“It was both subversive and classical at the same time, owing as much to Margaret Keane as to the elongated forms of El Greco, yet the staggering technique and sheer force of beauty in the image propelled it out of the kitsch arena into something much more.”(Hi*Fructose, Vol. 5 2007 “Bewitched: The Art of Lori Earley,” by Kirsten Anderson)

“The inspiration comes from an emotion or feeling Lori wants to capture. ‘Most of the paintings are essentially self portraits of things I am going through at a specific time.’ She says. ‘If it’s not a painting of someone I know well in which I’m trying to convey something about them, 95% of the time it’s about me, but using someone else as a model.’ (Hi*Fructose, , Vol. 5 2007 “Bewitched: The Art of Lori Earley,” by Kirsten Anderson)

“The exaggerated features of her figures, with their huge, almond eyes and thin, willowy bodies, are all extensions of Earley’s psyche in one form or other. Whether it’s the deflated fatigue of a painting like ‘Drained,’ or the piercing glare of ‘Regret,’ they’re all manifestations of some element of the artist’s emotions. But regardless of whatever feeling Earley is addressing, the paintings all seem to be bathed in a sort of melancholy and each one of them communicate something deeper below their beautiful surfaces.” (Juxtapoz.com, April 19, 2007, Interview with Lori Earley By Kristopher Monroe)

There’s a lot of quotes on this artist, but I found them useful to collect. Her females all tend to carry that melancholy feeling without the overt “I’M SAD” expressions. Maybe one of these days I’ll get to see her work in person. Anyway, since she’s one of the few artists in my series of art inspiration posts to actually have a website, I suggest going there to see the rest of the work.

Artist Link- http://www.loriearley.com

James Jean’s Vanity

“Incorporating traditional symbolism and dynamic narratives, Kindling introduces finely rendered imagery created with Jean’s unique aesthetic, extraordinarily kinetic style and sophisticated color palette. The subjects, as the artist explains, glide through the tableaux, tracing a narrative of thwarted desires. His subtle yet suggestive themes of metamorphosis, mortality, and sexuality blend together seamlessly, bridging the gap between the real and imagined. ” (NYArtBeat.com, James Jean “Kindling: New Works on Paper and Canvas,” — link)

Another artist quote/inspiration from same assignment. Love love love love it.

-Megan