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.