This is a subject far too vast for a simple blog post, however, I will try to curtail it as simply as I can. I love many different artists from many different eras and all for different reasons. Since I paint many different genres, I have favorite artists for each.
I saw an image of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in a book when I was very young. It seemed to strike a chord deep within me. It contains many of the elements of art the I try to capture in my work today; Detail, color, flow, storyline, intrigue, danger, joy and wonderment…just to name a few. So, I would have to say that the architect and sculptor, also known for one of the most famous statues in the world is also one of my favorite artists of all time. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni – Born in the 15th Century. I love his attention and care when painting people and their expressions. His color schemes have a perfection of contrast that I try to strive for. That perfect balance of light and dark make for the most dramatic affect. His ability to show both joy and despair through form and movement is amazing. Yes, I love this work. I can’t say that I am equally impressed with his other paintings.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder was a painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and peasant scenes. He was a Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painter of the 16th Century. You only have to look at his work to know why he is one of my favorites. His busy town scenes are mesmerizing. So many people doing so many different things. From the seemingly innocent to the most wicked. Two of my favorites from his collection are: the Netherlandish Proverbs (1559) and Children’s Games (1560). As in all of his work, these two, for me, are fascinating to look at. His sensitivity to color and hue are uniquely on show. His use of contrast from light to dark add to the movement of the work a kind of sensual rhythm. These two works in particular, despite the superficial gaiety, are allegorical in their symbolism of the foolhardy frivolity of a sinful world.
Alfons Maria Mucha, known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, a Czech painter, illustrator, and graphic artist of the 19th and 20th Century is another of my favorites. He is widely known for his distinctly stylized and decorative theatrical posters and paintings, particularly those of Sarah Bernhardt. I don’t generally go in for pastels, however, I find that I enjoy the softness of his color schemes and the detail of his work. But I especially love the way he paints women. He seems to take the utmost care to make every curve prominently visible. He was one of the icons of the Art Nouveau period and is still wildly popular today.
When I first saw this man’s street scenes, I collected every one of them. Thomas Pradzynski was a Polish 20th Century painter born in 1951. Though his master’s degree was in sociology and economics, he is more widely known for his realistic if not romanticized Parisian street scenes. If you know my style, you can see why he is one of my favs. His street scenes are rich in color and contrast but moreover, they have that gritty lived in look. Clean but not too pristine. I also like his use of vintage posters and broadsides of the ephemera of the day. He admits that his pieces are largely his romanticized view of Paris. So, if you travel to Paris, as I did, and look for these archways, you probably won’t find many of them. His work has depth and character. I like looking in the windows and through the gates and archways.
Some of my favorite contemporary artists include Jack Vettriano, Itzchak Tarkay, Karen Hale, and so many others; too many to name. Perhaps I will cover more of them at another time.