An Artist, An Influence

“The Old Boots” by Tim Kornowski.

You may or may not remember the last article I wrote, in which I said that my art teacher John Gordon (www.newmasters.com) is my number one artist influence. Next to him, however, would be a man I have never met, Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675).

Have you ever heard of the painting “The Girl with the Pearl Earring?” The one with the black background and a portrait of a woman turned gently towards you wearing a headdress and a large, gleaming pearl hanging from her left earlobe? Yup, that’s the one.

Oh, and don’t forget the amazing beauty of my personal favorite, “The Milkmaid.” The tones of yellow and blue, with a touch of red for the cardinal in the bottom corner are simply stunning. What this guy could do with a brush surpasses what most of us call “Fine Art” today.

So what does this artist have to do with me? Johannes Vermeer’s art has influenced my own since the day I first began painting from life. Who would have ever thought that a woman pouring milk into a basin or simply reading a letter could capture the affections of audiences throughout the centuries? I know it has captured mine. I have personally copied Vermeer’s work more than once, and I know how long it takes even to come close to the quality he put into his work. I remind myself that the best always make it look too easy!

Tim Kornowski is an artist living and working in Sturgeon Bay. To see Tim’s work, visit http://www.kornowskioriginals.com. Johannes Vermeer’s masterpieces are available for viewing at http://www.essentialvermeer.com.

The Peninsula Pulse has partnered with the Hardy Gallery to present the series, “An Artist, an Influence.” For more information about the Hardy, please call 920.854.2210, email [email protected], or visit http://www.thehardy.org.