This week our guest post comes from Alice, Head Teacher at Cygnets Edinburgh Southside, who talks to us about her favourite artists and how they speak to her favourite themes in art – colour, nature and light.
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Asking an art teacher to choose their favourite artist is like asking a chef to choose one dish, it feels impossible. I know that there are pieces out there I’ve told myself are ‘the best I’ve ever seen’, only for it to fade into distant memory or be ‘replaced’ by another. With so much art being created, and so many artists undiscovered, I’ve found that a good way to answer this question is to open it up a little more than the individual behind the masterpieces. When looking at artworks, I know that I am drawn to three main themes: colour, nature and light. I cannot help admiring pieces that focus on one, or all of these and I can guarantee that if the next new artist I discover also favours these in their work, they will likely be added to my ‘favourites list’. Art as a whole feels too subjective and too ever-changing to settle on a select few, but here are three artists whose work I will never get bored of.
Claude Monet (b.1840 – 1924 France)
It would be a crime to express my love for nature, light and colour and not include Monet in this list. As a little girl, impressionism did not impress me, but as I’ve grown and tried and tested many artistic styles, it’s safe to say that Monet’s pieces come from a rare place of talent. Whilst I prefer realism when creating my own pieces, the ability to convey nature’s beauty through soft lines, and ‘messy blobs’ is a skill I wish came naturally to me. His works involving water constantly inspire me to relax into the process of adding colour and shape, rather than spending all my time being too meticulous. His freeing technique in oils will always be something I look up to, and his work is always a great point of reference for teaching children that art comes in many forms, and that what makes pieces the most special is when you can feel the artist’s view of the world shining through.
Gao Yuan (b.1986, China)
One skill I find most impressive within art is the ability to ‘paint’ light. Being able to look at a view, understand all the routes that the sun takes through that space and replicate it with such realism that it looks as effortless as the real thing often takes me aback. This becomes even more impressive when the sun creates intricate shapes and shadows through nature’s spaces. To me, nothing is more beautiful than dappled light shining through tree leaves. Gao Yuan’s work overflows with light and shadows and combines urban spaces with nature to highlight the beauty within the mundane in a way that inspires me to create, but admittedly often makes me want to surrender and just enjoy her work forever instead. You can view some of his works here.
Douglas Percy Bliss (b.1900 – 1984, Scotland)
As an avid environmentalist who grew up in the countryside, Bliss’ pieces give me a huge sense of nostalgia, and a longing for a return to rural living. His attention to detail blows me away in every piece, and I feel in awe of his ability to finish each work whilst upholding the level of intricacy he does. His understanding of light amongst nature is so impressive you could spend hours looking at every individual leaf. His eye for colour makes each piece seem like a portal through to the real thing. I am not a landscape artist myself, but each time I admire this artist’s work, I am encouraged to take my easel to a quiet spot outside and spend hours working on every little detail. However, I do tend to struggle with repetition in my artwork as I am known to become easily distracted, making landscape artists so impressive to me. I long to have even a slice of Bliss’ patience!
I love his work Gunhills, Windley 1946-52, which you can see here and Orchard Gate, 1955, which you can view here.
