Inspiration

A few days ago I was informed by the folks at Patience Brewster that August is Artist Appreciation Month. Patience designs hand-painted ornaments for Christmas and all year decor. They inspired me to write a post on this blog about a few artists that have inspired me.

The first artist that comes to mind is my former instructor at Burnley School of Professional Art, William Cumming. Below is a photo of my office wall and his painting - girl leaning toward a window -  that he gifted me when I was his student. Bill Cumming encouraged me to carry a sketchbook and to make a habit of capturing everyday events in quick, spontaneous line drawings. He showed me the joy of line and the emotion and moods a simple line can convey.

Next to my Cumming painting are two works by my first husband, William Iles. As I look back, I am inspired by his perseverance and dedication to express himself through art regardless of his circumstances.

These days as I work in pastel and oil, my art heart beats faster when I see the lovely works of  Tibor Nagy and Alex Kanevsky. I can't express in words how their work makes me feel. The play of color and texture in their paintings inspire me to get into the Studio. That's where I'm headed now!