Other Influences...

  Lawren Harris' "Mt. Robson" versus my "Monolith"

I'm sure most artists would like to think that they are creating work that is innovative, fresh and never-before-seen...but the blunt reality is that as part of the 21st century cohort we all have a massive visual history in our collective memory that we draw on (consciously or not) when creating our art.  In short, "It's all been done before".  I too, have my influences.  Some I've deliberately emulated and as such am well aware of...but other artists with similar styles have also been brought to my attention by other people over the years.  I'll run some of their works beside some of mine...an exercise I engage in with much trepidation.  Directly comparing my work to that of established artists (and by no means am I claiming to be a peer) is in some proportion brave or foolhardy, and I'll let the reader decide where that dividing line lies.

ALEX COLVILLE

Alex Colville "Horse and Train"

My "Arriving at Union"

The comparison I get the most is probably Canadian artist Alex Colville. I think part of it is a function of subject matter, particularly when it comes to his iconic "Horse and Train" painting.   But there are stylistic similarities too.  There's a starkness and a simplicity to both styles.  I've had people say my work is unsettling or haunting, and those are both words that apply to Colville in my opinion.

 Alex Colville "Infantry near Nijmegen"

My "The Winter Farmer"


EDWARD HOPPER

Though I understand the Colville link, it's American Edward Hopper that I'm probably most similar to.  I'll mention Hopper's name to patrons at art shows and often get blank stares, but most people would be familiar with his iconic work "The Nighthawks":

Edward Hopper "The Nighthawks"

My "Honest Ed's"

Hopper's heyday was in the early part of the 20th century.  Perhaps it's the fedora-clad men and moodily lit urban scenes that makes the comparison most apt.  

Edward Hopper "Second Story Sunlight"

My "Wash Day"

JEAN PAUL LEMIEUX

Jean Paul Lemieux is a Quebec artist and until patrons brought his name up I had to confess that I hadn't heard of him.  I've subsequently seen much more of his work both on-line and at the McMichael gallery.  

JP Lemieux "Montreal il y a longtemps"

My "Heading Home"


LS LOWRY

And then there's LS Lowry, a 20th century English artist.  More than once I heard the name and so looked him up.  I think there's definitly some kinship there, more so in the subject matter and perhaps the slightly naive/not quite realistic way he treats his human figures.  He has a large body of work that's quite lighthearted.

L S Lowry "Returning From Work"

L S Lowry "Hospital at Ancoast"

My "Blizzard of '98"

None of the above similarities were the result of direct imitation, and obviously in the case of the artists I had never heard of that simply couldn't have been the case.  But I believe as visual artists we tend to gravitate towards things we've seen and liked in the past, whether that's deliberate or not.  The piece I lead off this blog with, "Monolith" was indeed a direct attempt to create a Lawren Harris-style work.  It's something I did early on in my career when I was still finding my style.  I did four such paintings before abandoning that idea because it was simply too derivative of an already well-known painter. 

Turns out there's really no need to copy anybody else.  Those previous influences will find their way into your work whether you want them to or not, after all..."It's all been done before."