inspiration
Inspiration has been on my mind lately, mostly in terms of whether every painting I produce should be inspired by something or someone. Here's what prompted this particular line of thinking . . .
In October, an artist I follow on Instagram started painting scads of small (8x8", 9x12") canvases, mostly with the same design on each but in different colorways. And I would swear he was using stencils, as the same three or four elements showed up in each composition. Acrylics were used on all of them. Shortly after Thanksgiving, he began posting several of the paintings a day at a discounted price of $100 plus shipping, then would post images of them again with SOLD written across them. He sold all of these small canvases in about three weeks. (I will confess to a bit of skepticism when I see such claims on social media, but I have no reason to suspect this one was not legitimate.) I made a note in my journal to start doing the same thing next October.
So . . . is artwork produced repetitively and in semi-mass quantities inspired (acknowledging that each is technically original)? Is what inspired the work important to the viewer/purchaser?
The production of numerous paintings duplicating subject matter occurs throughout art history: Monet's haystacks (which make me hungry for muffins, truth be told; Toulouse-Lautrec's Parisian nightlife; Rembrandt's own face; vanGogh's bedroom are a few examples.
Claude Monet
'Haystack, End of the Summer'
oil on canvas, 24x40"
Was the Monet patron who bought the third painting in the Haystack series concerned that there were two other paintings of the same subject "ahead" of it? Somehow, I doubt it.
I had occasion recently to remind one of my patrons who came to my studio ready to purchase (unbeknownst to me) a painting that I had sold a couple of months prior, that "if it moves you, buy it." I have painted the same subject a second time for patrons who wanted a different size or slight color changes. And, come to think of it, I have cranked out tiny landscape paintings for retail sale.
Ultimately, this rambling thought process leads me to the conclusion that a series of paintings can be inspired by the same thing. I've been hooked on the moon lately, for example.
Valerie Timmons
'Selene3'
oil on canvas, 30x40"
If such inspiration results in multiple renditions of the same subject, even the same compositions of the same subjects, but in different colors, I get it. Sounds sort of like I'm trying to justify my decision to follow the Instagram artist's lead.
Does a viewer/patron care about the inspiration behind a piece of art? I'd say the answer is "yes" most of the time, especially if s/he is spending a significant amount of money (and the definition of that term is certainly different for everyone) on a work that moves her/him. Otherwise, the purchase is most likely based on the appeal of the piece and how it might fit into a collection.
Okay! Thought exercise concluded for now. I'd love to hear your thoughts on inspiration. Happy New Year, ya'll!
In October, an artist I follow on Instagram started painting scads of small (8x8", 9x12") canvases, mostly with the same design on each but in different colorways. And I would swear he was using stencils, as the same three or four elements showed up in each composition. Acrylics were used on all of them. Shortly after Thanksgiving, he began posting several of the paintings a day at a discounted price of $100 plus shipping, then would post images of them again with SOLD written across them. He sold all of these small canvases in about three weeks. (I will confess to a bit of skepticism when I see such claims on social media, but I have no reason to suspect this one was not legitimate.) I made a note in my journal to start doing the same thing next October.
So . . . is artwork produced repetitively and in semi-mass quantities inspired (acknowledging that each is technically original)? Is what inspired the work important to the viewer/purchaser?
The production of numerous paintings duplicating subject matter occurs throughout art history: Monet's haystacks (which make me hungry for muffins, truth be told; Toulouse-Lautrec's Parisian nightlife; Rembrandt's own face; vanGogh's bedroom are a few examples.
'Haystack, End of the Summer'
oil on canvas, 24x40"
Was the Monet patron who bought the third painting in the Haystack series concerned that there were two other paintings of the same subject "ahead" of it? Somehow, I doubt it.
I had occasion recently to remind one of my patrons who came to my studio ready to purchase (unbeknownst to me) a painting that I had sold a couple of months prior, that "if it moves you, buy it." I have painted the same subject a second time for patrons who wanted a different size or slight color changes. And, come to think of it, I have cranked out tiny landscape paintings for retail sale.
Ultimately, this rambling thought process leads me to the conclusion that a series of paintings can be inspired by the same thing. I've been hooked on the moon lately, for example.
'Selene3'
oil on canvas, 30x40"
If such inspiration results in multiple renditions of the same subject, even the same compositions of the same subjects, but in different colors, I get it. Sounds sort of like I'm trying to justify my decision to follow the Instagram artist's lead.
Does a viewer/patron care about the inspiration behind a piece of art? I'd say the answer is "yes" most of the time, especially if s/he is spending a significant amount of money (and the definition of that term is certainly different for everyone) on a work that moves her/him. Otherwise, the purchase is most likely based on the appeal of the piece and how it might fit into a collection.
Okay! Thought exercise concluded for now. I'd love to hear your thoughts on inspiration. Happy New Year, ya'll!
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