Monday, April 13, 2009

Top Ten Eleven Artists I Have Found To Be a Large Influence

Study in Blue Katherine Keanwatercolor 17 x 13"
I have been thinking of the artists whose paintings I like the most and that I feel are a large influence on my own work. I am most attracted to the work of landscape painters, and those that convey a subjective, emotional response to nature – as well as work that includes symbolism. In their work nature is given a grand scale and for the most part the human element is diminished or left out altogether.

I’ve compiled this list (which I have edited drastically, because the long list would go on for many, many pages) including contemporary as well as historical artists.

1. J.M.W. Turner for his prolific virtuosity, for painting nature’s moods, and for making light the subject.

2. Caspar David Friedrich for his use of symbols, his symmetry, and emotional content – his romanticism.

3. Albert Pinkham Ryder for painting nature’s moods.

4. Charles Burchfield for the playfulness of his nature paintings and for visualizing sounds.

5. Agnes Pelton for her vision, for her symbolic representation of an alternate reality.

6. Georgia O’Keeffe for her clean lines, rhythms and color harmonies.

7. Gerhard Richter - if I can just pick out a few from his vast repertoire: the clouds and the seascapes: moody – dramatic- luminous.

8. Wolf Kahn for his color and abstraction.

9. April Gornik: for the beauty and the drama and the scale.

10. Sharon Ellis for the sense of ecstasy boldly expressed, for the symbolism.

11. Tula Telfair for a grand vision of nature convincingly portrayed.

10 comments:

Matt said...

I'm not sure where any of us would be without the inspiration of those who have come before us.

Great list.

Palmer said...

I love the study in blue! And am delighted to peruse your list and discover new (to me) artists. Thank you!

Katherine Kean said...

Good point Zataod!

Glad you liked the list.

Katherine Kean said...

Thanks Palmer! I'm glad you found some new artists.

Vickie said...

i like this list - very varied. I'm going to give this some thought and write something - I would include JMW Turner and Gerhard Richter too! I consider Turner one of my ancestors in art!

Katherine Kean said...

Vickie - I'm glad to hear from another Turner and Richter fan. I'd love to know who your influences are!

Pujdak said...

Katherine

Hope all is well : your work is wonderful - so glad you added my hero Wolf Kahn to your list....I also thought that April Gornik piece was striking & also enjoyed seeing Tula Telfair - his use of color - specifically yellow was great - although perhaps leaning to much on the overall realistic side other then the impressionistic for my taste at least...keep up the great paintings...sincerely Nicholas

Katherine Kean said...

Thanks Nicholas! It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad you like the list. Good to see the beautiful work on your website as well.

Thanks for popping by!

Alli said...

Loved reading about the artists you enjoy! A lot of them were new to me as well. I thought you had great choices though-I can tell from your work how you would be inspired by them. I love your short eloquence with the descriptions as well! Thanks for sharing!

Katherine Kean said...

Hi Alli,
Thanks for coming by! I'm glad you enjoyed the post and maybe some new artists. I keep finding new artists too. I may have to revise or expand my list.

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