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May 24, 2009

What inspires you?

and I have one "painting" on exhibit too!  It was my very first attempt at painting with my appleworks software.  I didn't know I even had it until I read June's blog about a similar software for microsoft users.

This is my second sorry attempt at "painting".
This made me wonder.  

When and how do we start to develop our artistic tastes?  I think they change over the years, as you are exposed to new and different genres.  But deep down... for me, I think it all leads back to ... Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry .

The Golden Book Series along with hundreds of other picture books still make me smile too.

Architecture by Gaudi and Karavan make me want to cry.
Women like Audrey Hepburn and Mae West make me want to sit up straight and not slouch. 

Photographers like Ansel Adams, Karl Blossfeldt and Elliott Erwitt make me want to grab my camera and go outside ... and sometimes make me want to throw my camera ;-)'

Arists like Yoshio Tokunaga make me want to look for different materials to use in art. 
Tokunaga creates pictures by ripping and cutting flyers found in newspapers. 
I tried to find something about him on the internet but was unsuccessful. The book I bought at one of his exhibitions a couple of years ago says that he was born in 1929. 

He began this art form of tearing advertisement flyers and pasting them onto a canvas back in 1979.  Tokunaga lives in Fukuoka Prefecture (where I used to live) and is hopefully still creating beautiful works of art.

The pictures aren't very good (bad lighting day) but I hope you get the idea of what he does.
Collages.
Mostly all paper and glue.
...

Most recently, people, art and photography that inspire me are found at blogs!  
Just look at some of the blogs on my blog lists and you will know what I mean!

11 comments:

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

Hello! I am so glad you stopped by to take a peek...you are more than welcome. It is good that you left a comment as now I know about your blog and can visit here and learn from you too! Your interests appear varied and wide and I will become a follower ....I will check out some of the blogs on your list and your older posts...Please come visit again!
Take care, Laura

I_am_Tulsa said...

Wow! I have a new friend! Thank you too Laura for stopping by!

Laura, your talent for finding the best things in flea markets etc...is something I wish I could do! All the bloggers on my lists are very talented too. I hope you find something to your liking!

jaykbee said...

Keep painting. Art, like writing, like anything, takes practice. I enjoyed your blog :) and pictures.

Chiara Ulivi said...

Hi Tulsa!! I think that blog world is a big source of inspiration, fun, emotions... and a beautiful way to meet new friends! I don't know if we'll ever meet but I'm very happy when I see that you came visiting me and I'm happy to share my world with you and all the friends I've met here :)
Have a nice week!

Unknown said...

I really like this artist, Tokunaga. I hadn't heard of him before, but I love what I see here!
Nowadays, I found most of my inspiration on blogs too! It's amazing the talent in the blogosphere, isn't it?

Polly said...

I've just been catching up on your posts and I can't believe I missed the last one because of the long weekend away! It's so interesting, I'm going to reread it and hopefuly make a first step towards learning Japanese!

I also often wonder what inspires our creativity and whether everyone is creative in some way because creativity is a part of being human or whether this is just something we learn. And I love Yoshio Tokunaga's pictures.

I went to seen Knyioshi's exhibition at the Royal Academy on Friday and absolutely loved it. Japanese drawings have so much detail in them and the stories they depict are so fantastic.

I_am_Tulsa said...

Jaykbee, thank you! I love your style!

Chiara.u, I am honored!

B, the world is an amazing place and I am grateful this opportunity to meet people like you!

Polly, That's what blogs are for! Even if you don't have time to see them for a few days, it's all here! (Glad you had a great weekend!)
I am glad you had a chance to see Kuniyoshi too! It's weird but we don't get very many chances in Japan to see his work!

Tokunaga is not a hugely famous artist in Japan unfortunately but I think his reputation will grow. He doesn't do much with the internet and I am hoping to see what I can do about that since I will be visiting his home town in August.

Thank you!

Merisi said...

Just time to say hi and thank you for your comment today!

To your question, people inspire me all the time! Growing up in the country and observing nature, from weeds to the stars in the evening, has taught me a lot. Living in places like Rome and Italy per se inspire me every time I go back there. Music inspires me. Hard to think what would not inspire me. The world is so full of wonder!

I just realised you have an interest in astronomy! :-)

I_am_Tulsa said...

Merisi,

It's great to hear such positive things about inspiration! If you are open minded, everything is an inspiration isn't it?!

My love for the stars has been a looooong one...

When I was little I wanted to be an astronomer (among other things) and I wanted to be an astronaut...but I easily get dizzy (can't even ride a merry go round!), so I had to "give up" that vocation! lol

Butternut Squash said...

Your blog is visually very comforting. I find inspiration everywhere. There is so much inspiration in the world that it is difficult to focus on any one thing. Have you seen the blog "One Small Stone?" She pays attention to only one small thing everyday on her blog.

I_am_Tulsa said...

Butternut Squash, Thank you, comfort is definitely something I aspire to.
I had never seen the Small Stone blog before and just checked it out! I love the simplicity of it! (I am a follower now and I will be ordering one of Fiona Robyn's books too.)
Thank you♥