[Today’s featured artwork for Day 46 of the 365 Days Project is by Lino Alviani.]
Influence is inevitable in creating art.
#46 – An Artist embraces artistic influences and then transcends them to create original work.
A variety of influences can shape the outcome of creative work – poems, nature, philosophy, music and other artists’ artwork. These influences can be quite strong in the beginning of an artist’s career until the artist learns to incorporate them into a personal style and vision and allow them to inform and enhance the work without completely taking over. Andy Warhol became famous for his appropriation of Campbell’s Soup cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits, but his artistic vision gave new meaning to these well-known subjects.
My own work is influenced by the patterns and designs found in nature as well as the artistic vision of Andy Goldsworthy and others who create using natural materials. My studio is full of stones, twigs, pods and other remnants from walks in the woods and I have a robust collection of exploratory photos of nature.
Since my artistic goal is not realism, I purposely refrain from using these images and forms as a direct frame of reference while I create. By simply surrounding myself with these influences, they enter my psyche and form a subconscious foundation for my creations. I have faith they will provide what I need, without the need to resort to copying from them verbatim.
I have learned to trust that my Artist Mind will retain what is appropriate and let it simmer together like a good stew with all the information and inspiration I’ve collected over the years, and then release what is necessary during the creative process.
Not all artists work exactly the same way, but we will always reach beyond our immediate influences to offer the world fresh and exciting views.
“The richness of an artist is the fusion of influences that have shaped his life and work.”
Fernando Botero
“We don’t make a photograph just with a camera, we bring to the act of photography all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard, the people we have loved.”
Ansel Adams
“If you wanna talk about influence, man, then you’ve got to realize that influence is not influence. It’s simply someone’s idea going through my new mind.”
Jean-Michel Basquiat
“Good artists borrow, great artists steal.”
Pablo Picasso
Lino Alviani’s artwork can be viewed at: Lino Alviani
Description of the images included in this post:
Marylino
Lino Alviani, Italy
Mixed media painting
Mandala
Lino Alviani, Italy
Mixed media painting
The 365 Days Project
In 2012, Serena Kovalosky committed to writing an article a day for 365 days as an exploration into the lives of artists and the value of creative thinking in our society.
Experience the full evolution of the project! Click below to read the entire collection of articles.
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