How Artists have have inspired & helped me:
“Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting, and… stop
thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to ‘walk
about’ into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do
you want?”
— Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky was an Russian artist, and colour theorist; who lived from 1886-1994. He is most well known for his pioneering in the area of abstract art, and his colour theory in the west. I will mostly be taking a look at his early pieces, in my study of him.. Kandinsky was influenced by colour as a child, he recalls entering into church buildings and being awed by the play of colour in the stain glass windows. He also enjoyed studying folk art, he liked how they used bright colours against dark backgrounds, and he used that technique in a lot of his earlier work.
He was also noted for comparing painting to composing music. “Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmony, the soul is the piano
with many strings. The artist is the hand which plays, touching one key
or another, to cause vibrations in the soul”. As Kandinsky began to grow as an artist, he found himself leaning to abstract art. He had several noticeable encounters with other artists works that influenced him such as Claude Monet, he especially liked his collection called “Haystacks”. He said that “…Painting took on a fairy-tale power and splendour” after enjoying Monet’s ‘Haystacks’.
It was during his time at art school, that Kandinsky began to be recognised as an art theorist, as well as a painter. His style at that time was made up of: using bold brush-strokes, and vibrant colours also with darker backgrounds and brighter foregrounds. he also tended to stay away from painting human figures, mostly focusing on landscapes. I find it interesting how Kandinsky used colours to express his feelings of the subject matter, rather than staying in the confines of its perceived colour.
The Blue Rider (1903)
The Blue Rider, was one of Kandinsky’s most famous paintings, that he painted in the early 1900s. It points toward the style Kandinsky would later adopt (before he went on to full on abstractionism). In this artwork there are various shades of blue used. Most noticeably the blue jacket of the rider, and blue shadow its casting. With blue shadows in the background. And blue shadows, reaching towards the rider. The field is filled with lots of quick, flowing marks. That suggests the idea of motion. The Blue Rider focuses the viewers attention, it is not clearly defined and has an unnatural gait as well. The painting makes you work when looking at it, not every detail is clearly defined. But I think its very effective, and I love how it conveys the motion, and excitement of someone galloping on a horse.
Kandinsky then spent 2 years travelling in Europe. Eventually he settled in the Bavarian town of Murnau (A location where he gained inspiration for many of his art pieces). During his time spent in travelling in Europe, Kandinsky encountered the art work and styles of, Pointillism (Georges Seurat), Post Impressionism (Paul Cezanne), and Fauvism (Henri Matisse). These all greatly influenced Kandinskys own art work and ideas. It was during this time that his abstract style, which he is most well known for today began to develop and come into fruition.
The Blue Mountain (1908-1909).
This painting displays his movement towards abstraction, though it is still reminiscent of his earlier style. This piece is quite flat (planar) and uses a broad use of colour. It naturally seems to divide into 4 sections. The sky, the red tree, the yellow tree, and the mountain along with the horses and its riders.
Honestly, On first glance at this piece I was not at all taken. I thought it, and particularly all the shapes he used were quite ugly. The trees especially didn’t seem very ‘tree-like’ to me, I generally like more graceful shapes/lines then the ones he uses. Also I didn’t see the riders at first. But then I decided to take a closer look, and I noticed a lot more. Looking closer I was able to appreciate the brush work he uses, and the broad range of colours which are blended really nicely. I especially like the sun, and its light behind the blue mountain.
Kandinsky kept exploring and developing his art, most well known for this time of his life, for forming: “The Blue Rider” Group, which was to last till the beginning of WW1. It was during this time also that Kandinsky published his book: “On the Spiritual in Art”. Kandinsky very much believed in a spiritual side to art. He thought that colour speaks for itself in art. One writer sums it up by saying: “He wanted a kind of painting in which colours, lines, and shapes, freed from the distracting business of depicting recognizable objects, might evolve into a visual “language” capable—as was, for him, the abstract “language” of music—of expressing general ideas and evoking deep emotions.”
I think its an thought provoking idea of Kandinsky’ that, “Material” things in paintings, really take away the full force and effect that colour can have on us in a piece of art. And that colour was actually like a visual language for him, one that could express emotion, ideas, and thoughts that are difficult to express otherwise.
“…He
believed that colour could be used in a painting as something
autonomous, apart from the visual description of an object or other
form…”
Kandinsky also thought that colour had the ability to speak for itself in an painting; and that it is essentially the main character in a piece of art. Here are a couple direct quotes from him that I liked, about colour:
1) “Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.”
2) “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.”
3) “Colour hides a power still unknown but real, which acts on every part of the human body.”
To wrap of my brief study of him (Kandinsky had an very long art career, which would take an long time even to summarise. So I’ve tried to include things that I found relevant and interesting). I’d just like to look at a couple more of his earlier art works.
Autumn Landscape with Boats (1908)
I think this is quite a cheerful, yet soothing piece. It is characterized by bright colours, and artfully bold brush-strokes. The colour in this piece is doing a lot of the work, with minimal small details in the different objects portrayed. I really like how the water, and the sky look in this piece. The reflections are really pretty in the water, and it conveys the sort of haziness there is, sometimes during Autumn. I like how the brush-strokes are not all in the same direction, the piece wouldn’t work if they were. I find my eyes going to the ship, which is pointing to the trees, and the skyline.
Autumn in Murnau (1908)
Another Autumn Scene, with differences and similarities!
This piece has a rugged, simple, yet distinctive beauty to it. The tree, set in the foreground has possibly the most brushwork on it, than anything else in the piece. I love the blue hues! The path and small cluster of houses in the background, also add depth to the painting. Kandinsky merges his own style of painting here, with an landscape scene, in a beautiful and unique way.
Winter Landscape (1909)
This for me has a less graceful fell than the Autumn landscapes. However I still like it! Probably because the long sweeping strokes featured in the water, and the path, are not really seen here. Instead the strokes on the snow are more dot like. Trying to give us a impression of what the snow looks like glittering in the setting sun. Again, the path going round the corner, adds depth to the picture. The mountains in the background which use more blue and black paint, seem to be reminding us that it it winter and a cold night is coming. But for now we are being invited to witness the effects of the seeting sun, in a remote beautiful location.
I’ve really enjoyed studying, and learning about Wasssily Kandinsky. It has helped me to form opinions on art, taking time to notice what I do and don’t like about the piece. I’ve enjoyed thinking about coulor, and the role or plays in a piece; being able to influence our thoughts and emotions, in ways that are sometimes hard to express with ‘material things’.
Interviewing Mrs. Veronica:
Mrs. Veronica is an artist who I take weekly art lessons with. She has a very bright personality, and is an encouraging art teacher. Something she has helped me to realise is, that when doing art is very much a process. You develop your skills gradually, all the time learning new things. Art for her is a journey, where you don’t know where different things may lead you. First you have to be inspired! inspiration can come from lots of different things. In a recent session block with her, the prompt was based on memories, and locations that meant something us. So we spent the time thinking, sketching, and discussing what we wanted to draw. After thinking through it, we then got down to creating our pieces, we reviewed them after pointing out things we did and didn’t like! Always with a positive mindset that art is a ongoing creative journey. . .
The Interview:
Here is an outline of the questions I asked her:
- What is your art form? What do you feel as you create with your art form?
- Why did you choose that as your art form?
- How have you developed your art form? How have you developed your decision making with your art form?
- Medium… how and why is it chosen? How do you get the point of deciding what tool works for you?
- Subject matter… What are your subject matters? How did you decide on your chosen subject matter?
- How did you develop your art to be your career in the UK?
- And we discussed, briefly the difference between Art in the UK and Africa… )
Here is the link on YouTube of my interview with her —–> Interview for Silver Art Awards with Mrs. Veronica
(Her sound recording system on her device wasn’t working, so she videoed it from another device. The view is a little awkward, but the sound still works fine 😉
Reviewing our Discussion:
What are the ways in which artists participate in the local art scene and the provisions that are offered to artists?
How do artists choose their art forms and the ways that they work within their art forms?
How do artists progress in their career and what future opportunities does this offer to young artists?
– Noticing things, wanting to ‘capture’ things. Observing & sketching. Deliberate observation, being ‘in the moment’.
– Deliberate decisions, and with a goal of having fun.
– Spontaneous.
How does Veronica work as an artist?
– Visual arts watercolour painting, collaging, using hands and experimenting.
– Flowers as subject matter, and shop fronts – original styles, show peoples preferences – character.
How does she make a career as an artist?
Found Joy in art – and wanted to share that with others.
– Wanted to develop art skills. Art is something you keep developing. Can’t pass on skills, if you’re not developing it yourself.
Art lessons, teaching it to others, that is her source of income-trade and exporting cultural presentation of life
Artists in Burkina (Practical vs. visually pleasing)
– Don’t see themselves as ‘artists’ – artisans artistic forms (sewing, ect).
Opportunities for art –
– lots of varying opportunities – artists with technology…
– Advertising and Industry. Creative skill is valuable.
– Keep an open mind, keep experimenting, stay curious.
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