INSPIRATION

I’ve been asked many times: “Where do you get your inspiration?” The answer is both simple and complicated. The simple answer would be “from life experiences”. The more complicated answer is “all the experiences that built up over time, each contributing to being inspired at any given moment”. In other words, being in the moment, with the skills and motivation to communicate a feeling I want to express, in the language of art. 

I attribute many of my contemporary paintings on multiple canvases to an inspiring rafting trip on the Colorado River and the long hike out of the Grand Canyon. The experience of seeing layers of colors and shapes, stacked high and wide, can be seen reflected in much of my artwork that followed, with simple presentations to express more complex experiences.

A short one-day introduction to bookbinding, led me to the discovery of unusual and beautiful scraps of handmade paper,  for sale by the pound. I was instantly inspired and motivated to use them with a variety of other paper to create a series of exciting collages.

Additional examples of the inspiration that motivates my art are many and varied: the delight of seeing a full moon or twinkling stars in the night sky;  the rolling tide on a beach filled with exotic  seashells left behind; the stunning beauty of the underwater world of a barrier reef with sunlight streaming through crystal clear water reflecting a cerulean blue color; the sensation of traveling a curvy coastal highway; a casual walk through a forest filled with amazing patterns of light, shadows and opportunities for new discoveries; vast stretches of divided farmland ready for planting and others already in bloom with tulips as far as the eye can see; market displays of fruits and vegetables with their exciting variety of shapes and colors; individual flowers and beautiful gardens; the sensation of a ship in motion and the feeling of being in a city of skyscrapers and exciting architecture.

The list goes on with especially memorable events, such as: black-tie celebrations; wonderful theater productions and concerts; the sight and sounds of 4th of July fireworks exploding in the sky over Coronado Bay; visits to the inspiring sculpture studio of Constantin Brancusi in Paris and the outstanding beautiful light filled Chapel of the Rosary in Vence, France,  designed and decorated by Henri Matisse.

In a rare moment, I tuned into an extraordinary event that was being televised. It was titled: “Parade of the Tall Ships” and it took place in New York Harbor in 1992 to celebrate the Columbus Quincentennial. The coverage of the event was inspiring and brought back memories of my youth growing up in a small New England town with a long maritime history, dating back to the 1600s.

By chance, a year earlier I had purchased several shaped canvases just because I liked the shapes; but, without a plan for how they would evolve into paintings. Seeing the tall ships, remembering the past, and recalling the blank triangular canvas stored in the racks, I knew that it would be the one I would use because the shape worked so well with my imagined finished image; and the excitement that inspired the painting could be achieved with a simple presentation, in keeping with my style of expression.

New experiences, memorable special moments, and supportive wonderful family and friends,  continue to inspire my artwork each day.

— Nancy Kravetz, 2020

DOROTHY FRATT:
tEACHER — meNTOR — friend

Serendipity played an important role in meeting Dorothy Fratt. I was eager to learn how to use acrylic paints and Dorothy came highly recommended by the owner of the art supply store where she purchased supplies. I called her and arranged to begin classes. Little did I know that this would be the happy beginning of the rest of my life!  Dorothy was a delightful, enthusiastic, inspiring, and well-known, highly regarded contemporary artist and a fabulous teacher!

Dorothy started her new students by teaching the basics. We learned how to stretch and prime our own canvases and how to set up a palette for a full complement of colors. For each class she set up an arrangement for us to paint. They were very unusual and different each time. Some were simple, such as a collection of rocks or seashells or a pair of old worn chukka boots. Others were more complex such as a combination of a variety of items that would require a light, medium or dark mix of colors. Every set-up presented a different challenge and new experiences mixing colors.

We learned to use acrylic paints on primed and unprimed canvases for different results, using either brushes, sponges or both. Most of the paintings were done at an easel, however, in some instances they were done with the canvas on the floor and then stretched on stretcher bars when the painting was finished.

Acrylic paints were difficult to get used to after using oil paint for so many years. Dorothy made it much easier with helpful suggestions. Even after I finished studying with her, she was very helpful problem solving the unexpected. For example, one painting had been mishandled and there was a big bump on the surface. She simply said: “Use a damp sponge to wipe down the back of the canvas and let it dry.” For a design issue, her comment was: “Turn the canvas upside down and perhaps you will get your answer.” When it came to color issues, she was amazing! She could look at a painting and instantly suggest subtle color recommendations to improve it.

During classes there were lots of casual conversations related to art. Dorothy would go from easel to easel giving individual help to students, and there were occasions when she would stop to comment. I recall her stopping to look at a painting I was working on and saying: “That looks similar to an Arthur Dove painting.”  When I was in her watercolor class, she paused at my easel to say: “That reminds me of a Turner watercolor.” In each situation, she would go to her art library and show me other works by those artists. It was a great learning experience, and very exciting. It also motivated me to read more about the world of art.

If there was an article in Art In America, she thought we would find interesting, she shared that information, too. When there was an important art auction in progress, she would comment on the painting being auctioned.  Dorothy was a “born teacher” and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to study with her.  I felt like the classes included a complete art world education along with painting lessons. It was very exciting! My passion for art took on a whole new meaning and I looked forward to each class.

As a mentor and longtime friend, Dorothy was the best! She encouraged me, along with her other students, to enter shows and she knew when and where they were being held. She took a personal interest in all of us. 

In 1971, there was a “Four Corners Biennial of Painting and Sculpture” at the Phoenix Art Museum. Dorothy encouraged me to enter the show with a painting. On the day of the opening, she called and said: “Let’s go together.” She picked me up. We went together and it was a wonderful show—my first time entering a painting at a museum. At the end of the reception when awards were announced, I was surprised and delighted to receive a 1st Place Purchase Award from the First National Bank of Arizona!

In 1973, Dorothy entered my name for an “Artist Of The Month” show at the Lawyers Club in downtown Phoenix, and that was my 1st Solo Exhibition.

In 1974, Dorothy arranged studio working space for three of her students at Yares Gallery in Scottsdale, where a small building was for rent. Jackie Carson, Pam Gilbert and I shared the space and when we had a show of our work, Dorothy came to help us hang the artwork in the space we called “The Studio”. 

Dorothy Fratt, teacher and mentor was a dear friend for close to fifty years. We kept in touch often with lengthy phone calls, visits and letters during the summer. And it was always exciting to attend the beautiful solo exhibitions of her artwork at Yares Gallery. I think of her often with fond memories and gratitude for the time we shared and for the enormous impact she had on my life.

— nancy kravetz, 2021

A PASSION FOR ART

My passion for art took hold early in life as a teenager growing up in a small picturesque New England town, steeped in seafaring history and surrounded by beautiful forests, rivers, freshwater ponds and the Atlantic Ocean. 

The extraordinary natural beauty in this and other locations has continued to inspire me throughout a long creative journey that started in Newburyport, Massachusetts in the early 1950s with oil painting and life drawing classes with a local artist and teacher, Sam Sargent, at the Sargent School of Painting. At that time I was encouraged by my high school art teacher to attend the Junior-Senior Prize Program at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.

Years later, after college, marriage, a growing young family and a permanent move to Arizona, I resumed  oil painting and studied with Don Ruffin at his studio near South Mountain in Phoenix doing still life compositions, portraits, and a few desert scenes.

The transition from Northeast to Southwest brought with it the excitement of an entirely new visual landscape. The Arizona desert, with its variety of unusual cacti, soft desert colors, gorgeous sunsets, wide open spaces, unusual terrain with amazing rock formations, radiant light and sunshine and the awe-inspiring beauty of Sedona and the Grand Canyon, profoundly inspired my artwork.

For about two years starting in 1969, I studied acrylic painting, design and color theory, life drawing and watercolor painting with Dorothy Fratt, a well-known, highly regarded contemporary artist and a fabulous teacher, mentor and friend. Dorothy’s classes were life-changing and transformative. They were small, informal and designed to maximize painting experiences for a full exploration of color. She was enthusiastic, inspiring, and shared her art library, catalog collection and vast knowledge of classic and contemporary art with her students. She also introduced us to exciting art collections such as the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, the Barnes Collection in Philadelphia and the Cone Collection in Baltimore, just to name a few.

When she heard that Bob and I were planning a trip to Italy, starting in Florence, she was excited and suggested many famous works of art to see. She knew the exact museum, gallery, church, monastery, chapel and piazza where we would find each of the treasures. After she completed the list she said: “And,  be sure to see the Giotto frescoes in Padua.”  We did and the experience was beautiful – a small, intimate, light-filled, quiet and peaceful chapel decorated with the soft sublime time-worn colors of the frescoes.

Dorothy was kind, gentle and very helpful with critiques. She encouraged her students to enter juried shows, take chances, and if a rejection letter arrived in the mail, to be able to put it in perspective – all helpful advice for moving on in the future. With her guidance I was gradually developing my own voice or style of painting and I had my first solo exhibit in 1973.

Since then, my artwork has appeared in many galleries, juried art exhibitions, and museums in the southwest, where it has received outstanding awards and recognition. It is also represented in numerous private and corporate art collections.

In 2007, I took time from painting to finish writing a family history that I had been researching for many years. Finally, in 2010 after “Remember Me To The Little Ones: A Family History” was published, I returned to painting full-time.

In 2017, I was delighted and privileged to have the opportunity for a solo exhibition of my artwork at the Shemer Art Center, a unique and charming restored historic home dedicated to supporting and showcasing Arizona artists. The show was well attended, and I was especially thrilled to have the artwork viewed in the warmth and beauty of this “home for the arts”.

— Nancy Kravetz, 2019