Daisy, Daisy. Photograph, 7 x 5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
As someone who spends a lot of her time doing animal and wildlife art I think what I’m about to propose will sound like a belated April Fool’s joke, but it’s not: for the month of April I’ve imposed a fur/feathers/fins ban for my work. Well, with the exception of two pet portrait commissions I’ve agreed to complete, otherwise nothing furry, feathery or finned. No creatures, critters or crawlers.
Why? I think I need to challenge myself. I’m not talking about change for change’s sake (I actually don’t believe in that) but the honest need to stretch and grow as an artist. And this is the perfect time of year to do it: I have several months before the shows in the Fall – things are quiet right now. Besides which, it’s Spring, a natural time for new growth.
So how am I going to do this? I’m going to look at the work of other artists who catch my eye and examine what it is about their art that appeals to me. Some of these artists will be, as fellow blogger, Maggie Stiefvater puts it, “safely dead” but I think I might pick one or two who are “dangerously alive” as well. My list so far, in no particular order, and what draws my eye about their art is:
- André Kertész (1894 – 1985) photographer: composition, sense of light and shadow, simple scenes of daily life
- David Blackwood (1941 – ) printmaker: story, place and time, mystery and mythology
- Joseph Wright (1734 – 1797) painter: chiaroscuro and the engagement of his subjects with their world
Over the next few weeks I’ll look at each artist and create a scratchboard inspired by what I’ve learned from each.
