Albert Bierstadt

Albert Bierstadt, Western Kansas

Shin Hanga

 Kawase Hasui, Moon at Magome

I was lucky a few years ago to catch an exhibition of Shin Hanga (new prints). Honestly, I didn't know too much about them going in. I left the Sackler amazed, wowed.... in love. As a child of nature, I immediately recognized that the artists were in tune with the earth. The light, the trees, the water.  Don't get me started on the color.

 Kawase Hasui, Morning at Beppu

The artists were absolute masters with light, and very perceptive of how the light affects the subjects.


Here is a great series of prints of the same subject, but showing how manipulating color can affect the mood and time of day. Click next to see the next prints.

My favorite artist is Kawase Hasui. His pieces are on this post. I could very easily look at them for days at a time.  You can check out a lot of his work here.

Joan Mitchell

Joan Mitchell (I'm not sure which painting this is)

Joan Mitchell was an Abstract Expressionist.

Abstract Expressionism has an "emphasis on spontaneous, automatic or subconscious creation."

Her paintings are expansive, often covering two separate panels. Landscape was the primary influence on her subject matter. She painted on unprimed canvas or white ground with gestural, sometimes violent brushwork. Her paintings are highly expressive and emotional.

I like this video of her, and her answers to the questions.. painting is painting.. nothing more, nothing less.

Sigalit Landau

I don't remember where or when I first saw this, but it is an image that has stayed with me. It's just so beautiful.


There are snippets of her work here.

Blah to Golden in 20 seconds flat

HMCraig, Clementines and Blue, 40x60", acrylic on canvas

So, I'm sitting here with a bit of a nagging headache. I don't even have any music/tv on because the quiet feels soooo goood.   I'm trying to be productive, but failing miserably... all in all, not a gold star day.

Until..
I read a comment about one of my Flickr uploads (the above painting, Clementines and Blue)

Karla Murray  (click on the link and see how talented SHE is)wrote:

"Ok... I'm a fan. Your work is way cool. I once met Janet Fish at an art exhibit in the fine arts center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have NEVER seen anyone else who compares to her except YOU. I hope you've got art dealers lined up around the block to get your work. You're that good!"

I swear on my dog's life that no money changed hands for this!

And now I am having a gold star day. ;)
Where's the ice cream?

Elizabeth Heil Alke

Elizabeth Heil Alke, Floral Still Life

I found this painting done by Elizabeth Heil Alke while rambling around the internet. Internet rambling is one of my favorite things to do, so much to see...

more after the jump

Dominic Casserly

Photos by Dominic Casserly

I actually owe a lot to the incredibly talented and inspiring photographer, Dominic Casserly. We used to work together, and while I was focusing on a regular 9-5 job (ahhh, the American Dream) and putting my art on a back burner, Dominic was drawing inspiration from his life and travels and putting those experiences on canvas and paper. 

 photo by Dominic Casserly

Dom has  ridden his bicycle across the United States twice. He has traveled to Costa Rica to film sloths at a special sanctuary. After Katrina, he hustled down to New Orleans and helped with clean up. His photos reflect his sense of adventure, appreciation of nature, and the human experience.

Dominic had a solo show that I attended, and it was there that I realized  I was essentially wasting away.... His photos and paintings of his travels, experiences, and views on life pretty much nudged me to experience my life more and express myself with paint. It also helped that his paintings were pretty large, I realized what an impact size could play in presentation.

photos by Dominic Casserly

From his website, Domathon.com :

"Photographer Dominic Casserly, from Holliston Massachusetts, uses his artistic vision and multi-media presentations to show people they can live their dreams. Dominic brings together his photography, video, and web presentations with an outgoing personality to showcase that an adventurous and outdoor lifestyle is fully possible in this day and age".


His work has been featured in Men's Journal, Boston.com, WBCN; and in lectures at Harvard, Boston University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Massachusetts College of Art.

Here's to Dominic, he who shows us all that we can dare to live out our dreams. Thank you Dom!!

And to my readers... what is it that you have been thinking about doing, but haven't yet? What is stopping you?

Louis Comfort Tiffany

 

photo by peterjr1961 on flickr

I remember going to the Corning Museum of Glass when I was in elementary school. We watched glassblowers. We saw contemporary glass objects. I think that sparked my fascination with glass. When I was in college, I started to use glass objects that I had found at yard sales in my paintings.  I took a class on how to create stained glass objects (I am not at all very good at it, but still have an interest).

A lot of people are familiar with Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studios for good reason. The  pieces are comprised of beautifully colored art nouveau designs that drew inspiration from nature.  Landscapes, flowers, insects, and religious scenes are all regular subjects. Before Tiffany, who would have really thought that insects such as dragonflies were appropriate motifs for household items? 

Influences -Wayne Thiebaud

 

Around The Cake, oil on canvas, 22x28 inches (click picture to see the sculptural icing)

I was introduced to the work of Wayne Thiebaud when I was in college. I immediately liked his simple shapes that were enhanced with such beautiful real texture, pattern, and saturated colors. I think it also helped that a lot of his works are paintings of desserts!

 

Cakes, oil on canvas, 60"x72"

Wayne's landscapes are gorgeous too, for all of the same reasons I liked the desserts paintings. While the dessert paintings conform to common perspective, the landscape paintings tend to show off Thiebaud's talent for turning the world into Gumby-like surfaces that bend and dive.

 

San Francisco West Side Ridge

Influences

 

William Wendt, Hills in Springtime, 20x36, oil on canvas

It's pretty hard not to be influenced by William Wendt's beautiful paintings.

http://www.williamwendt.com/

http://www.californiapaintings.com/Artists.aspx 

 

Influences

The Pool by Tom Thomson

What/Who inspires me?


Emily Carr
Group of Seven
Barbara Washburn
Karen Kay Buckley's Quilts
Lance Armstrong
Tryst
Dean Karnazes

Influences (teachers edition)

Gorgeous jewelry design by Linda Moughemer


Teachers that made a lasting impact on me (in chronological order and with very brief description)

Mrs. Black-Elementary school art teacher. Art class was by far my favorite class. Scented markers, paste, glitter, paint, tissue paper....happiness.

Mrs. Schroeder-2nd grade teacher who helped my family out by getting me into (I believe with help from Mrs. Black) and taking me to Art Farm. Art Farm was a summer day camp where we made everything from ceramics to batik to watercolors of the farm surroundings.

Mr. Smith-5th grade teacher who allowed me to learn how the black room (photography) worked. He also advocated healthy eating (more veggies, less ice cream), and taught us about human rights by showing us the civil rights documentary, Eyes on the Prize. I think I partially owe my vegetarianism and any athletic events I have participated in in my adult life to him.

Mrs. Westervelt- 6-8th grade physical education teacher who was always bright and cheerful, but she still commanded respect. She was always nice to everyone, and she encouraged my artistic endeavors, even in gym class.

Mrs. Payne- American History teacher who encouraged me to be creative with her timeline projects. The timeline project was just that, a simple timeline showing events. I decided to take a cue from the school's stained glass windows, and proceeded to emulate stained glass with watercolor and ink. This was great fun for me, but apparently not so great for the classes that followed me (my brother hated doing timeline projects because the bar had been raised).

Linda Moughemer- Art teacher extraordinaire. She expected more of us. Her vocabulary was immense, and her eloquence often confused us (she would tell us to look words up that we didn't understand). She lives and breathes art, and is a talented jewelry designer. Linda was responsible for me getting into NYSSSA. I think that she was instrumental in getting me out of my shell and out into the world. She was aways dressed like a lady, and has the most beautiful silver hair.
ljmjewelryartist.com

Fran- Figure drawing Professor at Munson Williams Proctor Institute. While learning about the elegance and immediacy of gesture drawing, Fran also taught us to have a sense of humor and a thick skin concerning our art. Students taking their art too seriously and sensitive to anything but positive criticism were weeded out in that class.

Greg Lawler- My 2d design, painting 1&2 Professor at Munson Williams Proctor Institute. I had been learning to paint in a very controlled manner, brushwork being somewhat precise. Greg stopped by my easel, and at that time, the blue green paint ran down the canvas, and I started freaking out.. he told me to "rejoice in the drip". I think this was my first lesson in happy accidents. "Rejoice" is named because of this incident. http://gregsportraits.blogspot.com/

Influences

I remember being in art school when a teacher would ask a student where he/she got an idea from. Sometimes the student would act offended as if the teacher were accusing them of plagiarism or even better... not being able to come up with their own concept. The truth is that we don't live in a vacuum. We should always be searching out inspiration, or even be inspired by every day things.

I have been inspired by many (but these links are only a few)..
Maud Lewis
Janet Fish
Georgia O'Keefe
Rachel Ruysch
Van Gogh
Dale Chihuly
Boston Flower and Garden Show


and music, too!