Why I do what I do…what inspires me.

Blog Post #3 By Angela at MidModFlair

About 10 years ago, I’m watching the Dick Van Dyke Show and I notice the flower painting on the wall in the home of the Petrie Family, and it intrigues me… A few weeks later, I’m watching a Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie and I notice another painting and I’m inspired to paint it, so I did.

This is where my inspiration stemmed from: Observing fun, colorful, imaginative paintings in movies and TV shows from the 1960s. Movies from this time were and still are my absolute favorite. The stories were simple, the actors were irresistible and the set decoration was eye popping!

As an extra special bonus there’s this photo! Ahhhhh…The age of cool. Look at these two, who could resist?

The time in which we now know as “Mid Century Modern” gave us clean lines, organic curves, and when it came to art the era brought us beautiful, colorful and imaginative works of many kinds. It was during the Modern Art Movement and the age of cool! It was a time when art brought forth some fantastic, modern designer elements. It was the post war era, and a time largely influenced by the Bauhaus school of art where the traditional aspects of art were abandoned and theoretical approaches were invented. Geometric shapes, curvy lines and waves, jagged edges and atomic subject matter were popular; and floral designs were plenty!

It was fun examining movies and coming across what I thought of as masterpieces!

Take a gander at this beautiful piece!

Rock and a vase of beautiful flowers.

Look at these tissue paper-designed flowers at the opening of “Send me No Flowers”!

Being a movie buff and having a keen eye and attention to detail, I noticed things in movies others did not. I’d have to pause a movie for the sake of admiring a painting in the background, and many times taking a photo of it so I can save it on my computer and use it to provide the inspiration I would need.

Cool art co-starring with Tony Randall in the movie “Pillow Talk”

I would even dream of modern and whimsical images. I do keep a notepad and pen by my bed, so that I am able to sketch out ideas so as to not lose them.

The work of an insomniac! Most of these became paintings!

Months and years of inspiration gnawed at me telling me to put forth the art swimming in my head.

And just one more with Rock!

I knew I had to create, create, create! “Paint all day” became my motto. I panted all day to get the momentum going, to discover what worked and what made my heart happy!

So whether I find inspiration from paintings I see in movies and TV or from ideas that pop into my head, I always try to recreate it and translate the vision! I hope you like my creations!

Thank you for reading my post. Look for my upcoming posts including a continuation of this where I talk about how my art comes to life!

Angela