I wanted to re-post my first blog post since I am not sure anyone saw it :) !!! This was originally posted on July 30, 2008. Hope you don't mind......
Artist That Has Influenced Me The Most
Since this is my first blog post I thought I would start with something personal about me and my art. Recently I was asked what artist has influenced me the most in my life. I have never really thought about this but when I did I realized that it would have to be my Dad. He was not famous but he loved to paint. Most of his paintings were given away to pay for things that our family needed. When my brother broke his leg, the doctor was paid with a painting. I remember going to the doctors office as a child and being very proud that my Dad’s painting was hanging there.
Artist That Has Influenced Me The Most
Since this is my first blog post I thought I would start with something personal about me and my art. Recently I was asked what artist has influenced me the most in my life. I have never really thought about this but when I did I realized that it would have to be my Dad. He was not famous but he loved to paint. Most of his paintings were given away to pay for things that our family needed. When my brother broke his leg, the doctor was paid with a painting. I remember going to the doctors office as a child and being very proud that my Dad’s painting was hanging there.
Working mostly in pastels and oils, he did incredible landscapes (gee..Wonder why I love landscapes...) He was 52 when I was born and I would get so angry when all of the kids at school called him my grandfather. He used to take me to the closest woods and we would spend hours looking at trees and plants. He especially liked orange milkweed and we would dig it up and take it home to plant in the yard. I remember sitting at the kitchen table and watching him paint. I even remember when he showed me how to draw a tree ...I still do really good trees :).
He was always telling me to look at the sky, birds, plants, trees and all of the beautiful things around me. I still get teased by my family for always talking about how beautiful everything is. I am following his lead and am constantly telling my 5 yr old granddaughter to look at the beautiful things around us. I think only about eight paintings are still in the family, I have two plus his sketch book.
He was a barber by trade and had to retire at 60 because he developed Parkinson disease. After a few years he could no longer paint and we had to sell our car since we could no longer afford it. He never complained and always had a positive attitude. He died at 72 when I was 19 (39 yrs ago). He also played five musical instruments and had his own band in the 40's. Writing this has made me a little sad since I haven’t thought about my Dad like this is quit a while . . .
6 comments:
Dads are special people. Mine is 92 and declining. Much of my creativity comes from my dad because he was so innovative. An irony...he did not appreciate the visual arts so much as he appreciated the techno-arts.
Dotti Dots
http://piecefulmusings.blogspot.com
What a beautiful post now, and then. My parents were older than my school friends' parents and my dad died at the age of 59 when I was 12. He had a very good voice and loved to sing. He too, encouraged my art and got me some paint-by-number oils that a lady down the hall no longer needed since she had finished the painting. I remember my flower paintings being hung beside the door so that they were noticed by whoever came to our door. (We were superintendents of an apartment building.) I am only two years younger than you.
I enjoyed reading about your artistic father. Mine is also an artist...raised seven children on commercial art work, then spent more time on fine arts...fortunately he is still with us. It is special growing up with an artist in the family.
Wow! What a thoughtful tribute. I understand your father completely as that's how I look at things as well...much to my 16 year olds' consternation.
My dad is "only" 38 years older than I am, but I also understand what it's like to have older parents, when all your friend's parents are in their 30s.
I'm really dropping in to thank you for the very kind comment you left on my blog. Then I read this beautiful post about your Dad - he sounds very much like my father in many ways. Thankyou for posting it again or I would have missed it. Your sky paintings are gorgeous.
I enjoyed meeting you through this first blog. How terrific to have had a father who taught you to notice nature and your surroundings and how to paint too. Wow.
I matched a few pictures with you in that my dad too died at age 72, I was older at the time in my thirties, but he was 16 years older than my mother so an "older dad" when I was growing up too.
I also have five year old grandchildren, twins, a boy and a girl. Grandparenting gives me much joy in life. I love bringing art projects for them to do each time I visit.
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