Artistic Inspiration!

I was so inspired today in Bar Harbor at the art fair. It looked like a farmers market with each artist having their own tent showcasing all of their amazing work. There were photographers, oil painters, acrylic painters, and even an artist who created key-hangers out of recycled wood material from Bar Harbor. 

One artist whose work stood out to me was a man who cut his photographs into strips and wove them together to create something new. I also loved his use of mixed media, where he would incorporate thread (like the kind used to make friendship bracelets) into his photographs. He took a picture of an old car in front of a tree and added "X"s to the headlights and little bobbles to the tree with the string. He told me that the car is always there, and he has pictures of it during every season, and it's like one of his friends. 

Some of the vendors were stingy about taking pictures, so you'll just have to imagine it in your head. 

Luckily, I was able to get some pictures of the next artist that stood out to me. 

Looking at her paintings felt like looking at the world through her eyes. 

The way she emphasizes swirls in nature and adds touches of abstract elements to realistic landscapes is mesmerizing. I loved how she uses bright, saturated colors and blends everything so smoothly. 

This picture of a waterfall was my favorite. I get completely lost in the detail of the water. I also love the spots she added to the rocks on the left side. The color palette is gorgeous with the bright autumn yellows and reds contrasting with the neutral browns and greens. I am just obsessed with how she captured the movement of the water. She created something that translates the beauty of seeing it in person into a painting, which is so much more difficult than painting an exact recreation. I might just have to go back and get a print of it tomorrow. She had so many prints on display, but we were on the waitlist for brunch, so I couldn't look at them all, but I would definitely love a chance to go back. My best friend from my hometown is an art major and loves painting, so I was sending pictures to her because their art styles are pretty similar, and she loved it too!

It was a great feeling to be so inspired by someone's art because I haven't felt that feeling in a long time. I used to paint and draw until I fell out of love with it, and this inspired me to pull out my colored pencils from the vault and be more creative!