Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed (and a Touch of Blue)
It is said that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). This is especially evident in the art world. Works of older artists are reproduced and adapted by new talent, the techniques of the masters are used to teach upcoming generations, artists borrow from one another, and so on across time. One of my latest pursuits is studying famed painter, Claude Monet, to learn from his methods. The way he uses the movement of colors to create a sense of stillness has inspired generations of artists, and I am no exception. I find his lilies particularly lovely.
Considering my recent focus on Monet's water lilies, when I happened across a photograph of similar lilies by photographer Vince Burke I felt immediately drawn to it. I was enraptured by the grace of his picture and could not resist painting it. As soon as I arrived home I pulled out an 8 x 8 canvas and got to work, lingering late into the night.
Waking up the next morning I could barely contain my excitement as I poured myself a cup of coffee and raced back out to the studio. To add the finishing touches I implemented a classic Monet technique of swirling the brush in a small oval, except I flipped the brush around and used the curved surface of the handle. I continued making adjustments for about an hour until I stepped back, and the realization hit me that the piece was finished.
Eventually it occurred to me that I should tell Vince how much I enjoyed his photograph, and retroactively (oops) ask permission to paint the lilies! Kind soul that he is, Vince replied by saying he was honored.
I love the way artists' works can light a creative fire in one another, and that this can become a celebration which brings together the old and the new. In my case, two sources aligned to spark my own vision. Each of us united, briefly, in expressing our joy and appreciation for a beautiful gift from the natural world- the water lily.
-Story in collaboration with writer Chelsea Gordon
