Posts Tagged ‘painting of landscape’
National Park Service Artist-in-Residence Program
As part of the National Park Service’s Artist-in-Residence Program, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, located in Northern California, is seeking professional artists working in photography, sculpture and painting to participate in the 2011 Residency Program. Artists lucky enough to be selected will have the opportunity to live in an artists’ cabin in Whiskeytown for three weeks, with the goal of producing new works inspired by the park. The park features the Shasta Bally Mountain, oak woodlands, waterfalls, and Whiskeytown Lake. In exchange for the residency, the artists will be asked to give a public presentation and donate a piece of art from their time in Whiskeytown.
For an artist who loves landscape art, this sounds like a wonderful opportunity to create and commune with nature. To apply, artists are asked to submit a resume and exhibition record, statement of intent, sample of artistic works (5-8 images on a CD), and indication of preferred residency dates. Applications are due February 15, 2011 and should be mailed to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Attn: Artist-in-Residence Program, P.O. Box 188, Whiskeytown, CA 96095.
Fine Art Can Be Found Outside the Museum
When I visited Paris a few years ago, I was obviously astonished at its architectural beauty. The streets were teeming with life, and just watching people go about their everyday activities – gathering groceries for an evening meal, zipping along on motorized scooters, etc. – was enough to keep me busy for hours. More than anything, I relished the chance to see some of my favorite artists’ oil paintings up close and personal.
The paintings are part of Claude Monet’s celebrated water lilies cycle, and they are formally called Nympheas. Like the best impressionist work, these paintings capture a mood or emotion rather than attempting to faithfully document a scene out of real life. Luckily, you don’t have to fly all the way to France to appreciate works of art that are just as stunning and nuanced. Many collectors and appreciators of art do their shopping online, where hundreds of pieces are bought and sold each day.
Finding Artistic Inspiration
All artists, whether they are writers, painter or musicians, go through stages in their creative endeavors where they struggle for inspiration. In my experience both as an artist and an observer of fine art, I’ve found that many of my favorite pieces depict and portray some of the most elemental aspects of the earth. Landscape art has unparalleled beauty and there is an abundance of locales that can be utilized for inspiration.
The great thing about using the earth as tool for inspiration is that there is always something new to explore. Humans have been investigating the earth for thousands of years, and we are still discovering new locations and phenomena. While finding an exotic underground tavern or untouched piece of serene countryside would be ideal, you can still use the nature and wildlife in your own backyard to find motivation.