Under Their Influence

You could make the case that your work is original. You know, you just lock yourself in your studio space, click your heels together, and BAM! original art explodes from your fingertips at break neck speed. Your friends and family all admire your ability to remain completely free of outside influences, wondering out loud “how do they do that?” You simply exist at a higher creative level than the rest of the world, and you laugh at the word “inspiration.”

Or you’re like me, and you realize that your artistic sensibilities are directly related to a few “people of influence.” I owe a great deal of my aesthetic to a bunch of illustrators, designers, musicians, preachers, media producers, painters, quilters and photographers. I’ve given it a lot of thought and wanted to share a few of these people with you. Some are obvious and some are recent additions, but all are amazing at what they do and worthy of getting a little love. There are many more and I may feel the need to make this a part one of many. We’ll see.

Children’s Book Illustrators
From the time I was a wee little lad, my Mom brought my sister and I to the public library. We would dig through thousands of children’s books, and I’m proud to admit I had excellent taste. I judged almost every book by it’s cover and I’m better for it. The best books had great illustrations and wonderful “take-me-to-another-world” kind of stories. My all time favorites are Bill Peet and Maurice Sendak. Enough can not be said about the impact of these guys. When I began digging back into their art for this post, I honestly got teary eyed looking at Bill’s illustrations. I would pour over these stories over and over again. The one I read the most was “No Such Things”, a collection of fanciful creatures. Between Bill, Maurice and Spiderman - I couldn’t help but draw all the time.
Other Notables: Ed Emberly, Yvonne Buchanan, Gerald McDermott and Lane Smith

Musicians
I may be stretching some here, but music inspires my art in big ways. I always have my iTunes dropping some background music into the studio at all hours. Consequently, I have a huge library and my wife is constantly worried that I’ll buy that new CD, instead of dinner or rent or whatever. I digress. Anyways, lately I’ve been really inspired by the genius of Badly Drawn Boy and Sufjan Stevens. Whimsical, dreamlike, and creative - they combine sounds and melodies in ways that I admire (and don’t fully understand). I like that they push things and make beautiful music. I have to mention Derek Webb here as well. He speaks his convictions powerfully and maintains an artistic mastery unlike any other Christian artist on our little planet. Plus you can get his latest for free!
Other Notables: Andrew Osenga, Caedmon’s Call, MuteMath, Griffin House, and Alexi Murdoch

Spiritual
If you thought music was a stretch, this section may seem really odd. Here’s how I think (and live) - My spiritual life is the lens I view the world and the things in it. I can’t not see things that way, including art. In fact, I see creating as a spiritual discipline. To that end, I have some influences here that need to be mentioned. I’m routinely challenged by the words of Andy Stanley from North Point Community Church. It’s not everyday that a speaker can capture my attention, but the way this presents scripture is unique and skillful. You can listen to his messages on line. I also really love to read Donald Miller and Mark Steele.  These writers come at things from a different angle, keeping things fresh and entertaining. They do what they do with skill and wit. I’ve thought about illustrating some of their stories and that always means I’m listening on a deep level.
Other Notables: Louie Giglio and Rick McKinley

My Folks
Ok, from God-stuff to my parents? Hey, I have to be honest. My Mom is an awesome fiber/quilt artist. She is enamored with color, pattern, and texture. Sound familiar? I love that stuff too. I always thought I didn’t get her eye for color, but I’ve been feeling it lately. I also had the chance to create a web site for her work. I’m proud (and biased) of the project and she loves it too. Hopefully, it becomes a major tool for her art career. Since I can remember, she has been pushing me to explore my gifts and create. My Dad has been a huge influence too. He studied to be a graphic designer in college and had a bunch of old typography books hanging about. I used to read these things when I was like 12 years old. I loved (and still love) type and letter forms. That comes from Dad. He also was always writing notes for me to find in my sketchbook. Great stuff. Perhaps more than any two people, my parents have influenced my art and career.

That’s it for now. Hope it got you thinking about your influences and how you might honor them. Until next time…

This is where I ramble on and you tell me about it below. Ok, I actually hope to do more than ramble, but the jury is still out.