Inspirations

Am I ever glad I didn’t follow through on that boat trip down the Danube to a Christmas market a few hours away – it’s cold and very rainy today, and I’m totally in hermit-mode.   I’m therefore spending time online reconnecting to art that has inspired me on my life’s journey. This latest project started when I asked two of the teachers from our Intensive, Vera & Kuba, if they would provide private tutoring for a few days at their country home during my Christmas break so that I could focus more on my drawing skills, and more particularly on applying what I know into stylizing figures.  You see, I’d like to find my own unique way of incorporating people and other real objects in my art in a non-realistic manner.  To do this, I still need to learn more about anatomy and dimension, but there may be more I can do, and I’m looking forward to finding out. In preparation for our tutorial, Vera asked me to show her some images of what I like – and here’s some of what I found.

I don’t have a great memory for names, but thanks to my Google searching skills and a lot of patience, I’ve reconnected to these artists’ work (they all incorporate figures in unique ways).

1 – Gustav Klimt:

You already know that I like this Viennese artist’s work and the way he blends 2-D and 3-D together.  You can find more images at:

2- Maxine Noel:

This Canadian First Nations artist’s work is so very recognizable – beautiful, simple, and spiritual. My parents gave me one of her greeting cards (image top left)  years ago and it traveled with me for a long time (a rare thing with my penchant for de-cluttering).   I love her use of curvy lines and colours as well as the unique way she creates her faces.  You can see more of her work at: http://www.sa-cinn.com/maxine_noel.htm

This is the one I had on a greeting card

3 – Rassouli

A fellow art student in Saskatoon showed me this spiritual artist’s work, knowing I would like it.  Seeing Rassouli’s work reinforced that wanting in me to incorporate human figures in my abstract landscapes. It also showed me how important it is to understand dimension and light and shadow, even if I wasn’t interested in painting reality as I see it with my eyes. You can learn more about this artist at: http://www.rassouli.com/ and www.avatarfinearts.com/ .

4- Alphonse Mucha

When I lived in the Czech Republic in the early 90s, I was re-acquainted with the work of Alphonse Mucha – most particularly his art deco posters.  I’m not sure where I had seen it before, but I remember my surprise at having known of a Czech artist before living there.  You can see more of his work on the Mucha Foundation website.

5- Janet Williams

I met this artist in Saskatoon when I was living there (2006-2011).  Seeing her booth at the Fringe Festival always lifted my spirits.  It’s such happy art – the colours, movement, simplicity…  Two of her fridge magnets are here with me now as reminders of my goal to find my own unique style of human figures.  Once again, I’d recognize her art anywhere.  I like that.  You can see more of her work at: http://www.janetwilliamsart.ca/

6- Flora Bowley

I have known of this artist’s work for less than a year. I’ve since taken her 5 week e-course, regularly enjoy her blog, and am looking forward to her Bali retreat in April.  What I like about her intuitive work is her use of colour and the integration of birds and other figures in her own unique way.  What I like even more is her way of being: living, teaching, exploring, business success, etc.  She’s truly an inspiration.  You can learn more at braveintuitiveyou.com

I’m sure there are many more who have inspired me, past, present, and future. For example, while looking for images in Google, I was very taken by this painting of a foal by Bob Coonts, someone I had never heard of, as well as a lot of the simple stylized line tattoo work.  If I spent more time looking at others’ work, I’m sure I would find zillions more that I like – but this gives us all a good idea of the style of figure I’d like to incorporate into my current style.  One thing I know is that I need to draw and paint more on my own in order to develop this – something I haven’t done at all this weekend.  I’m starting to miss having my well-stocked acrylic painting studio at hand.  It’s like I’ve put my usual work aside for the time being to learn what I’m learning.  It’s not a good or bad thing – it just is and I’m noticing that.  I’m just feeling in sync with the weather outside and watching the clouds going through my sky.  All is well.