Art Inspiration

As an artist, I am always looking for art inspiration.  When time stands still I know I have found some.   To an outsider, this may appear to be an unproductive period, as I stand in front of a painting staring and taking it all in.  However for me, by digest what is in front of me I find it extremely valuable.  Inspirational art often triggers thoughts that often leads to new works. I hope this collection of art inspiration is also inspiring for you.

Art Inspiration

In my writing, I hope to explain why artists paint, how artists think and work.  At times I may I get overwhelmed and excited thinking about the way they throw the paint around, as I try to convince you of the importance of the artists work.

Stuart Bush, Laura Owens

Laura Owens shows what is possible

Inspiring Laura Owens shows what is possible As I walk around my surrounding looking around l notice so many things, like what other artist have done before me.  It reminds me that it is common for a lot of art students when they are starting out, to feel like they are stumbling about in a dark wood. With so many options to make work about, they often have no clear idea which way is forward.   Part of the trouble of being an artist is, after you have some inspiring art, it isn’t that hard to make art that looks good. However, the next problem that often arises is that… Read More »Laura Owens shows what is possible

Stuart Bush Studio notes, Wilhelm Sasnal

The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal

The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal In 2005 at the Saatchi gallery, in the County Hall on London’s Southbank l saw Wilhelm Sasnal’s paintings for the first time in ‘The Triumph of Painting’ exhibition. I remember thinking how they hung in the air, waiting, in the moment, as all good paintings do. Their simplicity and subject matter at first gave little away. The swift beautiful and understated paintings appear to made quickly; prompting me to reflect how a poet laureate finds the right words without a hint of deliberation. Up to this point, I had clearly and naively mistaken time applying paint as a significant factor in a successful artwork.… Read More »The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal

Damien Hirst a thousand years

Life, death and a thousand years

Life, death, art and a thousand years When I stepped forward to observed the flies buzzing around a rotting cow’s head in a rectangle glass vitrine, at the Gagosian Gallery in London in 2006, I clearly remember feeling blown away.  However, when I looked closely at Damien Hirst’s artwork, ‘A Thousand Years’ expecting to see the flies freely feeding off the decomposing flesh and maggots coming out of the eggs in the carcass, it didn’t take long to notice that the flies where suffocatingly trapped in the glass box. They were imprisoned.   Watching those flies has always stood out as a remarkable experience as I quickly realised that it… Read More »Life, death and a thousand years

Stuart Bush, Francis Bacon

The influential work of Francis Bacon

How the influential work of Francis Bacon inspired me to become a painter As a young adult, I had lots of feelings that confused me and I often didn’t know how to deal with them, words just didn’t seem to fit. My thoughts and experiences felt on the far side of normal. Often I thought l was the only one who felt this unease.  When I saw Francis Bacon’s work in a London gallery, it was a remarkable moment for me. It was the first time I had seen someone challenge the intense feelings I felt. Bacon depicted the complexity and chaos that was going on around me and inside… Read More »The influential work of Francis Bacon

Julian Opie’s art encourages another look

Julian Opie’s art encourages another look It is understandable that as we move through the world it is easy to overload some of the sounds, sights and stimulus.  We learn to filter out aspects of the thousands of images we see that do not relate to our current task.  This means that we can travel and arrive at our destination without realising and remembering how we got there.  During the journey, there may have been people, rolling hills or city blocks.  However, all we see is the vital information that we need to help us when we reach our destination.  Julian Opie takes pleasure from seeing what is being ignored… Read More »Julian Opie’s art encourages another look

Stuart Bush Studio Notes, Melissa Corbett, contemporary artist

An interview with Melissa Corbett

Interview with Australian contemporary artist – Melissa Corbett I recently had the pleasure of discussing the inspiration behind the works of fascinating young Australian contemporary artist – living in Spain, Melissa Corbett. Melissa is studying an MA in Arts Practice and Visual Culture at UCLM University in Spain.  Make sure to follow Melissa on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on her latest work at MelissaCorbettArt.com   Stuart Bush – It is definitely about time I got round to interviewing and inviting other artists to participate in my blog. Thank you for being willing to participate. My first question is, as an Australian artist, how did you end… Read More »An interview with Melissa Corbett

marlene dumas paintings, the painter's life, stuart bush

Marlene Dumas: the painter’s life

Marlene Dumas: the painter’s life In 2004, I started to make a visual diary.  It is a great way to tune into what feels important. My visual diary has slowly developed and transformed over many years into a multifaceted body of work.  This body of work, like Marlene Dumas’s work, has recorded many of the moments in life that felt relevant and significant. It helps me understand and consider the things l am doing a bit better.   Writing about Marlene Dumas’s artwork enables me to articulate what l see and then go deeper into what l, myself, want to achieve when l stand in front of the canvas.  Painting… Read More »Marlene Dumas: the painter’s life

©Charline Von Heyl, It's Vot's Behind Me That I Am (Krazy Kat), 2010 all rights remain with the artist

How Charline Von Heyl inspires me

How Charline Von Heyl inspires me The next Picasso or Braque will not invent cubism.  The next Peter Blake or Andy Warhol will not invent pop art.  And the next Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning will not create the Abstract Expressionist movement.  If you are copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them.  I realise that of the many successful artists following their path, however, Charline Von Heyl has figured out the real definition of success on the canvas.   Von Heyl understands how highly successful artists through the decades have been volleying the ball between themselves.  In order to create a meaningful and significant occurrence on the surface… Read More »How Charline Von Heyl inspires me

Stuart Bush Studio Notes, contemporary artist blog, Chuck Close, chuck close process, Process painting

Chuck Close’s process

What I learnt about process from Chuck Close To someone who loves art, walking into a gallery and seeing stimulating art is inspiring and uplifting. However, at times, it can be intimidating when you’re trying to emulate success for yourself. When Chuck Close started his career, like a lot of artists he was affected by the best art of the time. De Kooning became a massive influence on Close’s earlier work. De Kooning stirred Close into practising his style and technique.   It all started so well. After several years, Close had De Kooning’s style and technique down to a tee. However, Close struggled when he realised that when people… Read More »Chuck Close’s process

Stuart Bush Studio Blog, Henry Moore, Appreciation of form

Henry Moore’s appreciation of form

Henry Moore’s appreciation of form In my previous blog post, I mentioned Michael Craig-Martin’s interest as a child in the shape and form of American cars. From a very young age, Michael Craig-Martin had the ability to identify every make and model of an American car. I found this profound because as a child I also had this ability, but with British cars in the 80s and 90s.  This foundational understanding and appreciation of form is clearly something that many artists unconsciously encounter from a young age. This week l stumbled on a black and white BBC documentary about Henry Moore (1898 – 1986) and my appreciation of form was enhanced.… Read More »Henry Moore’s appreciation of form