Inspiration at Gorman, California

The first time I witnessed the beauty of Gorman, California I thought God painted the flower fields himself. I imagined a mighty brush stroking the hills and delicately decorating them with the most beautiful and ethereal colors. Each hill has its own unique color and is completely different than the adjacent hills.

Us artists find the most sincere inspiration in nature. By only walking through nature we can find new ideas.

We can never compete with nature.

Today's Inspiration

Today I was inspired by a floral arrangement I have in my office. The tulips had such beautiful colors that I had to take pictures of it so that I can refer to them for inspiration.

 

Constructive Criticism

I love to do a lot of market research and I'm always looking at the work of other silk artists and fashion designers. I sometimes become deeply inspired by the color, design, and skill of artists and designers; however, I also become disappointed to see a lot of mediocre silk art posing as "unique", "labor intensive", and "high-quality". It seems to be that individuals practicing silk art become scared of stepping out their boundaries or afraid of creating something that will overstep the boundaries of the "commercial".

As artists we should have the courage and sincerity to give each other honest criticism and to help each other grow artistically. Giving each other sugar-coated criticism or praising something that does not deserve praise is damaging to our work and our skill growth.

I admire the courage and the effort that it takes to take up silk painting but I believe that it's important and necessary to take skill-building classes, give each other constructive criticism, and support each other by being sincere and honest.

Stylized Flowers on Silk Chiffon

Spring 2012

It's a new spring and the weather is so nice here in Southern California that I really don't want to be in my studio. I rather be out in nature admiring and smelling the flowers.

Today I went to Neiman Marcus to do a little market research and see what is being sold at this luxury department store. I found an artist from Italy that made silk scarves. The scarves were over $700. I didn't get to open the scarf because it was on display, but if it sells at Neiman Marcus that means that the wholesale price was at least $200. The scarf didn't have a design and it was just a washed out color.

I think some of us get lucky to have an order from Neiman Marcus.