GATHER - ASSEMBLE - CONNECT - AGNES MARTIN & ROGER ACKLING

AGNES MARTIN

This artist's work is similar to my initial drawings and i would like to look into studying her work more as it is very inspiring and beautiful.

Martin's work is inspired, not by a subject, but by the power of art. This is something i really admire as she has been able to create a wide range of different pieces which reflect a wide range of ideas and emotions very effectively, this is a result of her spiritual beliefs which is clearly reflected in her peaceful and zen works, which gives her the contrast to many other artists who concentrate on an event or thing as opposed to one's mindfulness, which is what makes her work so successful.

• ‘Without awareness of beauty, innocence and happiness’ Martin wrote ‘one cannot make works of art’.

This is something that i would like to look into further in the later stage of my project, the power of art and how it can affect people.

The colour scheme this artist uses is very interesting as it is simple yet effective in creating a calm atmosphere in some cases or a distressed atmosphere in others. I feel this experimentation with tone is important and like the way she predominantly uses col tones as opposed to vibrance in order to avoid high contrast. This is also achieved by using pencil lines which are soft and subtle along with light colour washes.

Martin's work is clearly in the minimalist style, however she saw herself as an abstract expressionist. This is a style that appeals to me as i feel it suits my way of working and will allow me to be more organised and create work rapidly.

ROGER ACKLING

Acklings work is very inspiring to me as it has many similar qualities to my current work and future ideas concerning this project, such as the natural aura and the 3D effects.

Acking always works with found and old objects, often seen as detritus, and turns them into very imaginative yet simple works of art. This is effective as he will never use expensive materials and as a result gains a very retro and vintage look to his work, without making it look like it is made from ‘rubbish’ a approach which i respect greatly as i feel it gives a more aesthetically pleasing outcome. Another astonishing this about ackling work is that there was never technological interference as the way he created the lines on his work was by using the power of the sun to burn them in. this again helped the work look more natural and aesthetic.

One aspect of acklings work that i have already transferred into my work is the neutral colour pallet as i feel this is a very simple yet effective approach to gain the feeling that i hope my work achieves. By using mostly black and white to create a strong contrast at the same time as using a beige or dull blue colour the piece can be settled and softened, creating the peaceful feeling that i hope to achieve.

Furthermore, an interesting correlation between ackling and martin is their growing obsession for their artwork and the power their process and work had over them. This therefore is something that i feel even more strongly that i should look into as it is clearly a prominent factor in artists within this genre. I understand as already i am becoming slightly obsessed with creating exact and large quantities of work, through this style.