When I am in my studio, I often look up at my wall for inspiration. Stuck on it are cuttings, pictures, small drawings, reminders and beautiful objects which revive me, push me to do more and often give me sound advice. Advice comes from some of the people who have inspired me immensely - Georgia O'Keeffe, Virginia Woolf, John Muir, Maya Angelou, Henry David Thoreau, Vincent Van Gogh.
When I am frustrated with a painting, Georgia O'Keeffe says,
"Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing."
To be true to myself, Virginia Woolf says, "This soul, or life within us, by no means agrees with the life outside us. If one has the courage to ask her what she thinks, she is always saying the very opposite to what other people say."
That art is not separate from the rest of life, is what John Muir says,
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
Courage comes to me from Maya Angelou who says,
"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently."
Henry David Thoreau reminds me to persevere,
"Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."
And finally, Vincent Van Gogh sternly tells me to have faith,
"Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion."
Who inspires you?
When I am frustrated with a painting, Georgia O'Keeffe says,
"Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing."
To be true to myself, Virginia Woolf says, "This soul, or life within us, by no means agrees with the life outside us. If one has the courage to ask her what she thinks, she is always saying the very opposite to what other people say."
That art is not separate from the rest of life, is what John Muir says,
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
Courage comes to me from Maya Angelou who says,
"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently."
Henry David Thoreau reminds me to persevere,
"Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."
And finally, Vincent Van Gogh sternly tells me to have faith,
"Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion."
Who inspires you?
