Artistic Obsession
By Mary Jane Begin
feature
You
might certain eternal questions. The consumer is led radiant to rage-fi lled, often inexplicably.
recall back to our obsessions, not the other way around… Obsession with colour has driven many
in grade a little archeological digging reveals this, if not artists to wild exploration, including one of
school, when your math teacher, leaning over in whole, at least in part. art’s most prolifi c Golden Age illustrators and
your shoulder, heaved a sigh of irritation at I look at my own work for some answers, licensors – Maxfi eld Parrish. Seeing his works
yet another carefully drawn horse, fl ower or and on the surface, it appears that I must be in person reveals that the colours appear
rocketship on the cover of your notebook obsessed with drawing furry animals, shiny vibrantly illuminated, seemingly, from within.
(never mind that you weren’t exactly paying eyes and vibrant colors, as all proliferate my I was fortunate enough last summer to have
attention in class). In middle school, your art work. But is that the whole story? Is it merely an exhibition of my paintings from the classic
teacher would wisely remind you to stretch that I derive pleasure from drawing mostly the tale, The Wind in the Willows, and from Willow
your interest beyond those subjects of same kinds of things again and again simply Buds, my prequel children’s book series, at
fascination so that you could grow, artistically. to satisfy the marketplace? I look at the variety the National Museum of American Illustration
Of course your college professor mostly forbid of my work, and can say with confi dence that in Newport, RI. I was in extraordinarily good
the drawing of such trivial fantasies, indulging buildings, vehicles or anything with 90 degree company, as the museum houses not only
instead, in the much more lofty pursuit of angles holds little, if any interest for me, while many of the fi nest examples of the Golden
drawing the human anatomy, or a carefully organic forms, curves and soft transitions Age of Illustration, but also a vast collection
chosen still-life or a sublime landscape. But endlessly fascinate. of Maxfi eld Parrish’s paintings, and a gift store
now, after all these years, we artists in the chock-a-block full of goodies – stationary,
licensing arena fi nd ourselves rewarded for
“My fascination with
lampshades, prints and neck ties – that feature
drawing those very same horses and fl owers his work. Not only was Parrish’s imagery
and rocketships!
light – refl ected
insanely popular and displayed on objects
Understanding the nature of our artistic
light, ambient
in his time, licensing of his work continues
obsessions is diffi cult when looked at directly: is
it the subject matter, the style of mark-making, light, harshly-
unabashedly to this day.
Studying Parrish’s work might reveal a layer-
the colour palette, the materials, an imaginary
world or some other quantifi able entity that
focused solitary
cake of obsessions, not the least of which was
his lovely assistant and mistress Susan Lewin,
keeps us returning again and again to the
light – holds me
but the popularity of his work likely stems
same issues when we sit down at the drawing from something more universal. Parrish’s use of
table? Consider Cezanne and those haystacks, captive, as it defi nes the colour evokes a magical, surreal and sensuous
Renoir and his water lilies, Michelangelo and
all those heavenly bodies or the way in which
mood and emotional core
world. I share that obsession with Parrish, and
have learned much from studying the contrast
each of those artists translated their work –
of a picture.”
of his fl ickering golden-hued light against his
with specifi c and clearly identifi able ways of famous ‘Parrish Blue’.
working. Artistic obsession is plain for the eye If I look at the particulars of each painting A friend of mine recently told me that he
to see, but understanding the why of it is the more closely, beyond the creatures and felt inexplicably happy when he looked at my
harder task, maybe the impossible task at hand. characters, curves and colours, I start to see work. It made me realize that expression of joy
If we consider the licensing industry as another constant emerge. Every time my is what I seek in my work, and I choose a path
a place to start, one might guess that the paintbrush lands on the surface of a paper woven in strands of coloured paint, informed
consumer is the driver, dictating what we or canvas, once the formal arrangements by the casting of light on favoured subjects
artists will draw as a mere matter of profi table and basic tones are laid in, I notice that I’m linked to stories, as a way to fi nd it. My real
commerce. We draw the subjects that the searching for answers with the same system of obsession is the waking of spirits off of the
consumer will want to buy on their t-shirts and mark-making – be it pencil, watercolour, acrylic, paper in the hope that they will impart some
coff ee mugs, and paint them in the colours oils, or pastel. I love to paint fur or hair, because essential truth about being human, and that I
and styles that will most please them. In truth, it naturally lends itself to the way that I see will fi nd connection through art with people
there is some of that consideration, as we colour – as strands of colour built up to defi ne who celebrate life in the way that I do.
wipe the sweat from our brows at two in the forms. My fascination with light – refl ected To be obsessed with something is to invest
morning, trying to fi gure out what the next light, ambient light, harshly-focused solitary interest and time and creative energy into it.
trend will be, or where our next big project light – holds me captive, as it defi nes the mood Thankfully, each artist in his or her own way
will take us. But the sum total of our style, the and emotional core of a picture. The light as it fi nds the way back to their glorious obsessions,
subjects we choose to draw, the colour, the falls on the eyes of a character is often the key and through licensing their work on objects,
marks, the materials, is driven much more to defi ning mood and expression – the shift beckons others to join in and share in that
profoundly by some internal need to answer of a highlight can change an expression from pleasure.
Mary Jane Begin is an award-winning children’s book illustrator, author, lecturer and a senior critic at
Rhode Island School of Design. Her work is available for license – more images and books can be found at:
www.maryjanebegin.com. Contact on +1 401 247 7978, or at mjbegin@cox.net.
44
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68