Super 8 August Artists' Birthdays: John Sloan, George Luks and George Wesley Bellows

In 1908, a group of artists known as The Eight had an exhibit at the Macbeth Gallery in New York. They wanted to bring a more vivid realism to art and have it reflect truer views of society, and their works depicted street scenes, saloon interiors, glimpses of tenements and rooftops, and portraits of everyday people going about their lives. They were received with both praise and contempt, but their influence undeniably shifted the focus of American art. They originally started as the Philadelphia Five, four of them visual reporters for newspapers in Philadelphia, while their fifth member was the dynamic Robert Henri, who essentially galvanized the others and encouraged them to use their professional skills in a more aesthetic and enduring manner.

The Philadelphia Five eventually became The Eight, and in August, Eight members John Sloan (August 2) and George Luks (August 13) once celebrated birthdays, along with Eight follower and Robert Henri student, George Wesley Bellows (August 12). An exhibit of The Eight’s art and impact is presently at the Milwaukee Art Museum, wrapping things up this weekend if you happen to be in the area and can take in this fascinating show.

"Though a living cannot be made at art, art makes life worth living." ** John French Sloan (August 2, 1871 - September 7, 1951)