Artist Inspirations

As an artist, I find it important to know what you like and what you strive for. It is important to know your tastes, you inspirations, and your influences. For an assignment in one of my classes,, I had to research my top 10 most influential artists. (I don't think I would have ever done this on my own, and now I am so glad that I did!)

I thought that there was no better place to share these artists than on here. I'm hoping to create some of my own paintings like some of the work I see in my top ten. Stay tuned for when I can actually post some of those creations!



So here is my top 10:
1. Dion Archibald
2. Claude Monet
3. David Ladmore
4. Hilda Hiary
5. Karen Jacobs
6. Lucie Rie
7. Aubrey Vincent Beardsley
8. Bill Atkinson
9. Don Asbee
10. Olga Konoschuk

And here is what I have to say about them (keep in mind that I had to write this for an assignment!)

1. Dion Archibald

Dion Archibald is in my list of top 10 artists for more than one reason. His subjects are very interesting to me. I love the idea of taking something small, unnoticed and mundane and making it something beautiful and monumental. His landscapes jump out to me the most because of his ability to lay down information with such economy. The representation of shrubbery in a highly stylized fashion mixed with a more realistic interpretation of architecture is a nice juxtaposition. His brush strokes are very confident and educated. He has an ability to use color to create a feel to all of his work is the most inspiring. The most interesting and questionable aspect of his work is his color palette. I enjoy his brushwork, thick application of paint and his subject choice the most. His style is very individualized, mimicking that of Van Gogh and Picasso at the same time. All of his work is tied together within his colors, allowing him to change the subjects of his paintings while still creating a cohesive display.

2. Claude Monet
The subject matter of Monet, landscapes, architecture, and organic objects, always pull me into his paintings. When I look closer at his work, I enjoy the color combinations and brush strokes that he leaves on the surface. I am interested in his complex local color, and how he is able to use colors that truly match those he saw while he was outside. I have a great respect for the time and energy that he put into his work. Monet has a sense of delicacy and robustness in his work. Although neither word should be associated with one another, they both describe his ability to paint. His subjects are delicate in nature, but the colors and strokes that he paints them with seem to pop off of the canvas. I am most inspired by Monet and his ability to quickly put information on a canvas, to trust in his strokes, and to really look at his subject and not idealize his work. The “impression” his work gives to me is natural, organic, lyrical and strong. Every aspect of Monet’s work, including his attitude, is worthy of being in my top ten!

3. David Ladmore
I chose David Ladmore because of his provoking paintings. I mostly enjoyed his landscapes, and then found that the rest of his work is very interesting as well. Unlike some artists, he is versatile in processes, in mediums, and in subject matter. He once had a series of crows, landscapes, of cats, and paintings of only color swatches. He is a very versatile painter who seems to go with the flow of his mind and lets creative energy take over. He doesn’t think; he just paints (or so it seems). I love the way his work only shows the viewer enough to understand what is going on. He doesn’t overly complicate any of his compositions, something I would love to integrate into my work as well.

4. Hilda Hiary
One of my favorite genres of painting is one that has to do with color. The idea of working solely with color is endless. Hilda Hiary adds another dimension to this idea as she works with color and shape. Her intense, deep colors speak novels to me. It’s like each portion of her paintings are separate sections in themselves, all working together to create a composition that is completely unique. Using the circle as her main shape, I think her work has an extremely organic feel. Her circles aren’t uniform, they are each an individual shape on their own. Studying images of pure color is a unique experience. I can see myself searching for one of her paintings to have in my own home someday. I am most inspired by her use of color, the organic feeling of each piece, and the overall compositions that are created by each element of design.

5. Karen Jacobs
Karen Jacobs’s work is very beautiful and serene. Because her work incorporates unique combinations of color along with shapes and textures, I find that my three favorite things in art are being captured in one of her pieces. I like that she is inspired by nothing in particular, but just derives her work from places she has been, people she has met, and things that she sees on a daily basis. None of her work is representational, but instead has a feeling associated with it instead of specific subjects. Her ability to organize blocks of color overlapping each other in an interesting way is something I would like to explore in my own work. Once again, her work looks like it is very organic, free and anything but mechanical. Her work is presented in different ways: squares, vertically and horizontally. I like that her work is very cohesive and versatile because of the orientation of the canvas as well as the variety of colors she uses


6. Lucie Rie
In my first ceramics class, I chose to emulate the bowls that Lucie Rie had thrown. I was amazed by the way she was able to create foots for the bowls the way she did. Every pot made it look effortless. The sleek, strong lines of her pottery accompanied by the organic, textural components of the glazes are very unique and interesting. I find the walls of her pots along with the overall quality of her work to be impeccable. Unlike my taste in paintings, I really enjoy her ability to create a tight, architectural pot. Her work is not however, inorganic. I find that many of her pots remind me of something fairly natural. Not all of her pots are as pristine as I might describe. Some of her pots are imperfect. The imperfections are what give the character to the piece; they give the piece a story. As far as her glazes go, her aesthetic fits into my liking of very loose applications of paint that leaves the strokes behind. Her pieces have a sense of time about them. Some pieces look like they are from an archeologist’s digging site while others belong in the future. Her ability to create such timeless pieces with such technical prowess is awe-inspiring.

7. Aubrey Vincent Beardsley
Beardsley has been a famous artist that I have studied in more than one art history course. Each time I have encountered his work, I find myself enthralled in his line work. He has a great fluidity to his lines, like they just floated onto the surface. The way he works with large, dark shapes is very stylized. His work continues to inspire graphic designers and printmakers because of this graphic quality. He often works with bright whites and dark blacks. The stark contrast in his work pulls me into each piece, which then makes me want to get up close to see all of the detailed line work he utilizes. The natural motifs that he incorporated into his patterns are my favorite parts of his work. The subject matter doesn’t speak to me as much as I would hope, but the sheer beauty of line, shape, and detail is quite magnificent.

8. Bill AtkinsonAtkinson’s nature photography is truly inspirational. Just looking at one of his photographs feels like you are looking into another world. Once you realize that it is the real world in the photo, it makes everything he has captured feel even more monumental. The way his work is always so detailed, up close, and colorful reminds me that nature has a lot more too offer than just a place to live. I enjoy the way his photographs are not just pictures but that they are reminiscent of paintings. The way his rock photographs look from a distance reminds me of some of my favorite paintings that solely rely on color, shape and line. Because he has traveled all around the country seeking beautiful photos, I find his variety in subject rejuvenating. The way he shoots seems to be very similar, but the contrast in subjects makes each photo appear original.
9. Don Asbee
I chose Don Asbee for my top 10 because of his commercial nature. I don’t think that all artists have to be showing in exhibitions or noted in magazines in order to be called an artist. Before he started showing, started being noted in magazines and so on, he was just an everyday person trying to make a living. His story, as well as the quality of his work is why he is an inspirational and influential artist to me. His sculptural pieces speak to me the most. I enjoy the way he uses curves, texture and form to create and interesting balance. Many of these sculptures look as though they could tip over at any time, but because of how they are crafted and balanced, they are perfectly stable. The idea of presenting visual puzzles to the viewer is very exciting to me, even if they are simplified. His work incorporates my favorite things: the natural form, lyrical lines, and texture.

10. Olga Konoschuk
The use of color and texture of Olga’s work is my favorite. I feel like her work sticks out to me because of the way she organizes the color on her canvases. The way she gives enough information to find a figure in her work is very complicated. Her non-figurative works become about the color and the feeling one gets while looking at the colors, while the figurative pieces become more like puzzles to finish the painting with the mind. I am so used to looking at highly detailed images that give all of the information, so her work is a breath of fresh air. I enjoy the complex color combinations she presents as well as her attitude as an artist. The way she writes on her website is very confident. She takes pride in her work and accomplishments. Although she comes off a bit arrogant, I think her confidence as an artist has made her into the successful woman she is today.


These were some artists I found while researching, and I found that my taste is very textural, organic, color oriented, and a bit abstract! I never thought that my taste would be abstract, but I find beauty in pure color, like these artists. I wanted to post their pictures next to them, but I was having issues with the picture tool on this blog.... so I posted links to their websites if you are interested in their work!

I know it's time consuming, but I challenge you to look up people/pictures/activities that inspire and influence YOU.