Influences – Sculpture

Is there a pattern to the artists above? Yes. They’re all influential to me.

Who are your influences? If you’re an artist you hear this question all the time. Many of us resist the temptation to answer as our answers may lead others to a poor choice of words – derivative. The reality is we’re all being influenced all of the time. It’s interesting to separate your enduring influences (the ones that stand the test of time) and your current influences (the most recent). For instance, I just saw the Louise Bourgeois exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC. It’s influencing me. Will I do something with that influence immediately? Will that influence stay with me long enough to become significant? Time will tell. I also visited my favorite gallery in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC – the Rockefeller wing containing artifacts from primal cultures typically used for sacred or ceremonial functions. I go there every time I visit the museum. Every time I’m thrilled. The influence of this kind of art has been and will be with me my whole life.

Read more about my influences here.

1 Comment

  • Greg Barnett

    02.08.2008 at 10:57 Reply

    JP,
    Taking a closer look at what influences us is a great exercise, I was surprised by some of the answers that I came up with. I agree that there can be a natural resistance to admitting what these influences are because of the fear of cliché or being labeled. I’ve been steadily building on the list that I started during the Illuminating Creativity workshop. It has become a valuable source of renewed inspiration.
    Greg

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