Discovering a Moment in Time at an Online Art Gallery
Have you visited an online art gallery recently? It is wonderful that we have the ability now to visit museums in this way, in the comfort of our home during this time when we aren’t able to travel.
Have you visited an online art gallery recently? It is wonderful that we have the ability now to visit museums in this way, in the comfort of our home during this time when we aren’t able to travel.
For today’s blog, I was going to write about artist Joseph M. W. Turner, a famous oil painter. I was always drawn to the skies in his paintings because of the colors and the light. So I recently headed over to the National Gallery of Art’s website. I searched through a list of artists under the heading “collection highlights” until I came across one of his instantly recognizable works. However, another painting caught my eye too.
The painting, titled “Young Girl Reading,” was by Jean Honoré Fragonard, an artist I was not familiar with. The painting depicts a young girl reading her book. She looks as though she is totally engaged in her book, not even noticing anything else going on around her. Fragonard seemed to capture a moment in time with this oil painting.
The vibrant color of the young girl’s yellow dress was also a surprise. So often in the old master paintings, I often feel like the colors are dark and dreary. This painting seems so different, and I thought it had a very illustrative feel to it, which I am of course also drawn to.
“Young Girl Reading” by Jean Honoré Fragonard (Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art)
After a little more reading, I discovered that Fragonard was a French oil painter in the middle to late 1700s and was one of the most prominent French painters at that time. He used quick brush strokes and bright, vibrant colors in many portraits in his fantasy figures series.
I like the expression his figures have, especially their eyes. Fragonard seemed to be able to capture expressions — just at the right moment — to portray that perfect look in the scene.
I hope you take a few moments to visit one of the online galleries. You may discover a new artist that you enjoy seeing, just like I did. Not to mention, looking at art can be a nice way to relax and enjoy the moment.
Why I Wanted to Be an Artist
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Somehow I feel I have lots and lots of ideas as to what I’d like to make and do with my art. But I struggle when it is time to write a blog. Once in awhile I may feel inspired and can think of what to write about. But more often than not, I end up asking others (my daughter), “What should I blog about?”
One of the topics she suggested was writing about why I wanted to be an artist. That’s a good question.
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Being an artist is who I am. It is something that I have to do — it brings me so much joy and peace when I am creating and making something. But it is also something deeper than that. I want to share my love of art with others.
My biggest hope is that through my art, I will give someone else some happiness and joy in their life too. There’s nothing that feels better than when I hear a child exclaim, “Wow, that’s so cool!” Or when someone is so fascinated by a final piece that they want to know how I created it. Or when I can see how much someone loves owning one of my pieces.
I’ve always had that need to create and make something. And I was also brought up in a family that encouraged all of us to be creative. There were a lot of art and craft projects going on as I grew up — every birthday and holiday was an excuse to get out the construction paper, markers and crayons, sequins, and whatever else was in the box of crafts.
My mom never minded the messy little scraps of paper or dried noodles that might have gone flying off the table onto the floor. I approached creative projects the same way my children: create, glue, paste, draw, build, experiment and we will clean it up when we are done. My kids also had the best stories to go along with their pictures.
Even if I wasn’t brought up in a house that was gluing felt and rick rack to my grandmother’s birthday card, I am still positive I would still be an artist. But perhaps those fond memories of crafting at the kitchen table is one reason why I also love to illustrate for children’s publications and add an element of surprise to everything I create.
Finding Inspiration in Wisteria Flowers Blowing in the Breeze
Honoring the distant memories I find in these simple yet beautiful flowers adds more meaning and life to my paper sculptures.
Inspiration is all around us…
Gorgeous, light purple wisteria flowers blossoming in spring and early summer. Long, delicate lavender petals with a touch of white, dangling off their stems that grow like braided stalks.
One wisteria plant growing up the tall cherry tree next to the patio, creating a beautiful, peaceful, sweet-smelling sanctuary to relax in.
Another wisteria, standing on its own, growing in the side yard, reaching out and bending and twisting its vines growing in every direction, creating a picturesque backdrop for a photo shoot on a warm spring day.
Planting my favorite new wisteria at the base of the wood fence along the stream, paving the walkway with a beautiful view of lavender blossoms from the kitchen door, lining the path as you walk up to greet me at my home.
Memories often lead to the inspiration for many works of art. I know this is true about my own work. I find this is especially true with flowers. Creating an enriched, enchanted, idyllic scene like the ones I described above help me capture movement and beauty in every day moments.
Bringing those imagined memories to “life” with paper will never of course beat the beauty of mother nature, but honoring the distant memories I find in these simple yet beautiful flowers adds more meaning and life to my paper sculptures. Wisteria flowers just happen to be one of my favorites.
These wisteria flowers, crafted from paper and paint, will feature prominently in my upcoming art installation, “Charming Victorian Country Garden Retreat,” at The Mansion at Strathmore in 2020.
Artwork Feature: Delicate 'Teacup in Spring' Ready for Tea Time
“Teacup in Spring” is framed in a hand-made, custom wood frame and the image is only 3.75” x 2.75” x 1.25” deep.
I love beautiful flowers in pinks and purples, butterflies and antique teacups. Influenced by botanical art, beautiful decorative floral wall art, and the Dutch floral artists of the 17th century, I felt inspired to combine all of my favorite elements into one 3D paper sculpture, titled “Teacup in Spring.”
I like the shapes of antique china teacups, which are typically decorated in delicate floral motifs. I am drawn to the intricate shapes of the teacups and the flowers on the hand-painted teacups. I liked the idea of combining the teacup with a flower bouquet and of course, there had to be a butterfly that just happened to be visiting this spring bouquet.
The entire paper sculpture design is all created out of paper and paint. I took a photo of “Teacup in Spring” next to some antique teacups for size comparison. “Teacup in Spring” is framed in a hand-made, custom wood frame and the image is only 3.75” x 2.75” x 1.25” deep.
Finding Inspiration in the World of Master Painters
How taking the opportunity to view the work of old master painters helps me find inspiration in my own work.
During a visit to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, I remember seeing Dutch artist Jan van Huysum’s beautiful painting titled, “Vase of Flowers.” The oil painting looks almost like a photograph. The water droplets on the tulip, tiny ants, butterflies, vivid colors, composition, delicate flower petals, and the details are absolutely gorgeous!
“Vase of Flowers,” Jan van Huysum (Image via Creative Commons)
I was so thankful I was able to see his painting in person. If you can’t make it for a visit, the Getty Museum has a great website for viewing these old masters paintings. You can really get a great feel for the painting even though its online. You can even zoom in on your favorite section of the painting as well.
I enjoy looking at the delicate flowing petals of the tulip with the water droplets on it. You would think the water droplet was real. An interesting note, van Huysum was very secretive about his methods of painting, and he wouldn’t allow other people in his studio, including his brothers, who were also artists.
I always think when you can see the size of artists’ original paintings in person it adds another level of interest. Sometimes I imagine a painting to be quite large, but then I am surprised to find out it is very small.
Taking the opportunity to view the work of old master painters helps me find inspiration in my own work. It gets those creative juices flowing and is a great reminder of all the beautiful expression that’s possible through great works of art.
Creature Feature: Octopus Wants You to Catch If You Can
“Catch Me If You Can,” is one of my latest paper sculpture designs, a clever octopus made completely out of paper, even the suckers on its eight tentacles.
I have many ideas of different paper sculptures I want to make — sometimes I want to make them because it sounds like it would be fun to make. Flowers are a personal favorite, or a little furry animal because creating the fur out of paper is both challenging and rewarding when the finished piece looks like fur. Then I feel I was successful at mastering that.
Sometimes I have so many ideas, i have a hard time choosing something. That is what happened with “Catch Me If You Can,” a clever octopus made completely out of paper, even the suckers on its eight tentacles. When I was deciding on a new project, I rattled off a handful of ideas to my daughter and asked her what I should do next. She chose an octopus!
What a challenge it was figuring out how to make the suction cups on the tentacles. It did take quite a bit of trial and error until I figured out exactly the right technique to make and attach all those tiny little suction cups to the octopus. Happily, I figured out a way to do just that out of paper and I think it all worked out rather well.
Artwork Feature: Let the Artwork Fun Begin!
The inspiration for this artist’s box came from my memories of when I received my first wooden art box as a kid.
Looking through an artist’s wooden art box is like looking through treasured gifts. The next in my series of paper sculpture designs on art supplies, the inspiration for this artist’s box came from my memories of when I received my first wooden art box as a kid.
When I was 10 or 11 years old, my mom signed me up for art class. I started taking art classes from a local artist who also taught lessons on Saturday mornings to kids in her converted studio space in her basement. In the first couple of classes we started out drawing with charcoal, which I thought was so messy.
Then, we moved on to pastels and within a few weeks we started painting in oils. I was really excited the day my art teacher told me I could start working in oils. I couldn’t wait to be working in oils because that is what my oldest sister painted in.
It wasn’t too long after that when I received my very own wooden art box for a present. I was so thrilled! A wood art box — just like my sister had! Just like a REAL artist. It even had some new tubes of paint and a couple of brushes, a canvas and a pallet knife. My sister gave me a couple of her old used brushes as well.
I was so excited to have my very own art box, and it stayed with me for a long time as I started my professional art career. My original wood art box even went along with me to college. I still have my wooden art box, although I no longer use it for oil paints.
When I decided to create a paper sculpture of a wooden artist box I decided I wanted to fill the box with lots of art supplies. A wooden art box to an artist is like a treasure chest. You can’t wait to dive right in and check out all those cool new supplies just waiting there to be used.
Hopefully when you peer closely into the resulting piece, “Let the Fun Begin!,” it captures that beginner’s mind spirit — you can hardly wait to start having fun with all those new colorful art supplies stored in your wooden art box. In my paper-sculpted art box, even the “wood” box is made out of paper.
Why You Should Save Your Old Sketch Books
Hold onto all those old sketch books. They are filled with lots of ideas and reference material.
Hold onto all those old sketch books. They are filled with lots of ideas and reference material. I can't tell you have often I have gone back to look through my sketch books. There are lots of ideas of things I wanted to do, to create sketches of things I want to transfer into paper sculpture. Even the sketch books from 10 and 20 years ago are helpful. It can spark new ideas. It reminds you of where you've been and how far you've come. They contain material that can spark a nespark a new idea idea. Sometimes it is an idea I had 20 years ago but forgot about it, but now I can now grow upon that thought.
What hidden treasures do you have saved inside your old sketch books? Tell us in the comments below!
Artwork Feature: Bald Eagles 'Keeping Watch'
This miniature 3D paper sculpture eagle, titled "Keeping Watch," is entirely handcrafted from paper and painted with watercolor and gouache.
I was inspired to create this 3D paper sculpture of an eagle after my visit to Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland, last November. In the fall, it is one of the best places to watch bald eagles as they glide through the air and then swoop down to catch a fish from the Susquehanna River below. Without hesitation, the eagle grabs its dinner before soaring back up into the sky, eventually resting in the trees, eating their catch — unless their dinner was snatched up by one of the other eagles soaring by.
There were so many other photographers lined up along the fence at the dam that day waiting to take photos as the eagles flew overhead. As soon as someone would spot one of the birds of prey, they would call out, “left” or right” to signal which side the eagle took off so you could start shooting your camera in the right direction. Immediately, you would hear the continuous clicking sounds of the shutters going off, as the photographers spun around in a circular pattern following the flight of the eagle, trying not to become dizzy as they got their best shot of this powerful bird.
It is an amazing site to see so many eagles at one location and to be able to watch their behavior. I couldn’t help but create two paper sculpture eagles that were featured at two miniature art shows — the juried 25th Annual International Miniature Show at Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, Washington, and the 26th International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, North Carolina.
Like all of my paper sculpture designs, the eagle below, titled “Keeping Watch,” is all made from paper. Each feather is individually hand-cut out of white paper, shaped and glued together to form the eagle. Even the talons are made from paper. After the eagle is formed, it is then painted in watercolor and gouache. The paper sculpture eagle is framed in a wooden shadowbox picture frame.
