Saturday, February 14, 2009

Artist Inspiration



I was thinking about what it takes to be inspired, well...I can only talk from my vantage point.

One of my biggest inspirations came years ago from another artist named Manuel Lepe. He was from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Our family vacationed there for years and one time I went into a local art gallery and spied his work. I was overtaken with the colors and subject matter. He reminded me of myself and the art I felt too embarrassed to show anyone but my mother!

He painted angels in the sky that looked like children. I couldn't believe that was okay. I did the same but figured people would think that was silly or childish. Any way, when I came to know there was actually a genre called naif or naive art... it set me free.

One of Lepe's paintings was owned by Queen Elizabeth II and hung in Windsor Palace! And he had a list of famous celebrities that owned paintings. 

I had a chance to buy one of his fabulous paintings. The price was $1600. I didn't know how to transport it back to the USA and didn't know if that was too expensive. (I was in my early twenties) I passed it up, thinking next year I would have another chance.

The next year when I went to PV I heard the tragic news that Manuel Lepe had died at age 43. I was crushed and the price of the painting was now $16,000.


Be Kind Be Sweet Be Nice to Everyone You Meet

Be Kind Be Sweet Be Nice to Everyone You Meet
a book on kindness

My Etsy

S is for Shepherd

S is for Shepherd
ABC book with scripture is in its second printing

Pages

my online shops