Foundations of Art

Artists Reflection Essay

Throughout the years, thousands of artists have worked to make a name for themselves
and become known throughout the world. Many have failed, but others have succeeded and
become famous for their hard work and dedication to their craft. Three examples of this include
Georgia O'Keeffe, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri Matisse. These artists exemplify passion and
what it takes to follow your dreams.
Georgia O'Keeffe was an American painter born on November 15, 1887 in Sun Prairie,
Wisconsin. She lived a normal life and went to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1905. After her
primary schooling, she studied with notable artists such as William Merritt Chase in the Art
Students League. From there she began working and when her work was showed to a
photographer and gallery owner, Alfred Stieglitz, he became a fan of her and featured her work
in his gallery, 291. The two got to know each other and were married in 1924. She continued to
work on her art, and when her husband died in 1946, Georgia moved to New Mexico. There, she
was inspired by the environment and painted many of the landscapes around her. By the time of
her death in 1986, O'Keeffe was a very popular artist among the American population ("Georgia
O'Keeffe Biography.").
One of O'Keefee's most well known pieces is Petunias. In the image, there is an array of
deep purple petunias. The piece was created in 1924, towards the beginning of O'Keeffe's career.
The piece is very eye-catching because it is a darker image of flowers, objects that are usually

portrayed as bright. This adds depth to the image for it creates a sense of sophistication and
realism. The background of the image does not
work because of its darkness. The background is
gray, and although it is not necessarily a darker
color, the combination of dark purple and gray
Georgia O'Keeffe
Petunias
18 in x 30 in
Oil on Hardboard
"Petunias." Georgia O'Keeffe. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May
2015. <www.georgiaokeeffe.net%2Fpetunias
%2Fjsp>.

create an overall dark image. O'Keeffe could have

used a color that adds lightness to the image in
order to balance the color scheme and brighten the
overall piece. Other than that, the artist did a

phenomenal job overall. Her use of space captivates the viewer and draws the eye directly into
the center flower. The blending of color also works very well for the image. The contrast of
lighter purple to darker purple within the petal creates a sense of movement from one flower to
another. Overall, O'Keeffe does a great job effectively creating a piece that works artistically and
is pleasing to the eye.
Another extremely famous artist known throughout the world is Vincent van Gogh. He
was born Vincent Williem van Gogh on March 30, 1853 in Groot-Zundert. His father was a
minister and his mother was an artist. He grew up in a normal family, and when he was about
fifteen years old, his parents began to struggle financially. At that time, his family made the
decision to take him out of school and find him a job. Van Gogh ultimately decided to work at
his uncle's art dealership, Goupil & Cie. In 1873, his job was transferred to London, but he was
fired shortly afterwards and began to teach in a boys Methodist school. While he was there, he
prepared to become a minister, but was denied acceptance into the school for refusing to take the

prerequisite exams. He tried again in another church, but after being denied again, moved to
Brussels to become an artist. He had not professional training up to this point, but was supported
by his brother who was an art dealer. He left Brussels after a while and became a nomad in
Drenthe. There he traveled drawing and painting the landscape and people around him. In 1886,
he moved to Paris and studied with praised artists before moving to southern France. After living
there for a while, his physical health began to decline as he spent his money on paint rather than
food and other necessities. Before too long, his mental and emotion health began to decline as
well and went in and out of the hospital. Painting was the only thing that allowed him to escape
from his realities. He was put into a mental institute where he spent his days painting in the
gardens. On July 27, 1890, van Gogh went to go paint in the garden as normal, but shot himself
and was found bleeding out in his room. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he requested
for his brother to come and take him home. His brother did as he asked and van Gogh died two
days later at thirty-seven years old ("Vincent van Gogh Biography.").
One of van Gogh's most famous paintings is
Starry Night. It was painted in 1889, just before his
death in 1890. Van Gogh painted this while in the
mental asylum, and he sent it into an exhibit only
months before he died. This painting has a great
amount of dimension in it, and works so well for
Vincent van Gogh
Starry Night
2.5 ft x 3 ft
Oil on Canvas
"Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night." Vincent Van Gogh
Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015. <http://
www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html>.

that reason. The texture and fluidity in the sky

creates a dramatic movement that adds to the
feeling of the piece. Van Gogh's use of color and

light it special because it adds emotion and contrast to the image that gives incite into his own
life and struggles. His brush strokes are very unique for they are thick, but very refined and
controlled at the same time. There is not much the artist could have done to improve it, but if I
had to change anything, I would add more color into the village below the sky to add somewhat
of a contrast. As an artist, this piece of work inspires me and shows the beauty of the landscape
and nature.
The last influential artist is Henri Matisse. He was born on December 31, 1869 in
Bohain-en-Vermandois, France. His family worked in the grain business and when it was time
for him to start working, he became a legal clerk while he studied for his law degree. During his
late teens and early twenties, he began taking drawing classes, and then began painting while he
was recovering from an illness. After drawing and painting for a few years, he realized that was
what he wanted to do and in 1891, he moved to Paris to begin artistic training. He studied at
well-known art schools such as Acadmie Julian and cole does Beaux-Arts. In the mid,1890s,
Matisse began receiving substantial credit for his work and began displaying it in exhibitions in
Paris. In 1898, he married Amelie Parayre and the couple had three children together. As he got
older, Matisse was still very popular. In 1941, he had surgery and was put on bed rest, but
because he was still receiving commissions, he worked from a bed in his studio. On November 3,
1954, Matisse died in Nice as one of the most well known and innovative artists of his generation
("Henri Matisse Biography.").
One of Matisse's most famous works is called Sorrows of the King. It is a very abstract
and busy piece that causes the viewer's eye to go look at many different sections of the
composition. When I first look at the piece, my eye is drawn towards the person in the corner,

looking to be reaching for something. The

background is also very eye-catching. With
different colors and patters, the piece is very full
and may represent a great variety of things to the
artist. If I were to change anything in the
composition, I would use different colors in the
Henri Matisse
Sorrows of the King
9' 7" x 12' 8"
Gouche Painted Paper on Canvas
"Henri Matisse." Sorrow of the King, 1952 by. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 May 2015. <http://www.henrimatisse.org/
sorrow-of-the-king.jsp>.

background than used in the composition to

make the figures stand out more. Other than that,
there is nothing I would do to adjust the image.

The artwork makes me feel very simple as an artist, but also encourages me to stray from the
norm and do something different than normal. Because the piece is so busy and full, I feel as
though anything I create would be much more simple and refined. In other ways, Matisse's work
is so abstract and different that it makes me want to do the same. I love this piece because it is
works with different elements of art to create something meaningful and interesting.
Overall, these three artists exemplify works of beauty and creativity. These things inspire
me to create the same through all of my pieces. Georgia O'Keeffe, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri
Matisse each have their own stories, but share the fact that their hard work and perserverance
was able to get them noticed throughout the world. Their work inspires me as well as hundreds
of other artists throughout the world and can be considered some of the best compositions ever
created.

Works Cited
"Georgia O'Keeffe Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.
<http://www.biography.com/people/georgia-okeeffe-9427684#early-life>.
"Henri Matisse Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.
<http://www.biography.com/people/henri-matisse-9402564>.
"Henri Matisse." Sorrow of the King, 1952 by. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://
www.henrimatisse.org/sorrow-of-the-king.jsp>.
"Petunias." Georgia O'Keeffe. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <www.georgiaokeeffe.net
%2Fpetunias%2Fjsp>.
"Vincent Van Gogh Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.
<http://www.biography.com/people/vincent-van-gogh-9515695#death-and-legacy>.
"Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night." Vincent Van Gogh Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
<http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html>.