I am often asked where I get my ideas for my work. Here’s one example.
In early 2007 I was itching to break away from my representational botanical pieces. Although those pieces derive from my great love of botanical life, I was feeling hemmed in by copying what I saw in nature. I wanted to open my work up with a sense of play, creativity and imagination.
My first steps in this direction were branches with mixed fruits. (Not very far from realistic, I know, but I guess I’m slow.) I made Surreal Plums as a nod to Dali.
Then one day while reading a book on Picasso, my attention was caught by this painting of Dora Maar, in which her hat looks triangular. Somehow this sparked the idea that I should try making triangular leaves.
Remembering Dora’s Hat was born from that idea. I decided to experiment with white and with a coarse clover green frit. I was almost shocked by the feel of this piece compared with my realistic pieces. The sharp corners were foreign and the high contrast between the white leaves and the dark green of the branch added to the dramatic look.
Figuring that being shocked by something new is a good catalyst, I made two more pieces in the Dora’s Hat series, this time with triangular blossoms. First was Dora’s Hat In Bloom, in which I made the leaves, the blossoms and the entire plant in triangles. Finally, I made a smaller Dora’s Hat In Bloom.
These pieces lead to another experiment with geometric shapes, How Does Your Garden Grow?, with square leaves. I have a set of yellow square leaves ready for another piece, which I will make when I get a new inspiration for the fruit or flowers.
And that is one story about how I get my ideas.
Dora’s Hat In Bloom
How Does Your Garden Grow?