Finding Inspiration Through Art Books

Photograph by Austin photographer, Kayla Snell.

Seeking Inspiration

I absolutely love art books. When I was in college, one summer I worked for this amazing auction gallery in New Orleans. Every day I would handle and catalogue famous pieces of artwork, beautiful jewelry, and antiquated furniture from large estates. Stunning collections of art books would be delivered weekly, and I’d spend my lunch breaks sifting through each one learning everything I possibly could.

It didn’t take long for my boss to notice that I had a real affinity for these books, especially the ones about artists such as Monet, Renoir, and Degas, to name a few.  After a wonderful summer of clocking in countless hours with this amazing company, I packed up my desk and bid my final adieus. As I was leaving one of my most enjoyable summer internships, my boss called me into her office. The entire staff donated over 100 of these beautifully adorned books to me – ranging from the Renaissance to the Impressionist Movement (and boy did I cry!).

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Although our tiny home can’t hold the majority of these books, I draw so much inspiration from each and every one of them. Days where I am stressed or feeling lost, I run to these books. No matter how many times I’ve opened them, I gain some sort of new perspective and insight. The Impressionist Movement has most heavily impacted my style based off of the vibrant colors utilized during this period, as well as the painterly strokes that were much more loose compared to previous years and movements. In an upcoming journal entry, I will be showing how Monet specifically inspired my most recent commission of Japanese Magnolias.

Want to know what I’m up to on the every day? Follow along on Instagram at @cocozentner_art or on my Pinterest page. I love to post what inspires me, behind the scenes of my painting process, and my pup, Maudie!

Until next time,

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