Wednesday, May 6, 2009

What artists have influenced you and how?




Lately I have been brought back to review my list of influences and artists I admire. Of course, the Cezanne and Beyond show is the obvious inspiration but I have had a list for quite a while.
I made it several years ago and I still stand by it with a few additions. It is a good way to clarify who you are, where you are, and where you want to be in your art-making. Today I look at my list and think I have a long way to go and that I am not looking at enough contemporary art. ( I will put that on my agenda.)

So, in the spirit of the interactive blogs of Pam Farrell, John Tallman and J.T. Kirkland I invite you to email your top 10-15 influences with a Jpeg of your work and I will challenge myself to figure out how to post them.

lpart@earthlink.net

My list is what inspires me in each artist's work (not in any order)
Eva Hesse: the oddness, the quirkiness, the beauty of the strange, the persona
Ree Morton: changed the way I looked and thought about sculpture

Philip Guston: the courage of his later paintings, humor, irony
Jackson Pollock: the power of the unconscious
Squeak Carnwath: use of words, stories, paint Rembrandt: lights and darks
Vermeer: the window light
Brice Marden: calligraphy is drawing, the meditative state
Matisse: the joy of color, the use of black
Rothko: emotive power of color light
Jasper Johns : intelligence
Giacometti: the isolation of his figures and mark making in his paintings
Joan Mitchell: her use of color, brushstroke, her abstract painting of nature and landscape
Amy Sillman: interesting, narrative paintings
Andy Goldsworthy: amazing use of materials, relationship to landscape and nature
Michal Revner: the real thing, image, depth, intelligence, personal yet political and her use of media (photography and video ) in a painterly way
Martin Puryear: his sculpture has it all

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Blogger.
There a few names in your list unfamiliar to me. Brice Marden is a recent addition to my list of my favs. - Your palette is pleasing and the atmosphere of your work is rich in texture.

Lissa Rankin said...

One contemporary artist influenced me hugely. Bernd Haussman because his work is always evolving and yet the thread of his vision and message is always evident. I always think of him when I'm feeling creative and want to jump off in a totally different direction. How can I still be creative and keep the thread alive?

Great question, Lisa. Shake it up and get inspired!
Lissa Rankin
www.owningpink.com

Jeane Myers said...

Hi, I just found your blog and love your work - will definitely be back!

Leslie Avon Miller said...

I like Squeak's work as well. All the depth...Thank you for your blog. I enjoy your use of color, space, marks, and line. I also enjoy reading your thoughts about art.