Saturday 10 May 2014

From Behind the Easel: In the Style of...

From Behind the Easel: In the Style of...


 
1) Untitled | 7”x12” | acrylic on board by DJ Cleland-Hura
2) ‘Little Island’ by A.J. Casson: http://groupofsevenart.com/AJ-Casson-Group-Of-Seven-Art

I love art!  I’m a fan of art.  I love to look at art as much as create it.  The more I study art and artists, the more I appreciate what is possible.  

Sometimes the work of another artist will inspire me to learn more about what makes their work different from mine.  In certain cases I have done small paintings in their style or manner.  By working this way, it breaks me from my normal way of seeing and frees me to explore within my own style.  I also gain a new level of understanding and respect for that artist.

Here in this work (first image above), I have done a study in the style of A.J. Casson, a Canadian artist from the early twentieth century.  Casson was a member of the Group of Seven who were known for their stylized depictions of the Canadian wilds.  These artists were heavily influenced by the Scandinavian artists with whom they had studied before immigrating to Canada. 

Casson is known for using strong, front lighting and depicting trees and foliage as solid, stylized shapes.  In his painting “Little Island” (second image above), Casson shares his reverence for nature with dramatic lighting and bold, monolithic shapes.

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