“Good artists borrow, great artists steal!”

Art is everywhere. Art is everything.

What is art, and what is beautiful, is and forever will be subjective. There is no right or wrong answer. However, when you’re aware of categories of art (thanks critics) you are equipped to put on a special lens and appreciate works for what they are and what the artist was concerned about.

As students of visual media it is important to be knowledgeable of artistic movements because we will need to be aware of the different tastes that may appeal to our audiences. Artistic tastes are just as wide and varied as taste buds.

We have heard so many times since starting this iMedia program that, “Good artists borrow, great artists steal!” The concept of stealing still doesn’t sit well with me, but now I can see why professors encourage drawing from inspiration. We’ve also been encouraged to have “favorites” in the field that we  can relate to. I think it’s important for us to be exposed to as many interpretations of art as possible to really hone in on what our style is. The real beauty will be where our personal flair collides with the works we’re inspired by.

It’s good to be aware of important professionals in the same way it’s important to be socially aware of current and past events. If you don’t know where we’ve been (culturally) you don’t know where we’re going and why. The way to gain this knowledge is to stop and take in art as much as possible. Visit museums, peruse the web, stop to admire the divine in nature.

Here are some works that appeal to me. There’s no real theme here, but I wanted to share some of my “favorites.”

I’m still in the process of trying to carve out what my artistic approach will be. No doubt it will continue to evolve and change the more I see and the more I learn. That’s the beauty of art; it’s constantly evolving and allows plenty of room for personal growth.