Forever Matisse

Yes, Matisse is my FAF -- Favourite Artist Forever.  Whenever I see a Matisse or occasionally catch a glimpse of  something suggesting Matisse in my own work (quick sketches above) or in others', it brings me a deep sense of satisfaction -- of  joy, in fact.

He took a lot of flak in his lifetime for his words suggesting "armchair art" -- but then, you either resonate with Matisse or you don't.

 "What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter, an art which could be for every mental worker, for the businessman as well as the man of letters, for example, a soothing, calming influence on the mind, something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue."

There's just one among his most famous paintings that I used to dislike intensely:-- "Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Background."

Three years ago, I used this painting as the base for an exercise suggested by one of my art books:  "See what you can learn by studying a work of art you really don't like."  My experiment is explained here -- what I learned about Matisse's sources that made the stiff figure and ugly fabric more comprehensible to me, as well as the adjustments I made to make this my own.  Here's the outcome, "Channelling Matisse," copyright 2015.

I channelled Matisse again a few months after that when I included a postcard reproduction in the background of "Another Vintage Year" (copyright 2015).

Even the voyeuristic poppy pods couldn't stop looking!

Recently, Matisse came up as the "artist of the week" in my on-line art class.  It happened that I'd just finished one of the International Dance Festival's drawing sessions, and the dancer in mime costume/make-up was constantly on my mind.

I started wondering, "Hmmm....with all his facility with lavish colours, what would Matisse have done with a figure in white?"   I found a few on-line examples of Matisse figures in white clothing and then suddenly thought, "Why not just plunk my white mime figure right in the middle of........the Ornamental Background?!??"

I worked with great excitement and am still excited by the outcome -- "Mime in a Matisse Setting."  (copyright 2018)

The work-in-progress sequence can be viewed here, and it's kind of fun.   I worked over an old painting of wine and liqueur bottles, and in the initial phase the mime looks like a ghostly elf tucked in behind a brandy snifter.

Well, why not?  I'm having fun.  I'm learning lots.  Cheers!  Salut!  Happy Days!