Monthly Archives: January 2014

Inspirational paintings.

Inspirational paintings.

What are inspirational paintings? Inspirational paintings can be those paintings which the artist feels have come from an inspirational source. They may be purely intuitive in nature or they may be intellectually designed in such a way as to elicit inspiration in the viewer. What the artist does not see as inspirational the viewer may very see as inspirational. The inspiration may be purely intellectual as in many conceptual paintings.

Some viewers may see landscapes or botanical paintings as inspirational in some way. Others may need to search a painting for inspiration. Here abstraction and surrealism may play a part in coercing the viewer into seeing or feeling the inspiration in a work.

Many of my surreal and masters works were begun by simply splashing the paint onto the canvas and hoping for an inspiration to arise through the process of painting itself. This is about as intuitive as it gets. Many of my small masters works are particularly painted in this manner. Layers of paint build up an image that is created during the actual process of painting itself.

inspirational paintings

Buds.

On a more practical level: doing the recent illustration for the magazine has inspired me to do a new series of Botanical paintings. I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet, but I’ll have to get started soon – I’m feeling the urge coming on. It is so much easier to be creative when one is inspired. Inspiration comes from excitement about a subject, image or idea. When this idea or subject starts to take on form that is when the cycle of inspiration feeding creativity feeding inspiration occurs. This is always an exciting state to be in.

Strangely, inspirational paintings can also be created when one is not inspired. At these times the artist needs to be stubborn and keep plodding along despite his state of mind. The rewards of hard work can sometimes be the most satisfying of all rewards.

American Cranberries – The Art of Eating

American Cranberries – The Art of Eating

 

I’ve been asked to do an illustration of American cranberries for an American magazine “The Art of Eating” . They loved it. Here is the illustration. The work looks great in the magazine. The money wasn’t great but it was only for a quick illustration. This is why the image is more sketchy than my usual work which can be found on the botanical paintings section of the website. The magazine is about all things food. It has recipes and articles about food sources such as the one my illustration decorated.

I would love to do more illustrations for more magazines. If you have any ideas or jobs you would like done just contact me.

I can also do portraits, commissions of all sorts or anything you think my work may be suited to. Please feel free to contact to discuss any work opportunities you may have for me.

I am a very open negotiator and am always willing to listen to the needs of the customer and make compromises as needed.

 

.American cranberries

Illustration of American Cranberries for the American magazine, The Art of Eating.

If you are interested in using my work for your book cover, magazine, etc just contact me. Examples of more sketchy works of mine can be seen on the Botanical sketches and landscape sketches sections of this website. Also my small masters works and drawing in black and white may give you an idea of the sorts of various styles  I am capable of.