"Home", oil on canvas, 16" x 16"
"Good Artists Copy. Great Artists Steal."
(Pablo Picasso)
Picasso seems to imply that nothing is original, and maybe that is true. I often draw my inspirations and ideas from multiple sources, making nothing truly my own, even if the combination of ideas comes from only me. I am okay with this thought, because I feel obligated to respect the artists and work that came before me that lent opportunity to not only create work but allow me to see it a certain way.
My go-to inspiration are the Impressionists; the way they lived their lives, created work, and overall banded together to create such a movement that would forever change the way we see everyday life of their time. I discovered more about my beloved impressionists yesterday, by getting lost in a book on the subject at Barnes & Noble, and before I knew it I was 100 pages in. (I did feel a little guilty about this, since I did not intend to buy the book, so justified my stolen knowledge by purchasing a cheap paperback on Julia Child, another major inspiration and a subject for another post). I became so caught up in the vivid palette and work ethics of Mary Cassatt (if you are not familiar with this famed artist, go look her up. She's my re-discovered hero. Fabulous painter, considered a true impressionist, and on top of that a WOMAN, something that until not too long ago was considered very taboo) that I immediately went home locked myself in my studio, and painted whatever canvas I had available. The above painting, a gorgeous turning peach, is one result of such a powerful inspiration.
"Home" is currently available at The Gallery @ Lime Tree in Decatur, GA.
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