An Ode to Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe…an amazing artist, committed to a vision beyond the formality of her training.  Her modernist approach to traditional nature-scapes, primarily her abstract take on flowers, transcended any classification and essentially placed her into a category of her own.  Her ability to merge intense color, strong lines, and an adaptation of scale was unprecedented and I like to count her among one of my influences in both my photography and my furniture “upcycling”.  I, personally, keep Ms. O’Keeffe’s  Red Poppy c 1927, perched above my desk, as the myriad of oranges and reds seem to stimulate my daily motivation.

 
Ms. O’Keeffe was once quoted: "Color is one of the great things in the world that makes life worth living to me and as I have come to think of painting it is my efforts to create an equivalent with paint color for the world, life as I see it."

It is amazing what color can bring to your life…a true stimulation of the senses.  Colors have been linked to playing a role in the human mind primarily in the areas of perception and processing.  Many companies have utilized color in their branding to stimulate sales and even motivate their employees…other philanthropic organizations have used color to boost attitudes and stimulate healing among their patients…while consumers routinely use color to personalize and upgrade their living spaces.

I love that my paintbrush can take an old and essentially discarded item and make it a bold statement in a room with just a little color.  Turquoises, reds, yellows…these are among my bold faves right now….with grays, khakis, and whites complementing and neutralizing.  With each transformation, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I have handcrafted a piece which will bring life to a client’s room.  I am no Georgia O’Keeffe…but my end results are my art pieces.  I truly fall in love with each one!!

Ms. O’Keeffe, THANK YOU for your vision!  Thank you for never being afraid to “color outside of the lines”!  And, thank you for the beauty in the art that you have left behind as your legacy.  I commit to perpetuating your feelings toward color and it’s stimulation of the human senses!!