1. Odd Nerdrum

I was struck by Nerdrum’s technique. He is incredibly skilled with oil paint and I find his colour pallette to be emotive and mysterious. But what I appreciate most about Nerdrum’s work are his landscapes which resemble an surreal void, or a limbo of some sort. It further alienates his subject matter.

2. Peter Doig- Doig has made the biggest impact on me this year for many reasons; his imagery, his palette and his handling of paint. I am at home with many of his symbols: the canoe, the coniferous forests, lake landscapes similar to the Canadian landscape.  He captures an interior world in his exterior landscapes through the mystersious use of washes and eccentric application of electic colour.  I haven’t be able to fully articulate how moved I am by this artist. Maybe after I have seen his work in person, I will be able to better articulate exactly what makes Doig’s work so moving for me.

3. James Jean- I love James Jean’s creativity and ability to capture the figure. His palettes are also so diverse, I could just lick his paintings!

4. Daniel Richter- Similar to the way I feel about Peter Doig, Richter’s interior/exterior landscape really gets to me. More then Doig, I appreciate Richter’s groups of figures.

5. Justin Ogilvie- Although I only worked briefly with Ogilvie in his studio, I was exposed to so many great ways of running an art studio and producing work. Ogilvie let me in on his process, how he conducts his classes and his daily regime of painting and organizing a professional studio. Priceless education I find myself very grateful for. I hope Justin Ogilvie is kicking ass at the University of Edmonton, where he is obtaining his M.F.A. He is an incredible Canadian talent who works very hard at his craft. I wish him all the best.

6. All Citizens-Bruno, Saskatchewan- While researching the idea that Contemporary art is biased towards urban centres, I stumbled across this very special place call All Citizens in Bruno, Saskatchewan. It is providing contemporary music and visual art to the very rural community. They showcase very talented and successful Canadian Musicians who apprecaite art being accessible to rural folk. All Citizens has inspired many ideas for the Little Beaver Cultural Centre.

7. Pat B Allen- After reading these two books, I’ve been open to the idea of art being more then just an academic institiution. There are possibilties of serving humanity beyond the Art World’s prescribed notions, throw theraputic and creative medititations. It provides a visual manifestation of our interior worlds, and offers a great way to get to know ourselves. It has great healing powers. These books introduced Creative Arts therapy as a possible career path for me.

8. Joe Fig- This book is very inspiration for any artist who has spent time in the studio. The book is set up on the “Inside the Actor’s Studio” basis where Joe Fig asks the same questions to a variety of professional artist ( all painters). There amswers give insight to the unique routine of individual artists and how they manage to develop a creative lifestyle. This is a must read for those who are struggling to get into the studio and work.

9. Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture- During my Ayahuasca trip, I saw many visions which looked like designs and figures from the Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture (Ancestors to the Ukrainian People) I am of Ukrainian ancestry and I now find myself very intrigued by the fashion of the Trypillian people. I will be researching more about these ancient people to see if there is any primordial connection trying to find its way into my work.

10. Wangechi Mutu-Using a variety of materials, Mutu collages are disturbing and fantastic and display the vast creativity of the artist. By hybridizing different images of African women in the media she intersects a space of symbols and stereotypes. She also captures an abject and groteseque beauty in her figures. I find her visual assemblages very pleasing and thougth prevoking.

]]> http://www.lindsayjoyhamilton.com/blog/top-ten-influential-artists-of-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.lindsayjoyhamilton.com/blog/blu-youve-done-it-again/ http://www.lindsayjoyhamilton.com/blog/blu-youve-done-it-again/#comments Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:40:36 +0000 lindsayjoy http://www.lindsayjoyhamilton.com/blog/?p=1299

I know these people…its true.

Ten enduring imperatives of painting

1. Activate figure/ground relationships.

Jennifer Mao Figure Ground

2. Subvert verisimilitude.

Glenn Ligon Malcolm X (small version 1) #1, 2001; painting; paint and screen print on primed canvas, 48 in. x 36 in. (Image via)

3. No line unchallenged.

Sigmar Polke, Over the Rainbow, 2006 (obit here)

4. No dead edges.

Andrew Dadson, Plank Lean Painting #2, 2010. (detail) Oil on canvas. 60 x 60 x 10 inches

5. Color needs a crew.

Robert Ryman (His white on white in white qualifies.) Ledger, 1982. (Image via)

6. How carries what.

Mark Mumford, Hold Still, 2003 Ink on paper

7. Ransack the past (be a chop shop).

Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further… And one fine morning – So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby

John Currin

8. Let ripe go rotten.

Joan Snyder Rain, 2009 oil, acrylic, burlap, seeds, paper mache, on linen 39″ x 54″

9. Like a thermos, contain heat without radiating it.

Cher Pruys- painter, mostly known for her aviation paintings

Eric Keast- painter and sculptor

Marke Henteleff- potter

Peter Humeniuk- water colourist and painter

Die Active Art Collective- contemporary art collective

Linda Lovisa- painter

Angela Bulloch- installation artist

Carol Cooper- digital artist

Linda Paquin-steel and glass artist

Pippi Johnson- painter

Jason P Nelson- Stone Sculptor

Melissa Jean-painter

Its nice to see so many ladies on the list.

It seems to be the struggle of an artist, choosing there medium, over coming technical issues in order to see your visions through. It is incredibly important to know your intention in creating, in order to focus it so the work can teach you something about your intentions. I’ve seen lots of work that isn’t based in some sort of intention and it is read as arbitrary and a bit confusing. Their intention wasn’t to confuse. They “just wanted to make something” which I take issue with. If you “just want to make something” why share it? I am interested in the idea of the art, and rarely the art itself. So keep you thoughtless art at home were it belongs.

Here’s Meredith Monk. She is a singer, director/choreographer and creator of new opera, music theater works, films and installations. A pioneer in what is now called “extended vocal technique” and “interdisciplinary performance,” Monk creates works that thrive at the intersection of music and movement, image and object, light and sound in an effort to discover and weave together new modes of perception. Her groundbreaking exploration of the voice as an instrument, as an eloquent language in and of itself, expands the boundaries of musical composition, creating landscapes of sound that unearth feelings, energies, and memories for which we have no words. She has alternately been proclaimed as a “magician of the voice” and “one of America’s coolest composers.” During a career that spans more than 40 years she has been acclaimed by audiences and critics as a major creative force in the performing arts. (Monk’s site)

Monk seemingly doesn’t singing about anything in particular, her work is about explores ‘the intangible’ with voices, attempting to make things “other worldly”.  Despite the ethereal and abstract nature of her work, Monk is incredibly considerate technically about about her composition.