I've made it past the half mark- Day 6!
By Artists I'm not exactly sure what I mean, as I've stuck on including Painters and Photographers. A picture tells a story. A pictures says more than words. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Seeing life through someone else's eyes is always inspiring.
By Artists I'm not exactly sure what I mean, as I've stuck on including Painters and Photographers. A picture tells a story. A pictures says more than words. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Seeing life through someone else's eyes is always inspiring.
An artist is sensitive.
1. Jackson Pollock
It shames me to confess that I always think of Ed Harris when I hear/see Pollock. I was 12 or 13 when I watched that movie and it just stuck with me- both Harris' performance and Pollock's style. His style is the kind of style I would, I confess, normally "laugh" at and call out. "My cat could paint this!"- most modern paintings encourage me to say this. But Pollock's is different- it's messy, yes. It's chaotic. It's passionate. It's angry. It's a little on the sad side.
I've had this recent fantasy of painting a room in my house a-la-Pollock. Just dripping the walls...
2. Edward Hopper
What strikes me most about Hopper is his use of colours and shadows. I feel like stepping inside his paintings- an America I can only live through others' experiences. He sets up situations seemlessly, characters are present without actually appearing on the canvas.
I'm not the only one who sees this; it's said one of Hopper's paintings inspired Hitchcock's Bates house.
3. Richard Avedon
Fashion has never looked so good.
Along with Bob Willoughby [some of my favourite Audrey Hepburn photos are his!], he's one of my favourite celebrity photographer of the 50's (and onwards). The lines in the picture above, for example. She's like the Eiffel Tower! His portraits are intimate- delving right into his subject's life.
There's a thing or two I need to learn from this man.
4. Vincent Van Gogh
"Kirk Douglas. Van Gogh. Ear."
I think my liking to paintings can be deduced to use of COLOUR. And brush strokes. Together, with the right landscape/subject, it is magical.
I'd like to sit under a cypress on a starry night or breezy afternoon, perhaps have my portrait done by the man himself...
5. Henri Cartier-Bresson
“The difference between a good picture and a mediocre picture is a question of millimeters; a small difference, but it’s essential.”
Black & White photographs are taken to a whole different level when it comes to Bresson. His are unique moments captured in time.
His process, from picture taking to developing, was clean, organic. That's something to admire in a day and age of photoshop.
6. Theophile Steinlen
If you draw cats I'm bound to love what you do. I mean, this guy put cats on the map. Commercially speaking. So what's not to like about him. One of his most famous posters is 'La Tournee du Chat Noir', which I'm sure you've come across before. Catvertising seems to date back to the 1800's.
7. Dorothea Lange
I think having been a woman photographer in her days must've been quite a feat. And to be fully recognized... Travel around America in the Great depression. This woman had guts. And a wonderful eye!
8. Andy Warhol
He's Warhol. Period.
This guy predicted the future. Need I say more?
(Heroin is my favourite song off the album)
9. George Seurat
'Sunday in the Park'- quite possibly one of my favourite paintings (though not so fond of the Sondheim musical) mostly because of the pointillism. I quote Cher: "From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess." Ah, but what a beaut! I know nothing really about painting, but I feel this kind of colour "mixture"/brush stroke has got to be premeditated, calculated. Otherwise it would be a agglomeration of colours (and, perhaps, a nasty ol' brown!).
I know we all pull of a 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' painting interaction...
10. Annie Leibovitz
Another female photographer (and let's not forget Ellen Von Unwerth!).
Subdued glamour. Regality. Lavish or bare sets (and subjects). The colours she captures are all over the map- there's warmth in the cool colours, and viceversa. Textures are vibrant. She freakin' brought Disney princesses to life!
What museum have you gone to recently? What painting/picture blew you away?
What are your favourites?
Interesting collection of artists! Edward Hopper definitely makes my list too! His paintings express loneliness yet take you in instantly! I saw his exhibition at the Tate the summer before moving to London - AMAZING!
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