If you knew me and my art you might think Georgia O’Keeffe has been one of my major influences right from the start. Amongst other things, Georgia created paintings of large scale blooms, very close up. Truth is, I didn’t know who she was up to about 5 years ago. I recognised some of her artworks as soon as I saw them but it took a workshop and a discussion with my very good friend, Rebekah Pedersen Art (check out her beautiful paintings!), before I started to properly pay attention. I feel like I may have been living under a rock for a while there not to have become acquainted with the work of this genius, and I can now say Georgia is one of my absolute favourite artists!
My favourite Georgia O'Keeffe collection
'Georgia O'Keeffe Museum' text by Barbara Buhler Lynes, published by ABRAMS, New York, 2007
At school we mostly studied the impressionists. Those that we studied were all men. My family nurtured my love of art from a young age, but most of the books back then were of male artists! So I think that in a world that was over saturated in celebrating the greatness of male artists, I can be forgiven for not realising there were so many amazing female artists. In many ways they were even more extraordinary because they were trailblazers who created a pathway for other female creatives! I honestly didn’t care that much back then- I wanted to be an artist, no matter what, and I didn’t even question the fact that women weren’t being represented in our education! A travesty!
Julia's Rose from my garden
Anyway, back to Georgia. Here we have an artist who created their own style and painted subjects she was inspired by. She didn’t fit into any box and was an important influencer in modern art. Along with the flowers, Georgia created minimalist abstractions, landscapes inspired from her desert home, still life paintings from skulls and bones found in her surroundings, and creative sculptures.
Georgia O'Keefe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Clearly it is the flower paintings that take the focus of my attention. I could look at them for hours, and over and over again without getting bored. It is widely believed that her close up flower paintings are a representation of the female genitalia and an exploration of sexuality. I can see that in flowers; after all, they ARE the means of plant reproduction- the key to survival of their species. Just ask Sir David Attenborough- another person with a deep love and fascination of what our world has to offer! Perhaps though, it is more simple than that and Georgia was merely drawn in by their beauty, only recreating what she saw, and doing something that brought her joy.
Zooming in on some of my beloved large-scale florals - AVAILABLE FOR SALE on my website
I know that is what I do. I adore flowers and am greatly inspired by nature. This amazing world in which we live can provide a distraction from life’s problems, a calming of the senses, a lifting of the spirits. Perhaps I am a simple person who is easily pleased?
I would love you to visit my website Gallery of flowers and fruits at www.vanessaosborneart.com. The paintings I have shared in this blog are available for purchase, along with others, and maybe even a few paintings that are so far unlisted :)
If you have any questions about my paintings, please don’t hesitate to email me at vanessaosborneart@gmail.com
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