Bezalel National Museum
Written By: Karl Katz
Louise (McClure) Schatz grew up in San Francisco, California, a fifth generation Californian. She was graduated with a Master’s degree (M.A.) in Art from the University of California. Margaret Peterson was once an art teacher of hers, as was the Japanese painter Obata. In her native state, Louise Schatz was an active exhibiter, showing not only watercolors but works in oil and other creative mediums. As a member of the "California Seven” group, her art traveled throughout the United States. Louise Schatz arrived in Israel in 1950. Since that time she has participated with honor in group exhibitions and her works are now represented in the permanent collections of the Bezalel, Tel Aviv and Haifa Museums, and in fine private collections. Although Louise Schatz works mainly in watercolors, she has excelled in other art forms as well. She received a silver medal at the 10th Triennale in Milan. She has designed and painted large murals and is presently working on one for the newest Israeli luxury liner. Some of her hand-crafts have been seen in exhibitions in this country and abroad. Together with her husband Bezalel and her sister-in-law Zahara, she is a member of the "YAAD” group which is responsible for important commercial crafts created in this country.
The watercolors on exhibit have a unity greater than that which results from the fact that they are painted by the same artist. Each of these works has the extraordinary ability of evoking from every viewer the exciting sensation which is rare and sparingly ours — the perception of unadulterated beauty.
There is a brief sensory moment which in its preciousness is much more: when we experience a pure pleasure — a flower’s fragrance momentarily materializes and swiftly vanishes while we sit in a speeding car. Birds, towers, flowers, and walls, ruins and waves are seen by this artist in just such a way. Unburdened by complicated externals but in part preserving the charm of detail for its own sake, Louise Schatz draws beauty from simplicity. Sure lines, sharp echoes and subtle overtones, nothing more than enough and in fact a bit less (beauty becomes through suggestions and not over-statements since it is the imagination which makes our response to beauty — perfect).
This artist is keenly aware of nature. Her birds have flown and her flowers grown. Each stroke of her color-laden brush reveals this intimate knowledge. These natural and spontaneous glimpses of beauty are combined with the artist’s superior technical ability. Her sureness in thoughtfully placing decisive thrusts of tone and her controlled excitement using textures, contrived accidents and elaborate washes create works which are personal statements of great artistic merit.
Bezalel National Museum
Written By: Karl Katz
Louise (McClure) Schatz grew up in San Francisco, California, a fifth generation Californian. She was graduated with a Master’s degree (M.A.) in Art from the University of California. Margaret Peterson was once an art teacher of hers, as was the Japanese painter Obata. In her native state, Louise Schatz was an active exhibiter, showing not only watercolors but works in oil and other creative mediums. As a member of the "California Seven” group, her art traveled throughout the United States. Louise Schatz arrived in Israel in 1950. Since that time she has participated with honor in group exhibitions and her works are now represented in the permanent collections of the Bezalel, Tel Aviv and Haifa Museums, and in fine private collections. Although Louise Schatz works mainly in watercolors, she has excelled in other art forms as well. She received a silver medal at the 10th Triennale in Milan. She has designed and painted large murals and is presently working on one for the newest Israeli luxury liner. Some of her hand-crafts have been seen in exhibitions in this country and abroad. Together with her husband Bezalel and her sister-in-law Zahara, she is a member of the "YAAD” group which is responsible for important commercial crafts created in this country.
The watercolors on exhibit have a unity greater than that which results from the fact that they are painted by the same artist. Each of these works has the extraordinary ability of evoking from every viewer the exciting sensation which is rare and sparingly ours — the perception of unadulterated beauty.
There is a brief sensory moment which in its preciousness is much more: when we experience a pure pleasure — a flower’s fragrance momentarily materializes and swiftly vanishes while we sit in a speeding car. Birds, towers, flowers, and walls, ruins and waves are seen by this artist in just such a way. Unburdened by complicated externals but in part preserving the charm of detail for its own sake, Louise Schatz draws beauty from simplicity. Sure lines, sharp echoes and subtle overtones, nothing more than enough and in fact a bit less (beauty becomes through suggestions and not over-statements since it is the imagination which makes our response to beauty — perfect).
This artist is keenly aware of nature. Her birds have flown and her flowers grown. Each stroke of her color-laden brush reveals this intimate knowledge. These natural and spontaneous glimpses of beauty are combined with the artist’s superior technical ability. Her sureness in thoughtfully placing decisive thrusts of tone and her controlled excitement using textures, contrived accidents and elaborate washes create works which are personal statements of great artistic merit.