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I find the idea of inspiration and its sources fascinating. Where we draw inspiration from is very personal, unique to each individual's life experiences and philosophy. Sometimes we are unaware of our muse and her source. I feel I am at a point in my life where I have established a personal style within my artwork that is truly mine and stable. From there, I have been able to identify those sources of inspiration that were most powerful in the shaping of my view of life and how I choose to interpret it through my art.
The link above gives you a brief bio of the artist, who lived in a time and place of great suffering and ugliness. From the images posted here by German artist Käthe Kollwitz, you can see how her strong use of dramatic lighting, dark shadows, and emotional subject matter have influenced my work. Her ability to capture despair, sorrow, and hurt in a seemingly "simple" black and white print haunts me and forces me to feel something, and to think.
