Inspiration: British Portrait Artists of the Early 20th Century

Ambrose McEvoy

Augustus John

 I have been taking a lot of inspiration from the portraits of Ambrose McEvoy and Augustus John lately, mainly from their colour palettes and open, sketchy brush work. It always impresses me when a painting can so vividly capture the personality of both the subject and the artist, and conjure up a story in my mind. I particularly love Augustus John's painting of his son Robin (above, left), it is a very intimate and honest portrait and feels more like a snapshot than a painting.

"Robin’s consciousness of being scrutinised by his father could be interpreted as betraying resentment or unease. The two had a difficult relationship. Robin’s silences often infuriated John, who declared his son ‘hardly utters a word and radiates hostility’." 

Tate

I have been collecting inspiring photos and paintings of people in the hope that I can once again pick up and polish my own portraiture skills - it is something I loved to explore before I started University but since then it has taken a bit of a back seat. 
Take a look at some of my inspiration here and here.

Inspiration: Artists in Black & White

Mark Rothko

Certain periods of time really captivate and intrigue me and these black and white photographs of artists conjure up that exciting period of Abstract Expressionism in Post-War America that I love. I find these images so inspiring and emotive and when I look at them I can feel the energy and passion of this revolutionary artwork, and wonder what it would have been like to be there.

 

Helen Frankenthaler

Jackson Pollock

Joan Mitchell

Ellsworth Kelly & Willem de Kooning

FMP: Artist Inspiration

This weekend, I've been in need of a little extra motivation to progress my project further, so have been looking to my favourite artists to inspire me. I have been pairing paintings with my own photographs of Cannock Chase to suggest how the colours and textures of nature can be translated into paint. I hope you enjoy this little insight into my thought processes!

Ivon Hitchens, ‘Damp Autumn’ 1941

Helen Frankenthaler, 'A Green Thought in a Green Shade' 1981

Peter Lanyon, 'Coast' 1953

Cy Twombly, ‘Quattro Stagioni: Estate’ 1993-5

Paul Feiler, 'Morvah' 1958

If you would like to see more of the artists that have been inspiring me then take a look at my FMP Pinterest board. 

Thanks for reading!

Inspiration: Cy Twombly

After almost 5 years as a full time art student, I have discovered the importance of staying constantly inspired in order to keep being creative. This inspiration can come from a number of places, whether it's my walk to university, an influential artist or a friends sketchbook, I'm always on the lookout for inspiration in everyday life. One of the many artists who has influenced my work is the American painter Cy Twombly (1928-2011). 

Hero and Leander (To Christopher Marlowe), 1985. / Oil paint and oil based house paint on canvas, Cy Twombly.

I'm a big believer in seeing artwork in real life to fully appreciate it and one of my favourite things to do is visit museums and galleries. I've been lucky enough to see Cy Twombly's paintings in galleries a couple of times, the last time was at the Tate Modern and the atmosphere that the paintings created was particularly memorable. 

Untitled I, 2005 (Bacchus). / Acrylic on canvas, Cy Twombly.

It had been a busy day, the Tate was packed with tourists checking famous artists of their bucket lists and I was feeling irritable, tired and overwhelmed. When I came into the room exhibiting Twombly's "Bacchus" paintings I felt instantly calmer. The room was light and bright with the three bold red paintings, at least twice my height, filling the walls with their expressive brush strokes.

Untitled 1972. / Oil based house paint, wax crayon and lead pencil on canvas, Cy Twombly.

That day I could really appreciate the energy and feeling that went into creating the paintings, as well as their ability to transform a space and create a unique feeling or mood. I came away feeling excited and inspired, with a renewed sense of determination to carry on developing and pushing my own paintings further. This is, for me, one of the best examples of the importance of seeing artwork in real life in order to stay inspired.

Cy Twombly, ‘Quattro Stagioni: Inverno’ 1993-5       Cy Twombly, ‘Quattro Stagioni: Estate’ 1993-5

I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my influences and inspirations, as well as seeing some of Cy Twombly's beautiful paintings. If you'd like to see more of Twombly's work then check out these websites:
http://www.cytwombly.info/
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/cy-twombly-2079
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/jul/06/cy-twombly-obituary
http://www.pinterest.com/joneslucy/final-project-one/

I will be back soon to share some more of my inspirations and work in progress. In the mean time I would love to know what inspires you, artists, designers, people, places... Feel free to share some of them in the comments!