I will admit I have a favorite visual artist, it’s Georgia O’Keeffe, hands down! AND she’s following me. Well, technically of course, the artist herself is not following me, but her art is. Ok…more accurately, it appears that I’m following her. I’ve happened upon exhibits of her art in Minneapolis (maybe not such a big deal because I live there, but also…), Chicago, New York and now – Madrid, Spain!
But what I really want to tell you about is what happened in Madrid. Something completely unexpected occurred that connected me to my own art, my artistic process and, surprisingly, the very sense of who I am at the core.
While spending time with O’Keeffe’s paintings at the Thyssen Museum in Madrid and learning more about her life and her process, I re-discovered that, like the artist, I am also a collector of stones, skulls, leaves and other natural items. Like her, I find I am rejuvenated as an artist by long walks and solitude. That moment of awareness re-affirmed for me that time spent walking and collecting are central to my artistic process and that it is time well spent!
As I viewed her paintings, some of which I had seen before, I had this feeling that O’Keeffe was depicting the essence of objects. She wasn’t trying to paint what on object looked like, but what an object consisted of in its entirety, its intrinsic nature, its indispensable qualities – its essence. That felt familiar to me. For O’Keefe, she was painting the essence of the skulls, flowers, moon and mountains. For me, I believe I’m seeking to portray in my compositions the essence of daily living, the stories, words and emotion.
By helping us to really “see” the flower or skull, I believe O’Keefe leads us to encounter ourselves and our existence. The same can be true with music. As I stood in the museum surrounded by her paintings, I sensed that I knew myself on a deeper level. I suddenly had a greater understanding of my place in the Universe. I felt the shift happen.
What is it that you do that helps you feel inspired to create, whether it’s for your art, your writing, your cooking, or your knitting? I would love to hear from you!
