I decided to teach my homeschool art classes about Georgia O'Keefe today. She was known for her many large flower paintings, but I thought I would focus on the subjects she was not as famous for and that was the animal skulls. She painted a variety of animal skulls she would find in the deserts of New Mexico.
This is a wolf skull (borrowed from my father-in-law). Don't ask me why he has it. It is kind of creepy, but kind of cool at the same time. I love the coloring of the skull with the variations in white and earthy tones. The sleek nature and smoothness of the skull are some things that I really enjoy. I had never spent much time looking at or handling a skull before, so I got more familiarized with it and saw the beauty in it as I spent time painting.
I see why Georgia found the skulls interesting to paint, and I see how looking closer at something from nature or from life can give one a deeper appreciation for the subject. Georgia brought the inside parts of a flower to our attention, and by doing so, she helped us appreciate the beauty there. By handling and painting this skull, I found beauty where I never suspected to find beauty before. I know it probably sounds strange to some people that I found a wolf skull beautiful, but in a weird way, I really do! I am determined now to stop and pick that stone up on the edge of the pathway and feel it. Look at its "imperfections". Experience feeling the texture. Note the various shades of color. See the beauty.
Something I read in this book about Georgia was really interesting. She explained how an artist she met told her that "Pictures should be 'composed' like a piece of music- but with colors and lines instead of sounds and melodies. A picture contains rhythms just like music. And the shapes should be clear and simple, so that the "essence" of an object could be clearly seen." I just LOVE this and it totally makes sense to me. I have never heard anything like that in my life and it really resonates with me! I feel like I got more of an art lesson than my students did!
