Admiration File: Scott Burdick

This post has been a little while coming, I've had it in mind to share with you the brilliance of Scott Burdick's work all week and now that I have a bit of time to tell you his artwork, I will.

I discovered Burdick's work on Youtube and did a link love post of one of his videos last week. His work has inspired me and in sharing it with you, I hope it inspires you too. Here is a few of my favourite works. Don't you just love his use of colour and lush paint marks?

"Tiffany's Hat" 2010, oil, 16" by 24"

Detail of "Tiffany's Hat"

"Megan" 2008, oil, 20" by 18"

Detail of "Megan" 

 "Andrea In Red" 2007, oil, 11" by 14"

"Andrea In Red" oil, 11" by 14"

Scott Burdick was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1967.  "Today, Scott and Susan (also an artist) live in a rural area of North Carolina. Surrounded by forests and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, their house is a perfect resting place after the many trips they take throughout the world in search of subject matter to paint" 1.

He is a realist painter who has a love for capturing beauty using lush gestural brush strokes.  Burdick's work is marvelous, he is highly skilled in his practice.  I admire his wonderful use of colour and how his applies the paint to form an image that captures a moment in time and the essence of what makes something beautiful.

"His ideas for paintings come from everywhere. "What makes a subject attractive to me are the same things that attract us all. The beauty of a young girl, the character of a weathered face, the solitude of a farm at sunset, or even the story itself behind someone or something that makes it interesting." Scott believes it is the job of the artist to recognize this when it happens, analyze why, and use his technical skills to convey the feeling to someone else. He notes that some paintings are as simple as stopping at the sight of something interesting, while others may take more time to research than to actually paint."  1.

And here is Scott's Artist Statement: "I see painting as both a way of exploring the world and then as the vehicle of sharing those discoveries with others. I travel to find subjects to paint as much as paint so I can travel and expand my horizons. Through this unique language, one can say things that are impossible with words." 1.

These two videos showcase Burdick's work.  I keep watching them over and over again.


Scott Burdick 1aParte
by Dars77  http://youtu.be/CcSNIG9S0fo




Scott Burdick 2aParte
by Dars77  http://youtu.be/mjDQtFowkXU




On Burdick's website there is a section on frequently asked questions, the one below I'd like to share with you because it is great advise, something that I agree with and is what I'm focusing on in my practice at the moment.

"Q: After your schooling, what did you do to become popular? Was it mainly applying to shows, or trying to get articles written in magazines? Or was it because of the shows publicity that magazines discovered you?  I am currently an art student, and there really doesn't
appear to be a lot covered on this aspect of art.

A: To be absolutely honest, I think that the key to popularity as an artist is mainly devoting yourself to your craft and improving your paintings. Everything else will follow from that. "Popularity" is a fickle thing and something you cannot control. Don't try and change your style or subject matter to simply get into shows or magazines that you think will help you. In the end, the most important thing is that you are happy with your work."

I could not talk about Scott Burdick without sharing his four part Youtube video series on beauty in art. It is well worth spending the time to listen to. It really struck a cord with me, I found myself nodding in agreement to what he was saying. I won't ruin it for you, but I will tell you that he talks about beauty, skill, traditional art, modern art, art institutions, museums and the contemporary art scene.


BeautyPart1.Mov
by ScottBurdickArt  http://youtu.be/qGX0_0VL06U




BeautyPart2.Mov
by ScottBurdickArt  http://youtu.be/fIVaTCRyblM




BeautyPart3.Mov
by ScottBurdickArt  http://youtu.be/TMA1rn7q7t0




BeautyPart4.Mov
by ScottBurdickArt  http://youtu.be/byRaMfoiJP4





 Also here is a great interview:  http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=3176 



Happy weekend all!



1.  http://www.scottburdick.com/biography_scott_burdick.htm

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