WHAT INSPIRES ME: IN HONOR OF ARTIST APPRECIATION MONTH

Recently, I was reminded by the folks at Patience Brewster about Artist Appreciation Month. The idea of Artist Appreciation Month is to talk about what inspires one about being an artist. If you have not had the ultimate creative inspirational experience with Patience Brewster you must follow the link attached to her name above to see her wonderfully whimsical creatures!
The Christmas Ornaments are INCREDIBLY inspirational!

 We shop at our local nursery, which also has a wonderful gift shop in which Patience Brewster's ornaments have a whole section.  She has inspired me in her whimsy and color for a long time.

 A personal favorite I think I'm going to have to own!

When I think about who has inspired me over my career several come to mind immediately.  My elementary art teacher, Mrs. Kanazee was the first.  She was kind of wild and whimsical (seems to be a theme word today), which attracted me from the beginning!  I loved her creative spirit, and the love of art was BORN!

I have ALWAYS been inspired by nature; trees and shapes and colors, so I suppose God was the great artist that began my search for HOW I would translate my love of these things into art. I have, since a girl, loved to look closely and touch and admire all things nature...aspen trees seem to be a special inspiration for me...just look at their nicks and marks that show how strong they are and what they have come through to live and STILL they are beautiful!

 Acorns are also a special love...simple, but so beautiful!

 

Inspiration comes in many ways and places...we just have to look!  

Animals are a special love of mine, which really cemented my love of color.  My 101 Pet Portraits in 101 Days in fauvist color was a big inspiration for me to get back to my love of color instead of always feeling like I had to depict things in their local (natural) color.

 Grant Wood was the first artist, artist that caught my attention. Not for his most famous works like the fun American Gothic, but his landscapes!  I loved the simple shapes and aerial perspective!  I was in LOVE...that set me on a path of simplification that I still work on to this day! lol

I have a friend who is a wonderful abstract artist; Carol Nelson.  Carol is a fellow experimenter.  I have known Carol for many years and have been inspired by her love of experimenting and her end results for all the time I've known her. She travels extensively, conducting workshops that help others to learn to love experimental work.  She is a generous artist and teacher, giving of her secrets and allowing others to grow as artists in their own right.  It is for her love of experimenting that I am inspired by Carol Nelson!

 

Carol's rock like abstracts actually inspired me to try my hand at it as we have wonderful rock walls near our property...THIS is why I don't mind sharing my secrets and processes with others like is Carol's, as look at the difference! LOL

Most recently I have been tremendously inspired by my artist friend Susan Schmitt.  Susan is an illustrator and a beautiful fine artist as well.  I am inspired by Susan's latest works which depect older women wearing artistic quilts. I am not only inspired by the color and pattern and subject matter, but most specifically by the STORY behind her quilted ladies.  It goes back to her family, and for that story telling she inspires me in my own work. 

SO, for me, for MY particular journey as an artist The CREATIVE spirit of my first teacher, the WHIMSY in many artists like Patience Brewster, the COLOR AND BEAUTY in nature that God gave us, the EXPERIMENTAL and BEAUTIFUL results that are the nature of Carol Nelson, and the BEAUTIFUL  PATTERN and STORY behind her work as reflected by Susan Schmitt are things that inspire me as an artist to keep on growing and finding my own true path.

Since it IS Artist Appreciation month, perhaps take a few moments to reflect on what and who inspires you.  It is an excellent tool to find that path you will want to travel as an artist in your own right!

Thanks to Patience Brewster for the reminder,  it was a great exercise that helps to keep me on my chosen path!

HAPPY CREATING!!