Influences and Inspiration
I have to consider myself a colourist, as whenever I talk about my art work I find I am always stressing the colours I use. During the painting process I find that I have a need to obtain the brightest colour effect possible through the use of contrasting or related colours. My recent paintings have included a lot of large flower still lives, set against single colour backgrounds. These were chosen precisely so that I could use the strongest colours possible.
As regards influences, there are countless numbers of artists whose work I admire. Once again I have to stress colour, so the post Impressionists, Van Gogh (especially his sunflowers) and Gaugin would have to be there, also Cezanne. I am drawn to the work of the Impressionists, particularly of Monet. I loved the “Monet in the 90’s” exhibition at the Royal Academy, especially the paintings of Rouen Cathedral, the poplar series and, most particularly the haystacks series, painted in all weathers and at all times of year. I love the way that Monet uses pure colours in the shadows, using optical mixing to give such a vibrant finish when the paintings are viewed from a distance.
I love the work of Picasso and Braque, cubist and otherwise. Other artists whose work I admire include Matisse, Miro and Kandinsky. Being a painter of large scale flowers, I would also have to include Georgia O’Keeffe as an influence, not only for her flower paintings, but also for her cityscapes and landscapes of New Mexico. I also love the shimmering still lives of Giorgio Morandi.
I have a
love of the mystical, the sun and the moon. I am attracted to such places
as Avebury and Stonehenge, and I think for this reason I love the landscapes
of Paul
Nash. Other
British landscape artists I admire include Constable and Turner. In the National
Gallery I often visit Constable’s “Haywain” and “Salisbury
Cathedral, and Turner’s "The
Fighting Temeraire".
Among more modern artists, I love the flat bright colours of pop art such
as the paintings of David Hockney and the screen prints of Andy Warhol.
I am very inspired by natural materials, so I like the clay paintings of Richard Long and the natural art of Andrew Goldsworthy. For the same reason I love Australian Aboriginal art and the cave paintings of places such as Lascoux, which are both simple and powerful.
Richard Fuller
