An Artist, An Influence: The Creator

In attempting to answer the “simple question,” which artist has been most influential to me, I ran though hundreds of possibilities. Artists (living and dead), teachers, parents…I could not choose one single person – nor did one stand out above all others.

So (and you may consider this a cop-out), I’m going to go along with Pablo Picasso who said, “God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things.”

I believe any artist (visual or otherwise) is influenced by all that they experience. And, that these private experiences eventually become public through artistic expression.

Since straying from a career of illustration and graphic design into the realm of “fine” art (i.e. art where I’m calling the shots, not an art director), I’ve constantly been exploring – not afraid to try new things – not afraid to “borrow” from others – not afraid to fail. Really, what’s the worst that can happen? I’ve wasted a little paint. I just paint over it and the underlying “failed experiment” adds to the richness of the new image.

I’ll probably never settle on just one style, one subject matter. I have too many ideas. The common thread that viewers will (hopefully) see in my work, is a solid appreciation for the simple joy of creating.

So, a tip of my humble artist’s hat to the Creator – the one who started it all.

Tim Nyberg has been an illustrator and graphic designer for over three decades. Now, in semi-retirement thanks to a successful career as an author and entertainer based on his best selling “Duct Tape Books,” Tim’s found time to return to his first love – making art for the sheer pleasure of creating. More of Tim’s work may be viewed at Gallery Forty Two in Juddville or online at http://www.GalleryFortyTwo.com.