Every painter and creative person falls prey to “The Block”. It may be an artist’s block, a writer’s block or a musician’s block. It is okay to actually sit back and enjoy these moments of creative block. Sometimes, as bloggers we may intend to write something every day or every week, and then we slide. There are many reasons for these times of non-production. Maybe you are having a mental block to creative output, or you have other mundane things of life you have to take care of, or you are busy elsewhere. I say it’s okay to take time off during these periods. Most often you will get back in stronger than before. So, if you care to take the advice I give myself, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. There is every possibility of a burn out. Instead, focus on the task of the day and enjoy the moments off.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the last spring frost in Dayton, OH occurs on April 17. However, while it is spring in Ohio, Mother’s Day 2020 still saw freezing temperatures. These unexpected variations in temperature bring with them a lot more work than you bargain for! The last few days were spent bringing plants indoors to protect them from the freeze, only to lug them back outside again to plant. I plant everything in my garden. It is raining as I write this blog, so I thought, “let’s look at artists that use gardens as their inspiration!”
Aristotle famously said “Art takes nature as its model.”
Immediately one artist comes to mind: Monet. Much has been written about Monet and his gardens. If you just google the name, you will have a plethora of information to learn from. “My garden is my most beautiful work of art” – Claude Monet.
I chose this video by the Royal Academy of Arts to give you a sneak peek into the mind of the artist who really was invested in his gardens. He actually studied them and then immortalized them into his many paintings.
Bridge over a Pond of water Lilies – Claude Monet
“I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint.” – Frida Kahlo
Casa Azul, or the “Blue House”, was Frida Kahlo’s home where she was born and where she died. She tended to her gardens, adorned herself with the flowers she grew and drew inspiration from them, so much so that while she was dying she had her bed moved outside so she could see her gardens. I choose this video to give you an idea of Frida Kahlo’s home and this article to give a glimpse of her gardens.
Wassily Kandinsky was also known to love his gardens and used them in all their subtlety in his abstract paintings.
“I applied streaks and blobs of colors onto the canvas with a palette knife, and I made them sing with all the intensity I could…” – Wassily Kandinsky
Blue Mountain – Wassily Kandinsky at the Guggenheim Museum
Vincent Van Gogh found gardens to be his place of solace. He painted irises, sunflowers and the gardens of the asylum where he was recuperating. I chose this article with a close-up view of Daubigny’s Garden by Van Gogh to showcase his brush strokes in this painting.
Many artists sought inspiration from their gardens, including Dali, Matisse, Delacroix, Cezanne, Riviera, Rouault, Pollock and O’Keeffe, among others.
“Life begins the day you start a garden” – Chinese proverb
If you are indeed having a mental block, enjoy the moment and do something else. I quote: “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” – Cicero
I am going to plant my flower beds and will share pictures, or perhaps paintings, of the summer of 2020 in Dayton, Ohio!
As always, be curious and create!
Hyacinth
https://www.hyacinthpaulart.com/works
