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Inspiration from Artists Week 70 : Mary Grierson and Maurits Cornelis Escher.

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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Welcome to week 70 of Inspiration from Artists , this week’s featuring Artist are : Mary Grierson and Maurits Cornelis Escher. I will introduce Mary Grierson today and on Wednesday Jenny will present Maurits Cornelis Escher . Mary Grierson 1912-2013. Was a Welsh born to Scottish Botanical Artist and Illustrator. The youngest of three children born to parents hailing from Dumfries, she was encouraged by her mother to paint from an early age and preferred to paint in watercolour rather than oil. She served in the WRAF as Flight Officer in a Photo Reconnaissance Unit and used the skills she learnt for the rest of her life. In 1960 she was employed by the Royal Botanic Garden Kew as the  Herbariums resident artist. She later illustrated several books and had her work exhibited in several locations around the world.  There is more information about her life on Wikipedia. I hope you enjoy her artwork. I love this last one it’s so beautifully done.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Oh gasp!  It's so perfect - enough to take your breath away: what a sublime artist...

Jenny Harris

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Love her work - I especially like the orchid illustration Paul has posted above.  Her illustrations are beautifully composed as well as beautifully painted.

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by Jenny Harris

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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I went to spend a book voucher today and came across this beautiful book of illustrations. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in botanical illustrations or just love really beautiful books. Not very good photos I’m afraid it was £15 from Waterstones , I don’t get commission by the way . 
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Taschen books are invariably excellent, and I should say you've got a bargain there for £15.00.  
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I think so Robert the quality of the plates are superb some of the illustrations are from the 1500. I was looking at it in the shop and chatting to the assistant who was filling the sheaves , she said that if I wanted to buy the she had one in the storeroom still in the cellophane from the printers , not just a new book but never touched by anyone. I have a collection of about 250 to 300 books a third are art related. 
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I hope to post the new list of artist on Thursday, can you let me have any more names for the list . If you don’t want to do the introduction just let me have names , it doesn’t need to be famous artists just someone who’s work you admire. 

Jenny Harris

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Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898 - 1972) was a Dutch graphic artist who produced mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs and mezzotints.  He was probably best known for his work depicting ‘impossible architecture’. He briefly studied architecture at the School of Architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem, but soon decided he wanted to focus on graphic art and switched to Decorative Arts, learning  drawings and the art of making woodcuts.  After school he travelled extensively in Italy and Spain, where he made drawings and sketches, later using these to produce lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings.  He was particularly influenced by the geometric designs of the wall and floor mosaics in the Alhambra, a 14th century castle in Spain. During his lifetime he produced 448 lithographs, woodcuts and engravings and more than 2000 drawings and sketches.  In addition to his work as a graphic artist he illustrated books, designed carpets and bank notes, stamps and murals. Despite popular interest, he was for most of his life neglected in the art world and was 70 before a retrospective exhibition was held.  In the late 20th century, however, his work gained wider recognition and has since been celebrated in exhibitions around the world.

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by Jenny Harris

Russell Edwards

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Ah one of my 'heroes' Jenny, an incredible artist, spent many an hour in my youth staring at his 'impossible architecture' whilst listening to Pink Floyd and such like.

Jenny Harris

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Russell, I was also fascinated by his ‘impossible architecture’ when I was younger, although until I did some research for this thread I wasn’t familiar with his other work. (and I was also a Pink Floyd fan - the first CD I ever bought was their album Delicate Sound of Thunder).

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by Jenny Harris

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Peter Smith

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I've been looking forward to Escher appearing, one of the real greats. I copied his 'impossible' pictures in colour last year, a very interesting exercise. These two are my favourites: Genius!
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Excellent choice Jenny you do come up with the unusual but superb artists . I’ve seen some of his work before but didn’t know of him , it’s always interesting when seeing new artists and of course educational. I’m not sure if I could even copy his artwork or maybe the challenge might attract me at some point to have a go at developing one . 
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