Article #17 -What is A Muse?
The Art Lady – by Arrachme
How can understanding the “muse-artist” relationship help you? A muse is a person who serves as an inspiration to an artist, thus enhancing their artistic expression. We have had many artist partners in history that not only simulate creative development, but in some cases, the two can reverse roles. Which is the muse, and which is the artist? It seems to me that if two artist types join forces, the result of achievement can stretch beyond a singular goal.
Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera
A childhood trolley accident caused Frieda to be bedridden. Her loving father, a photographer-artist might have been her first muse because he introduced and encouraged her to paint. Then entered Diego Rivera, a much older husband who was her most impactful muse. He both encouraged and challenged her in every aspect of their married life. The marriage was described as a volatile tug of war with extreme highs and lows. Diego was mostly known for politically inspired murals as well as his many dalliances. The two artists had such a tumultuous interactive life that they could not help but pour out the angst, which inspired powerful works of art.
Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O’Keeffe
Twenty years her senior, Alfred was already an accomplished, professional photographer when he met Georgia O’Keefe. Alfred was a mentor to Georgia, which later led her move to New Mexico. He continued to be her long-distance muse through written letters. She would become one of the most notable female fine artists in history. An inspiration to me, I have always felt love in her long flowing curvy feminine brush strokes. The soft shapes and subtle depth are created by an extraordinary command of color. This could only have been achieved by a secure person who believed that everything is ok in their world. Frieda Kahlo and Georgia O’Keefe meet at Diego’s solo exhibition in New York in 1931. They became pen pals.
Peter Collins and Arrachme
Peter is a musician-type artist founding the local, “Celtic Village Show Band.” He also is a photographer, like the two previously aforementioned muses. Gifted in his early years with a scholarship to Wakefield College of Art in England, Peter does all the necessary photography for my art career. My success as a professional fine artist would not have blossomed as it did if I did not have Peter as a muse, supportive partner, and source of constant encouragement. I truly believe a muse is necessary for an artist to soar. If I did not bound out of bed before the chickens rise every morning, startling Peter out of a sound sleep inspiring him to make a delicious cup of coffee, I am sure he would not be the energetic artist that he is.
Stories vary from person to person but seem to all boil down to one answer. Art is a way to express one’s voice. The world around the artist including the muse or the best friend cannot help but influence the artist’s work. More importantly, to create powerful art, the artist spills out every morsel of themselves during the creative process. The muse provides some semblance of a perceived safe space from which the artist can not only make art but quietly recharge.
My painting in this article is named “My Village Everglades”, which is an impression of the marshlands of Florida. I truly enjoy this type of painting for its soft, dreamy peaceful point of view. There are not too many hard lines, and the color values seem to tenderly blend into each other.
The Artist and The Muse
The muse is someone that the artist must deeply respect for the relationship to be effective. It is not necessarily a marriage partnership. It could be a friend that speaks the same artistic language and can feel the pain, as well as the joy of the artist. Picasso had many muses in his life. He painted them in unorthodox ways. His images seemed to take his muse apart, in pieces then he would reassemble them on canvas. The inspiration of his muses was always apparent. Being an artist takes every waking and sleeping moment of sincere, dedicated focus. A muse cannot be a distraction in a professional artist’s life. Focus does not diminish the fun. Hosting gatherings is the norm. Salvador Dali loved to manifest unique parties with his wife and muse, Gala. He even wrote a cookbook of all the fascinating food creations and decorations that he created for events. During life’s twists and turns, the muse will be vigilant. They stay on the sidelines until it is necessary to take the reins. Seamlessly, they take charge of any given situation until the artist is ready to return.
So now you have a bit more insight into artists and how the muse is a necessary resource. You may now want to look to identify the muse in your life and give them a big hug.
