Alex Alvis Art

Artist Inspiration Sunday

I'm back to artist inspiration Sunday.  A little inspiration to get us all through the week.  I tell you what, I can use it too.  I don't know about you - but for me, every summer is so crammed full of activities and family and shows and trips that having enough energy left to create art is sometimes a very hard thing to muster up!

So if you don't know from reading my earlier Inspiration Sunday blog posts, I have a book in my library called Artist to Artist Inspiration and Advice from Artists Past and Present compiled by Clint Brown.  And I randomly turn to a section of it and share with you what is in that section.

This part of the book are quotes about artists and gender and race.

"I believe that it is crucial for women artists to situate ourselves in the context of our own gender, class, and ethnic histories and struggles rather than in relationship to male histories."
-Judy Chicago

"I don't paint like a woman is supposed to paint.  Thank God, art doesn't bother about things like that."
-Alice Neel

"True strength is delicate."
-Louise Nevelson


Shinique Smith in her studio

"Maybe in that earlier phase I was painting the woman in me.  Art isn't a wholly masculine occupation, you know."
-Willem De Kooning

"I find that women can be creative in total isolation.  I know excellent women artist who do original work without any response to speak of.  Maybe they are used to a lack of feedback.  Maybe they are tougher."
-Elaine De Kooning

"All artists, Negro and white, have the problem of making a living, of finding a gallery or a place where they can display their work and often with the Negro artist these problems are attenuated."
-Romare Bearden


Pinaree Sanpit 

I love to tell a story.  The history of the United States fascinates me...The part the Negro has played in all these events has been greatly overlooked.  I intend to bring it out.
-Jacob Lawrence

"I feel that women 'and men,' but I mean the 'individual,' can be totally feminine and still be totally powerful."
-Louise Nevelson

"I don't think the quality of being a good teacher or a good artist has anything to do with sex.  I think it's objective:  you either are or you aren't."
-Alice Neel


Alexandria Smith

"At no point do I wish to be in conflict with any man or masculine thought.  It doesn't enter my consciousness.  I think art is anonymous.  It's not competitive with men.  It's a complementary contribution."
-Dame Barbara Hepworth

There you are alone in the huge space and you are not conscious of the fact that you have breasts and a vagina.  You are inside yourself, looking at this damned piece of rag on the wall that you are supposed to make a world out of...Inside yourself you are looking at this terrifying unknown and trying to feel, to pull everything you can out of all your experience, to make something.  I think a woman or a man creating feel very much the same way."
-Grace Hartigan

"I think it would be reasonable for critics to look upon the art scene and ask themselves 'What are women thinking about the world?'...If men seriously said, "What are women?  How are they responding to life as shown in the art?' it would be so interesting!"
-Isabel Bishop



Mona Shomali 

"I feel totally female.  I didn't compete with men and I don't want to look like a man!  I love being a lady and dressing up and masquerading and wearing all the fineries.  I'm breaking down the idea that the artist has to look poor, with berets.
-Louise Nevelson

"Historically, women have either been excluded from the process of creating the definitions of what is considered art or allowed to participate only if we accept and work within existing mainstream designations."
-Judy Chicago

So that is it for today's inspirations to start you on the way to a fabulous week!
I hope you have a mountain of creative work and inspiration.

'Till tomorrow ~

~Alex