Henri Fantin-Latour// still lives

You may recognize Henri Fantin-Latour's flourish for painting florals from New Order's Power, Corruption, Lies album cover, designed by Peter Saville. The details in the flowers and fruit are so subtle and delicate. 'Sumptuous'would be a fantastic word to describe his painting style. The fresh fruits and flowers seem distinctively "un-winter"; it's quite refreshing to rest my eyes on something with life and colour.

Flores de Verão e Frutos (1866)

The Betrothal Still Life (1869) oil on canvas

Mark Rothko\ Green Over Blue

"There is no such thing as good painting about nothing." - Mark Rothko

Green Over Blue 1956

Fall morning colours, AY Jackson

How the shadows are painted is incredible. This gold light is the light that I see coming through the blinds right now. This painting is on display at the National Art Gallery if you're interested in seeing it, for those of you in Ottawa.

AY Jackson Edge of the Maple Wood (1910)

Peter Doig "Grande Riviere"

This painting is at the National Gallery right now in the Canadian Contemporary section. Its size in person will surprise you. The little lights in the forest seem to glow. If you can, SEE IT! It's incredible.

Peter Doig "Grande Riviere" 2001

Marlene Dumas

Marlene Dumas' ink portraits..the bleeding ink is super well done. Amazing ink inspiration. Apparently she uses mainly photographic references, like from magazines or polaroids, to draw her portraits.

portraits

Esao Andrews "The Haircut" 8"x 11" oil on wood. 2011

Jenny Morgan, title unknown, oil on canvas

Sister Corita Kent//Visual Artist

"I think that there are a lot of people who make beautiful things that are just not noticed." Corita Kent is nun turned visual artist who worked principally using silkscreen. Her work focused on "messages of love and peace," and was popular during "...the social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s." What a lovely lady!

Sister Corita Kent, Who Came Out of the Water, 1966, Serigraph on pellon

Diego Gravinese\\Realist painter

[via Boooooom]

Mark Rothko\\Quickness and stillness

"...art to me is an anecdote of the spirit, and the only means of making concrete the purpose of its varied quickness and stillness."

Mark Rothko, No. 8, 1949

 

*Recommended: Rothko's Rooms for a rainy day like today.

illustration inspiration

Just starting my new project...here is my inspiration! Hope to combine various elements of these works of artists who inspire me. Use of blank space, flowing movements, delicate lines, choice bursts of colour, and cutouts.

Simon Prades, Jennie Phan, Ian O'Brien-Docker album cover by Hort design, Reed Danziger, Phaedra Longhurst, Eleanor Wood.

Howard Tangye\\visual artist

Check out this Vice feature on Howard Tangye. His choice use of unexpected colour and elegant fingered figures are especially appealing to me.

 

james jean//visual artist

James Jean's crazy sketchbook work will make you want to get up and draw anything. In the video you can tell he just lives for art, it's really inspiring.

garden of earthly delights

"Ipse dixit, et facta sunt: ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt"—For he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast

The cover panels of Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights could stand alone and be equally fascinating. I still can't believe that I hadn't seen this before Monday. If you've never seen this before now, wait 'till you see the inside...

[Garden of Earthly Delights- Heironymous Bosch]

Lucian Freud

In memory of Lucian Freud (8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011)

Captured a uniqueness of subjects with a lush brush stroke and eye for detail. One of the greatest artists of our time and a major inspiration for any painter.

Girl In Bed

Queen Elizabeth II

Black Eye

Remembering

Prom storm

"The theme is mirroring the tumultuousness of youth with the tumultuousness of the weather.  Putting teens in a prom in a hurricane.  I've had four photo shoots so far with many, many youths, putting them in front of giant wind fans and talking them through different scenarios.  The young people are in love, terrified, flirtatious, suspicious, pissed off......"     -Kirsten Johnson

[Prom Storm- Kirsten Johnson]

Saw Kirsten Johnson's Prom Storm painting series when I was in Toronto last and was amazed at how she captures this photographic energy in paintings.