Friday, April 11, 2008

Summer Interior, after Edward Hopper


Summer Interior
Oil on wood panel.
5x7 inches

Recently, I went to the DAM (Denver Art Museum) http://www.denverartmuseum.org/home, to see, "Inspiring Impressionism," an amazing exhibit that focuses on how the Impressionists were influenced by the art that came before them. Many of the top Impressionists spent time at the Louvre and other great museums, copying paintings of others, and learning in the process.

I've been to many of the top art museums around the world and have seen some remarkable exhibits, but this one has to rank with the best. It brings paintings together from nearly 70 museums and great collections, and in addition to being beautiful, for an artist, it is instructive of how the creative process worked for these great painters.

The exhibit is in Denver through May 25, then moves on to its last stop, the Seattle Art Museum, June 19–September 21, 2008. If you love art, you will want to see this one.

Featured prominently at the exhibit was a quote by Edgar Degas, "[An artist] should copy the masters and re-copy them, and after he has given every evidence of being a good copyist, he might then reasonably be allowed to do a radish, perhaps, from Nature."

In that spirit, my painting today, is my impression of a 1909 work by Edward Hopper.

So I say, paint on, and don't worry about copying or being influenced by others, as long as you are learning your craft along the way.
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To purchase this painting for $150, email me.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

2 comments:

SharonWrightArtist said...

Love this one,reminds me of being young and vulnerable. I agree about copying the masters, it's the best way to learn. Having said that, I think I have gone downhill since I copied my favourite Sargent!

Ed Terpening said...

You're right, there is a lot to be learned from copying the masters. I need to do so more often. Thanks for the inspiration!