Welcome to KCU and CCPL's Virtual Summer Reading 2025 - Color Our World!
We here at Kentucky Christian University are honored to once again collaborate in this year's summer reading efforts. We will present 9 artists who best represent important artistic movements throughout modern history - artists whose cultural impact still resonates with us today. You have the opportunity to learn about these 9 figures at your own pace through various media, and you will be provided opportunities to make your own art based on their styles.
Without further ado, we present to you:
Paul Klee - Expressionist Artist, 1879-1940
Image from Wikipedia
Paul Klee was a Swiss-German artist known for his imaginative and colorful works that combined elements of different art movements, such as Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. His unique style often featured playful shapes, bold lines, and dreamlike imagery. Klee’s work explored themes like music, nature, and childhood, using simple forms to express deep emotions and ideas. Some of his most well-known paintings include Senecio, Twittering Machine, and Ad Parnassum. Klee also made important contributions to modern art through his teachings at the Bauhaus, a famous German art school that encouraged creativity and experimentation.
Paul Klee's Senecio - image from Wikipedia
Paul Klee was born on December 18, 1879, in Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland. He grew up in a musical family—his father was a music teacher, and Klee himself played the violin. Although he was talented in music, he decided to pursue a career in art. Klee studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he developed his skills and began forming his unique artistic voice. Throughout his life, he traveled to places like Italy, Tunisia, and Egypt, which inspired his use of color and abstract forms. In the 1920s, he joined the Bauhaus, where he worked alongside other important artists and helped shape the future of modern art.
Today, Paul Klee is remembered as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His work continues to inspire artists, designers, and students around the world. Klee’s ability to blend art and emotion in a simple yet powerful way helped pave the way for abstract and modern art. Museums around the world, including the Zentrum Paul Klee in Switzerland, celebrate his legacy by showcasing his work and exploring his creative ideas. Through his paintings and writings, Klee left a lasting mark on the art world that still resonates today.
Explore more about Paul Klee by visiting this website dedicated to him: https://www.paulklee.net/
*This introduction was created in collaboration with ChatGPT
