My ‘Inspired By’ posts began as a way to explore what makes me tick as an artist, what I’m drawn to, what makes my heart sing, what I might want to try out in terms of marks or colour combinations or compositions. They are also a way for me to share the work of artists whose work I love. I don’t advocate copying other artists instead of making our own work, however inspiring they are to us, but I do believe that we can learn from each other on our solitary artist journeys. This website is dedicated to the philosophy that you have a significant and unique offering inside you, waiting to be released. I created a course to help you with this very thing, which you can find by clicking here. May you be inspired to bring forth what’s within you!
I don’t really like this modern day exclamation, but seriously, OMG!
While reading and watching Week 4’s class of Paint Free, after soaking up the joy of the assignment being “create a painting with multiple layers” (yes! Tara’s Painting Heaven), there was the almost overload of excitement of learning about two new-to-me artists.
LITERALLY bubbles rising up inside me and going pop pop pop!
The first of these fabulous painters (the second I’ll save for another time) is Robert Burridge, a contemporary American painter whose work just makes me feel something for which I can’t even find a superlative.
Ach! This is the kind of work that makes me feel all fizzy and electric and want to dance around and then make paintings that sing like these do.
It’s the colours – use of brights as well as muted, the colour combinations, the blues (lalala!), the quiet areas balanced so perfectly by the noisy areas, the division of the canvas, the drawn elements, the circles, the lettering, the texture and light. I could go on. (I won’t though.)
OK I lied.
Sigh. Look; light on dark! I believe there’s some ridiculous rule that it’s supposed to be the other way around. (Rules schmules.) That blue is ZINGY!
Total perfection. Here’s one of his figurative paintings. Which could almost be abstract; look at how the canvas is divided up, how the colours are layered so you see glimpses of those beneath.
There is a section on his website called ‘Bobisms of the Month‘. This is my favourite:
Do the best you can now, today.
And you will get better at what you want to create.
I must get me to the studio.
Beautiful paintings!! I can see why you are inspired by them!!
Oh WOW!!! just amazing!
I know how you feel! I have found a few artists like Bob who just send me! One is Mitsi and the other is winnipuss..both are on redbubble. Their paintings make me itch to get painting..just like these.
Thanks for the recos Kay! I love Mitsi too. Just off to check out Winnipuss. Thanks for sharing your inspirations 🙂
Hi Tara, glad to meet you. 🙂
I've added your name to my giveaway!
I've never heard of this artist, love his work! I'm happy to be your facebook friend if you send a request.
♥jenny
Wow oh wow! That is really gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
Oh man I am *totally* crushing on this right now. His work is awesome – thanks for sharing the inspiration!!
Loving all the inspiration and intros on your site- glad I found your little neck of the woods.
Ta
Gxx
Bob is my favorite art teacher — so talented, imaginative and generous!
How fab that you’ve had the opportunity to learn from him!