Monday Motivation - Edvard Munch - Painter/Printmaker

This week's Monday Motivation is a day late, but I hope you'll find the featured artist inspiring nonetheless.  On Friday, my husband and I decided to take a trip to The Art Institute of Chicago.  We've been living outside of the city for a full year and have not made our way to the museum yet.  This is a strange thing for me since I made an annual trip with my mother all the way through high school and it's one of my favorite places in Chicago.  But when I learned that admission to the museum is free and that tickets to the new Munch exhibit are half off through the month of February, I decided it was time we made the trip.  My husband had never been and it was a great inaugural visit.  

Becoming Edvard Munch: Influence, Anxiety and Myth opened on Valentine's Day and runs through April 26th.  The exhibit counters the widely held belief that Munch was mentally unstable or that he was not influenced by his Scandinavian peers.  Paintings and prints by Munch are displayed side-by-side with the work of artists like Claude Monet, Max Klinger and James Ensor.  It's a fantastic in-depth look at an artist who spent his career finding ways to express intense emotions through his work.  If you have an opportunity to go, I very much recommend it.  Munch's work is raw and emotional and his story is told well through his own hand. (Above: Edvard Munch, Madonna, 1894-1895, painting)

Monday Motivation - Piet Mondrian - Painter

As I looked at my work area today, I saw the small pieces of colored glass sitting on the gridded work surface and I thought about the paintings of Piet Mondrian.  When he attempted to explain his artistic theory, he said this: "I believe that it is possible that, through horizontal and vertical lines constructed with awareness, but not with calculation, led by high intuition, and brought to harmony and rhythm, these basic forms of beauty, supplemented if necessary by other direct lines or curves, can become a work of art, as strong as it is true."  You see, I've been having a bit of a hard time with inspiration the last couple of weeks.  Everything I do seems too calculated or formulaic.  This week, I'm going to let Piet be my guide and I'm going seek out that harmony and rhythm through my own sense of awareness and intuition.  Hopefully, I'll have some good results that I can share with all of you soon. (Above: Piet Mondrian, Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray, 1921, Oil on Canvas, 60.1 x 60.1 cm, Vertical axis 84.5 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago)

Monday Motivation - Dale Chihuly - Glass Artist

You might say that this week's Monday Motivation is long overdue.  Dale Chihuly is, after all, probably the most recognized glass artist in the world today.  His work is varied; there is something for everyone.  As a founder of the Pilchuck Glass School, glass artists all over the world have learned about their craft because of him.  Furthermore, he has been the leading force in revolutionizing the modern Studio Glass movement.  He has exploded the boundaries of the medium and established a collaborative technique that is unparalleled.

Take a look at some of Chihuly's work.  Which pieces do you like the best?  The Seaforms?  The Macchia?  What about the Installations or Chandeliers?  They are all so different, yet his fascination with color, light and transparency are evident in all of them.  As you go about your week, challenge yourself to break new ground and try something you've never tried before.  Chihuly's work shows us the wonderful things that can happen when you do.  (Above: Dale Chihuly, Squero di San Trovaso, 1996, 10'x4', Chihuly Over Venice)

Monday Motivation - William Morris - Glass Artist

Today's Monday Motivation features William "Billy" Morris. His work reminds us that things are not always what they seem. Yes people, what you're looking at here is glass. William Morris is a uniquely talented glassblower who can transform a delicate, fragile medium into something that it isn't: rough, solid and full of texture.  His pieces resemble artifacts from an ancient past, beckoning us to learn more about where they came from.  I encourage you to take a closer look at some of Billy's work and as you go about your week challenge yourself to look beneath the surface and see the true beauty of the things around you. (Above: William Morris, Situla, 2000, 22"x24"x18", blown glass, steel stand, photo: Rob Vinnedge)

Monday Motivation - Jasper Johns - Painter

As you can tell, this week's Monday Motivation was directly influenced by last week's Presidential Inauguration.  I think it can safely be said that no matter your political preference, the peaceful transfer of power is an amazing thing to witness and a great source of pride for us here in the United States.  So, when I received an e-mail from the Museum of Modern Art featuring Jasper Johns' painting, Flag, it struck me that artists are uniquely able to express those feelings in a very powerful, but non-verbal way.  His use of the symbol as a visual object allows us to divorce the subject from it's symbolic meaning.  But, for me it's exactly that separation that allows me to see it's true beauty.  His treatment of the surface and the variations in color lend a depth to the image that can be hard to see when you think of the flag in a strictly symbolic way.  Strangely enough, it is through Johns' eyes that I see the flag as more beautiful and powerful than ever before.  I hope you'll take a moment to explore more of Jasper Johns' work and let his work inspire your week.

Monday Motivation - Lino Tagliapietra - Glass Artist

It's time for our Monday Motivation again and today I'm writing about the man, the maestro: Lino Tagliapietra. He's considered by many to be the best glass artist ever and I'm one of those people.

Born on the island of Murano in 1934, Lino apprenticed under Archimede Seguso and became a maestro at the age of 21.  Over the span of his career, his work has evolved to combine traditional Venetian technique with a contemporary artistic concept.  

In last week's post I talked about Centre College and it's wonderful glass program run by Stephen Rolfe Powell.  Since 2000, Lino has visited the program four times and generously shared his expertise and talent.  Like Steve, he's not only a fabulous artist, but a mentor and teacher as well.  So take a look at some of Lino's work and get your Monday Motivation!

Monday Motivation - Stephen Rolfe Powell - Glass Artist

Each Monday I'll publish a post about an artist. Some of the artists will be well-known, highly recognized figures, others will be friends and colleagues; all of them will be people who inspire me both in work and life and thus provide me with my Monday Motivation.

I guess I should start where it all began for me.  I was always an artsy kid.  I loved going to art fairs and museums, I was into dance and music instead of sports, I even took private art lessons when I was still in grade school!  It just seemed to follow naturally that when I went to college, I majored in Studio Art.  I started out focusing on my strengths - painting and drawing.  But there was something special about my college, something no other college nearby could offer.  A fantastic glass program with a world-class instructor.

Stephen Rolfe Powell is that instructor and since 1983 he's been sharing his talent and love of glass with the students of Centre College.  A former Centre student himself, Steve has built an incredible program that is turning out many of today's emerging glass artists.  He is an expert with color and texture and his pieces have received international recognition.  I highly encourage you to check out his website and his recently published book.  If you are in Chicago, stop by Marx-Saunders Gallery to see some of his work in real life.  In addition to being an amazing artist, Steve is also a great mentor.  He genuinely loves what he does and is happy to share his knowledge with anyone that's interested.  Now that's what I call inspiring!