 24, 1904. His father, Leendert de Kooning, was a businessman while his mother, Cornelia Nobel, was a homemaker. As a...

“To create a work of art is to create the world.” ~Wassily Kandinsky Wassily Kandinsky (pronunciation) is one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century. He is credited as being the pioneer of abstract art, and his work heavily influenced the...

 “Fools talk of imitation and copying, all is imitation.” ~Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (pronunciation) was an English portrait and landscape painter who was one of the most influential artists of the 18th century. He is known for his naturalistic...

Teach your children about one of the most famous figures in art history, Salvador Dalí. This free art lesson covers the basics of his creative output. “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” ~Salvador Dali Early Life Salvador Dalí (pronunciation) was...

“My work isn’t about form. It’s about seeing.” ~Roy Lichtenstein Roy Lichtenstein (pronunciation) was an American pop artist who became one of the most influential and important artists of the second half of the 20th century. He is best known for his paintings which...

"Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist.” ~René Magritte René Magritte (pronunciation) was a Belgian artist who played a significant role in developing the Surrealism movement. His work often features ordinary objects in unusual situations,...

"Time is a vindictive bandit to steal the beauty of our former selves. We are left with sagging, rippled flesh and burning gums with empty sockets." ~ Raphael Raphael was a prominent artist during the High Renaissance period, creating works that were highly regarded...

“I’m just a simple man standing alone with my old brushes, asking God for inspiration.” ~Peter Paul Rubens Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen, Germany on June 28, 1577. His father was a Calvinist lawyer who had fled Antwerp to avoid religious persecution, and his...

"Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible." ~Paul Klee Paul Klee was a German-Swiss artist who was active in the early 20th century and is best known for his Cubist and Expressionist paintings. Castle and Sun Klee was born in Münchenbuchsee,...

"I shut my eyes in order to see." ~Paul Gauguin Paul Gauguin (pronunciation) was born in Paris, France on June 7, 1848. He showed an early interest in art, and began studying painting when he was just 17 years old. He spent many years pursuing various careers,...

“An artist is not paid for his labor, but for his vision.” ~James Abbott McNeill Whistler James Whistler was an American artist who lived in the latter half of the 19th century. He is best known for his paintings and etchings, which often depicted urban landscapes....

“In our life there is a single color, as on an artist palette which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.” ~Marc Chagall Marc Chagall (pronunciation) was a Russian-French artist and one of the most important figures in 20th-century art. He was...

John William Waterhouse was an English painter known for his romanticized depictions of mythology and classical subjects. His early career was defined by his paintings of female characters from literature and mythology, many of which were inspired by the work of...

"It doesn't matter how beautifully a thing is painted, it is no good if it isn't right.” ~ John Everett Millais John Everett Millais (pronunciation) was born on June 8, 1829, in Southampton, England. His father was a merchant sailor and his mother was an amateur...