Artistic Influences

By: Allison Watkins

Proposal
Within this course, I intend to create works which address a sense of history and narrative. I want for the subject matter of my works to create a feeling of intimacy. I have found that often commonplace objects and settings attract me more than extraordinary ones. Admittedly, such imagery can tell a seemingly mundane narrative. However, the fact things so ordinary can capture my attention and remain within my thoughts is what makes them so special to me. I tie memories and stories to objects and places, objects and places to individuals, and individuals to back to memories and stories. Even more intriguing to me are the objects, places, and people of whose stories I am unaware. Inevitably then, aged objects and places fascinate me. After all, they have more to tell.

Overview of Influences

Velzquez
Desiderio

Singer Sargent

Borremans

Majumdar

Diego Velzquez (1599-1660)

Born in Seville, Spain Baroque Period Portrait artist
Studied under Francisco de Herrera Apprentice under Francisco Pacheco Leading artist in the court of King Philip IV Trips to Italy
Self-Portrait, 1643

Velzquez, Las Meninas, 1656

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)

Born in Florence, Italy Portrait and landscape artist Studied in both Italy and France Carolus-Duran England Trips to USA Velzquez Influences: Duran, Bonnat, Velzquez
Self -Portrait, (1906)

Singer Sargent, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, 1882

Singer Sargent, Parisian Beggar Girl, 1880

Vincent Desiderio (b. 1955)

Born in Philadelphia Haverford College Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Westchester County, New York Allegory Influences: de Kooning, Picasso, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Velzquez, Fischl, Lpez Garca, Saville, Brown, Richter, Freud
Self-Portrait Before Orozco, 2010

Desiderio, Cockaigne, 2003

Desiderio, Cockaigne, 2003 (top);De Kooning, Excavation, 1950 (left); and Pieter Brugel the Elder, Land of Cockaigne, 1567 (right)

Michal Borremans (b. 1963)

Born in Geraardsbergen, East Flanders Painter and filmmaker College of Arts and Sciences Saint Luke, Ghent Teacher at Secondary Municipal Art Institute of Ghent Ghent Ideological failure Influences: Manet, Degas, Goya, Chardin, Velzquez

Borremans, Blue, 2005

Sangram Majumdar (b. 1976)

Born in Calcutta, India Emigrated to the US in 1990 Rhode Island School of Design Indiana University Brooklyn, New York Physicality versus psychology of works Influences: de Kooning, Matisse, Influence within Indian Painting (Persian, Deccan or European), Indian architectural motifs, and temple structures

Majumdar, From Here to There, 2010

Conclusion
Studying these artistic influences throughout the semester has truly helped me to think about my works technically as well as conceptually and intellectually. As I move on in my creation of works, I hope to push the ideals of Velzquez, Singer Sargent, Desiderio, Borremans, and Majumdar even further. It is my hope to produce stylistically interesting and intimate works which are capable of conveying a sense of human element while engaging the viewer though application of paint as well as revelation of history, emotion, and narrative.

Works Referenced
"Art and Sensibility: An Interview with Vincent Desiderio." Out of Order Magazine. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.outofordermag.com/2012/04/vincent-desiderio/>. Diego Rodriguez De Silva y Velzquez Biography. Velzquez Biography. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.diegovelazquez.org/biography.html>. John Seed: Writing About Art and Artists: A Conversation with Sangram Majumdar. John Seed: Writing About Art and Artists: A Conversation with Sangram Majumdar. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.johnseed.com/2012/03/conversation-with-sangrammajumdar.html>. "John Singer Sargent Biography." John Singer Sargent Biography. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.johnsingersargent.org/biography.html>. Michael Borremans. Artinfo. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/13454/michael-borremans/>.

Michael Borremans. Zeno X Gallery. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.zenox.com/artists/michael_borremans.htm>.

Sangram Majumdar - Bio. Sangram Majumdar - Bio. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.sangrammajumdar.com/bio.html>. "Vincent Desiderio's Cockaigne Vincent Desiderio's Cockaigne - Art Center Information. Web. 06 May 2012. <http://www.artcenterinformation.com/2011/12/vincent-desiderioscockaigne/>.