Does Fine Art Infuence Photography

For me this is a resounding YES!

Painting, sculpting all influence what I want to both photograph and to actually paint. 

It is a double-dip  Gift.

Kat Sloma invited us to visit galleries and art museums this week. We were to think about what we are attracted to and why. What captures our attention. Does or can art  influence our photography?

It is such a broad subject that I have chosen to narrow it down, way down and write several posts on differing points of view.

I would like to start by choosing a single painter, Pierre Bonnard, who has had an impact on me as an artist. I will never become weary of seeing Bonnard's work up close.

Bonnard could be interpreted as an 'impressionist' painter, except he rarely painted from life. He 'interpreted' his paintings through reconstruction...painting as his MIND saw it.

My favorite of his works are interiors, with shadows of people sitting around the perimeters.

His works are filled to overflowing with details. Which is what I want to focus on...details.

Can you find the woman in this idyllic scene? Note the careful positioning of food upon the table. 

The composition is pretty much dead center; but the heavy shadows reach to the right and the bottle to the left.

I find that I, too, like to take photos of the details and especially food. Some shots I set up, but most are more spontaneous, a remembrance of a delicious meal.

Note the heavy shadows on the table.

A fully filled frame, brilliant colors and textures.

Baby eggplants tumbled on a cloth, sun setting, deep shadows.

 The circular bowls are placed closely together. As I post this photo I see for the first time that almost everything is circular. The contrast being the checkered napkin.

 This shot shows a bowl of cantaloupe positioned in front of a painting..very circular with chopsticks pulling the two elements together. 

The next step for me is to take my photos and interpret into paintings.
 

These are large oil paintings with a common thread of food and congeniality.  They are composites of things I have experienced, seen or imagined. First through photography and influenced by artist's work I deeply admire.

Often a larger oil painting starts as a sketch. The sketches can be spontaneous or by looking through many photographs until I find something inspiring.

I have been truly blessed to have opportunities to experience with all of my senses, original art in galleries and museums through out America and abroad; studying art history; immersing myself in books of art.


All has had a large impact on my life....it does influence what and how I choose to paint and what I choose to photograph. 

Many of the photographs that I take, at that very moment of pushing down the shutter, I am thinking of how to interpret what I am seeing into a painting or sketch.


I hope I can find the time to give other examples....this is my favorite exercise that Kat has given our group.


May all who live along the Eastern corridor be protected as the hurricane approaches. You are in my thought and prayers.