canada giant van gogh easel fate 2633654

In 1997, artist Cameron Cross installed The Big Easel, a 75-foot-tall sculpture of an easel displaying a reproduction of Vincent van Gogh's sunflower paintings, in Altona, Canada, to honor the town's status as the Sunflower Capital of Canada. After a windstorm on February 28 blew off a panel of the painting and further damage occurred on March 15, the town removed the four-ton painting and conducted a survey to gauge public support for restoration. A majority of respondents (68%) voted to save the artwork, with 60% preferring a hand-painted canvas over a printed replica and 61% wanting to keep the Van Gogh sunflowers. Cross plans to rebuild the fiberglass canvas from scratch and repaint the image in 2026, with costs estimated at CA$70,000 ($50,500) for a durable marine-grade plywood version.

A skateboarder’s lament: the dismantling of San Francisco’s iconic and divisive fountain

San Francisco's Vaillancourt Fountain, a controversial concrete sculpture and centerpiece of Embarcadero Plaza since 1971, caught fire during its dismantling in early May 2025 after the city voted to potentially replace it with a grassy park. Designed by artist Armand Vaillancourt, the fountain was a landmark for the city's skateboarding scene in the 1980s and 1990s, but fell into disrepair and became a flashpoint in debates over modernist public art. The removal, costing $4 million for storage and assessment, was mourned by skateboarders and preservationists who saw it as a loss of cultural and architectural heritage.

The Art of an Art Exhibition

Seventeen Colby College seniors, all studio art majors, have organized the Senior Art Exhibition 2025 at the Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art in downtown Waterville, Maine. The exhibition, on view through May 24, features work by four sculptors, two photographers, three painters, five printmakers, and three digital media artists. It is the culmination of a yearlong capstone course that taught students the behind-the-scenes process of mounting an exhibition, including installation, collaboration with museum preparators, and producing a print catalog with artist statements and critical essays.

Where did the great artist Joseph Beuys live? The comic story by Gianluca Costantini

Dove viveva il grande artista Joseph Beuys? Il racconto a fumetti di Gianluca Costantini

In the summer of 2022, the author visited Düsseldorf and discovered that Joseph Beuys's former home at Drakeplatz 4 in Oberkassel was for sale, but the city's cultural department declined to purchase it. Beuys lived and worked there from 1961 until his death in 1986, using the space as both a residence and studio. The article recounts the intimate details of family life there, including how Beuys painted the main room white for his wife Eva's photography, and how the family navigated the blend of private life and artistic practice. Two years later, the Brunhilde Moll Foundation acquired the house and opened it to the public, though it was closed for renovations when the author returned. The house now displays about sixty works from Beuys's creative period and will host artist residencies and events.

San Francisco’s Vaillancourt Fountain Catches Fire During Controversial Removal

San Francisco's Vaillancourt Fountain, a Brutalist concrete structure at Embarcadero Plaza since 1971, caught fire on Wednesday morning as workers used blow torches to disassemble it. The fire ignited rubber tubing and debris inside the sculpture's cantilevered arms, producing smoke that forced the temporary evacuation of nearby paddle board courts. The fountain is being removed to make way for a $32.5 million redevelopment of the plaza and playground into a five-acre park.

Featured Artists & Exhibitions

Relévant Galleries in Vail, Colorado, is hosting a series of artist meet-and-greet events and exhibitions throughout July 2025, featuring works by renowned photographer David Yarrow, jeweler Dan Telleen, and painter Sarah Winkler, among others. The gallery also highlights its other locations in Scottsdale, Park City, and Denver, while C. Anthony Gallery in Beaver Creek and Vail International Gallery present concurrent shows with artists like Britten and Sarah Winkler.

Environmental painter Janice Kasper to speak at 'Bartlett Art Talk' series

Maine-based environmental painter Janice Kasper will headline the first 'Bartlett Art Talk' of the 2026 season on April 22 at the Bartlett Woods Retirement Community. The event coincides with the exhibition "Chickadees, Alligators, and Stonehenge," which showcases Kasper’s dramatic oil paintings alongside works by Cicely Aikman and Dirk McDonnell. Kasper’s practice focuses on the tension between human technology and the preservation of wildlife and natural landscapes.

In upcoming thesis exhibition, Bates senior studio art students each have a seat At the Table

Eleven graduating studio art and visual culture students at Bates College are preparing to debut their year-long thesis projects in the professional exhibition "At the Table." Opening April 17 at the Bates Museum of Art, the show features a diverse range of media including charcoal drawing, photography, and sculpture. The students have spent two semesters transitioning from theoretical research and material exploration to the physical production and professional framing of their works under the guidance of faculty and museum staff.

Cannabis Art Exhibition Comes to Fort Collins

A traveling art exhibition called Hear/Say, part of the Tea on THC campaign, will open May 27 at the Center for Creativity in Fort Collins, Colorado, and run through May 31. The exhibition combines scientific research with visual art—including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and installation—to spark public conversations about the health impacts of high-potency cannabis. It is organized by the Colorado School of Public Health and Initium Health following Colorado House Bill 1317, which mandated research and public outreach on high-potency THC products. A free opening reception is scheduled for May 29, with additional events planned in Colorado Springs in June.

Gadsden Arts Artist’s Guild On display through June 16, 2026

The Gadsden Arts Center & Museum in Quincy, Florida, is hosting its second Artists Guild exhibition of 2026. Running through June 16, the showcase features a diverse range of works by over thirty local artists, including John R. Isaacs, Jan Austin-Hicken, and Erika Zambello. The exhibition is staged across the museum’s Bates Community Room and Bates Gallery, offering a platform for regional talent to display their latest creative output.

Art exhibit shines light on Black voices, 100 years of Black History Month

An art exhibition titled "Reclaiming the Canvas: 100 Years of Black History Month" was held at the Zhou B Arts Center near 18th and Vine in Kansas City, curated by Roi Wall. The show featured Black artists including Daisha Maria Breona, Xavier Gayden, Feliz Kehinde, and Aisha Imani Sanaa, who presented works exploring themes of identity, heritage, resilience, and joy, with minimal creative constraints.

South Lafourche artist's work featured in Kotex documentary

Akira Crosby, an artist from Cut Off, Louisiana, had her painting removed from a Houma art gallery in 2024 because it depicted menstrual blood as part of her feminist exhibit “Pieces of Me.” Months later, Kotex featured the same artwork in a documentary, bringing unexpected national attention to her work.

Edinburgh independent arts festival announces open call for artists

Edinburgh's Hidden Door, an annual independent multi-arts festival, has announced an open call for visual artists to submit work for its 2026 edition, running from June 3 to June 7. The festival, which is volunteer-run, received transformative multi-year funding from Creative Scotland through 2027, enabling it to pay artists fairly and expand its ambitions. Artists based in Scotland or with a meaningful connection to the country are invited to apply by January 11, with themes including 'Out-of-Place Objects,' 'Stone Tape Theory,' and 'Myth of a Building.' The venue for 2026 remains secret, with the full program to be announced later.