Rain, Steam and Speed
- The Great Western Railway
J.M.W. Turner
painted 1838
I was invited to write about the
influences which helped me as an artist
by the company
I have been enjoying reading some of
the artists who have been sharing
their own stories so I was delighted
to participate.
Standing in front of this amazing
Turner painting (above) was
definitely the start of realizing
a
painting
could give me goose bumps!
My huge emotional response
shook me up because before that I
was enamored by technical skill...
not realizing the
pure genius
of technical skill it took Turner
to do this.
This painting was done
2 years before Monet was born.
Turner painted outdoors a lot
and colors above are true to the
part of England I knew so well
because he actually painted
the atmosphere...
the rain,
steam trains,
and a very industrial area.
Turners watercolors are a
delight, but not easily available
to view in the area I now
live in here in the US
so when the museum in Houston
had a exhibition of his watercolors
years ago, I flew out to see it
and was delighted to find the
goose bumps were still there.
Other Influences.
Picasso had a strong impact
with his many different periods
of style and media. Such
comfort knowing it was
okay to change focus,
and Cezanne has long been an artist
I turn to when I need inspiration.
And my love of
Impressionism/Romanticism
was continued by being
drawn to some of Monet's more
atmospheric paintings.
Yes - the waterlilies for sure.
Seeing we are talking about
influences in art
there are interesting stories
about Turner's influence on Monet
after Monet visited the
National gallery in 1870
The story goes...
Monet stood in awe in front of
Turner's work and then after
some private visits ...and do you think
he could have seen this
during one of them?
(Sunrise is a clue)
Norham Castle -Sunrise
1845
JMW Turner
And when, after
returning to Paris, Monet started to
try and capture the emotion
he experienced about the atmosphere
as well
as the brighter colors of
painting outside.
There is no doubt of the change
when you see the before and after.
Here is a popular Monet piece
painted in 1867
Garden at Sainte-Adresse
C. Monet 1867
Forgive a little rant here...
Although this is a very popular
piece I dislike this painting for
several reasons, the
"dibby dabby do" brushwork
in lower half and smooth work
on top with every dang mast
on the way off horizon
painted in perfect detail!
BUT all is not lost -
Monet visits Turner
and look what happens
Impression - Sunrise
C Monet 1872
This is the painting which coined the
word Impressionism.
How marvelous for Monet
to find an influence
which had such a profound effect.
Sorry this led into such a long post.
I am beholden to all artists
who get inspired to try and
capture emotion, no matter their
style - but it was Turner who
gave me my first goose bumps.
It was fun finding out who in turn
influenced the great Turner.
But that's another story.
Thank you, Marietta for the invitation
to participate.
You must be very proud of
your mother, Patience...
her work is beautiful.
Please check out the blog
