“Great art picks up where nature ends.” - Marc Chagall Art is a visual creative expression of an artist’s moods, feelings, experiences. Interesting how so often it reflects the beauty of what they see and then capture around them. I often reference the influence of nature on the various work of many artists. These select artworks reflect a few artists’ interpretations of nature, their wintry blues and browns touched with gold accents - they feel like the holiday and winter season - filled with warmth, family, friends and some holiday sparkle!
When I saw this photo recently of a jaguar in photographer Shelli Breidenbach’s home, I was drawn to the graphic and stunning image. Shelli captured the animal, its movement and its beauty. Aztec is from Breidenbach’s Big Game series.
It made me think about how animal prints have been used in fashion and home decor for a long time, a bit of a zebra or leopard pattern make a strong visual statement. This began in the 18th century when Europeans brought back exotic skins as trophies while they were colonizing Africa and Asia. They remained a status symbol of sorts. The brown, black and white patterns, created from nature easily blend with all styles. I recently browsed through many Pinterest boards, here is one by interior designer Carolyn Williams filled with great pics from fashion and decor.
This is a more serene image, of an abstract sunset from John Duckworth’s Landscape Series. Duckworth’s “photographs are infused with an intimate knowledge of nature, a passion for pure color, and a rhythm drawn from life itself.” His images of the South Carolina coast have a universal appeal.
There has been much interest recently in abstract land and seascapes, as they bring nature inside in a way that is familiar, easy and calming.
Kerri Rosenthal’s abstract paintings reflect the artist’s here and now, she is always adding new work to her different series. Kerri gives names to her work that lets the viewer into her world, one that’s informed by many stylistic viewpoints, from art, to fashion to decor to nature. A recent series is all about the season, Winter Chic, 40"x40"
and Winters Dream, 48"x48"
Artist Andrea Bonfils recently introduced the Submerged Garden Series. This is an extension of her underwater photography and mixed media work. In her previous series, she captured people, their movement and forms through water. She is now exploring the color and shape of flowers and the way they transition from crisp to blurred under the water line. Blue Hydrangeas
The images are stunning when printed large and mounted in plexi as in a recent installation.
In photographer Barbara Erdmann’s Abstract Series, she focuses on the repetitive patterns she finds in nature. This graphic image, Hubris, brings back memories of pulling dandelion weeds from the ground, making a wish, and blowing it through the summer air.
Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season filled with warmth & sparkle...and hoping your wishes for the season and the new year all come true!
