Looking at Artists who have inspired me....

Heartened by the kind and constructive comments I've received I've been spending time drawing some subjects that I wanted to prior to completing my first Assignment. I've also been re looking at work by the artists who have particularly inspired me, and who made me want to draw and paint.....


Edmund Burne-Jones - I love the work of the Pre Raphaelites with a passion, I would be hard pressed to choose a favourite artist or painting, but, have always thought this interpretation of "King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid" very striking, and love the imagery.

Samuel Palmer, first seen when I was 9 or 10. I loved the mystic quality to his work, and the sense of "other worldliness" he creates.

Breughel the Elder - transports me to the frozen European wastes. Wonderful detail and vibrancy in this imaginary landscape.


William de Morgan - simply exquisite design and wonderful use of colour. A visit to his home some years ago was a revelation.


Richard Tuft - I found him on a trip to Ikea! I completely fell in love with "St Ives Vista", and the print is hanging on the wall beside me. I love his use of colour and juxtaposition of shapes and tones. This created an interest in naive art, especially early American.

John Duncan - "St Bride" Seeing this in the National Gallery of Scotland blew me away, detail, colour, vibrancy, naturalism, I was stunned.

Edmund Dulac - creator of breathtakingly lovely fantasy and fairy tale art.

Jill Barklem - Talented author and illustrator of the charming "Brambly Hedge" books for childrenBeatrix Potter - a heroine for many years, and very underrated in my view. Her botanical studies, particularly her work with fungi, is astonishing, and her stories and poems are joyful.


Brian Froud - Another wonderful fantasy artist, who is able to transport me instantly into his magical world of faerie, goblins and mythical creatures.


Paul Nash - "Wood on the Downs" filled me with awe when I first saw it aged about 9. I had never seen anything quite like it, and again, felt the air of mystery and the wonder of the landscape. I was greatly moved by his WW2 paintings and savage and desolate landscapes.

Jessie M King - Another heroine and a wonderful illustrator from the Golden Age, who created the most beautiful and subtle work.

Local Artist Kathy Lewis "May Hill Triptych" A view of a beloved landscape close to home, which has a wonderful esoteric quality.

Looking at my choices I can see similar threads appearing:

• the natural world
• landscape
• the mysterious and other worldly
  
• mythology and fairy tale
  
• history
  
• love of detail
• elements of design
  

This has been an interesting exercise, I'm aware of my feelings but I've never really sat down and thought about why each of these artists evoke a strong response in me.

There are some big contrasts, for example, the work of Richard Tuft compared to, say, the paintings of Beatrix Potter, or Paul Nash's abstract works compared to the work of the Pre Raphs ! I think though, that my love of fantasy/the natural world comes through very strongly, together with my passion for detail, and illustration.