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Hans Larsson-swedish Bird artist (1 Viewer)

spizaetos said:
Having nothing to present of my own lately , I thought that presenting such
a talented artist like Hans Larsson to you could be a source of inspiration for all of us! He is the artist who's style resemples that of Lars Jonsson's most!

http://www.pbase.com/hans_larsson

Paschalis
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The trouble with H Larsson and and a select band of others is that they should be inspirational- but they are sooo good is it is tempting simply to give up!
 
Got to agree, Ed - collective P-in-the A for we mere mortals. The red-throated pip is just a stunner.
Cheers Paschalis - wonderful link.
 
thanks for the link, very nice work, I loved the field guide studies. Have to say his field sketches are not any better(IMO) than some of our masters here and in some cases not as good at least to my eye. If I had a choice of his or TW's I'd take TW in a heartbeat.
 
Some interesting reactions to this one- underlines the ambiguous nature of bird art. On one level the style is so LJ derived that it is hard not to be put off- it results in a slightly diminished sense of the artist himself as his own man, no matter how good the pics look. But then the execution is so startlingly good (the Nightingale, some of the plates) that on another level you just have to take your hat off and wave it in the air. That's my dilemna anyway- I usually end up feeling guilty about being seduced by the technically brilliant and come back to the artists where the response to the bird, or the bird in scene or moment seems most strong and honest.
 
ed keeble said:
Some interesting reactions to this one- underlines the ambiguous nature of bird art. On one level the style is so LJ derived that it is hard not to be put off- it results in a slightly diminished sense of the artist himself as his own man, no matter how good the pics look. But then the execution is so startlingly good (the Nightingale, some of the plates) that on another level you just have to take your hat off and wave it in the air. That's my dilemna anyway- I usually end up feeling guilty about being seduced by the technically brilliant and come back to the artists where the response to the bird, or the bird in scene or moment seems most strong and honest.
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Pretty much sums up what I think - regardless of whether or not it's just another one on the LJ bandwagon (which, let's be honest, it is), these pictures are strikingly good. There are some of the field sketches that really stand out as belonging to the artist- it's harder to emulate someone in field sketches - the BE Wheatears in particular are astonishingly good. But as imitation is the highest form of praise, I just thought "isn't Lars brilliant" for most of them. I'm trying (at 2 in the morning) to not sound bitchy, as this guy clearly has great talent, but I do think that once a master has inspired you, you have to cut the cord and try and find your own way.
 
colleenc said:
thanks for the link, very nice work, I loved the field guide studies. Have to say his field sketches are not any better(IMO) than some of our masters here and in some cases not as good at least to my eye. If I had a choice of his or TW's I'd take TW in a heartbeat.
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I am just now beginning to read through LJ's "Birds and Light", for the third time! While I see an definite similarity between LJ's and Mr. Larsson's watercolors, I don't get the same feeling of "being there" that I get from Lar's field paintings. Larsson's paintings seem a bit contrived and perhaps not showing the same sense of the habitat. And I have to agree with Colleen. There are several artist regulars on this forum whose work excites me more!
 
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Well this has certainly been a lively topic! I held off saying anything for a number of reasons, but not seeming bitchy as Nick says was up near the top. I can be a fairly critical person though I've tried to refrain from that here. I was much more critical in my abstract days, but also more accomplished I think so I felt freer to be critical. I'm too much of a neophyte with birds to be critical. But in the long run I'm not sure that criticism serves much purpose other than blowing off steam occasionally.

I've found myself in agreement with both Sid and Colleen in the sense of preferring the work of some of the regulars here. And I agree with Ed about the work that sticks with you being that where you can feel a connection between the artist and the birds he draws. And finally I agree with Nick about needing to break free of influences and become your own artist.

On the other hand for me I can't think of anyone much better than Lars Jonsson to emulate and just because you decide you might want to emulate him it doesn't mean that you'll be successful. No one ever went for my Gorky emulations when I painted abstractly;) So I really can't criticize anyone for looking a bit like LJ, especially if they are young and still developing their own style. I'm not sure how young this fellow is. Maybe he will be moving on to a more individual style over time.

My own feelings were that I thought the birds were very strong but their environment a bit of an afterthought, as Sid says. But I'll wait to see how he develops. Hopefully he'll come into his own just as we all hope to do, except those of us who have already arrived. And I certainly think a number of artists here who have done that!
 
With huge apologies - I know this thread is about Hans' work, but I really wanted to throw this one in on the back of the comments about the connection with the bird; the experience.
Bruce Pearson isn't by any means a 'new' name, yet for a guy who is so much part of the establishment, he continually pushes the boundaries and his own comfort zone. I just think the man's a genius:
 

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What an exciting painting Tim, and the composition OMG, ingenious, to me this is a fine way to point out what we are skiriting in Larsson's work without really saying so. Its painting from a deeper level of truth for sure.

When I was in the art world big time selling the work of Robert Lyn Nelson, for over one grand or more, there came up a lot of imitators of this 2 world view, you know, landscape above fish below, or whales and dolpins, what ever sold best, Nelson was a diver so he had the experiece, some of his imitators were better painters than him and some like Lassen could immiitate a lot of people, this work sold like hotcakes, in Hawaii and elsewhere in a hot art market of the 80's The 2nd and 3rd tier painters sold well too, as people wanted that and not everyone had the big bucks....finally it trended out, but those who have it still pretty much love it no matter how trite. And in Hawaii it is still selling with ever more artists painting that way for tourists. Nelson made a market ( Lassen says he did it first) and the market is still alive.

LJ has made market for birds, hooray! it helps us all. So I think we can expect the LJ effect to continue, and I can't help but be influenced by it too, but if I "did it" it wouldn't come up to the level of the real me, real truth and would be spotted in an instant as imitation of....or as the art market says "in the style of..." . I don't begrudge anyone who can make some sales so they can paint more. And the imitators fill a niche in galleries and collectors. I don't know if I have a single original thing to say about birds, but I can't help but keep trying for that, and could not be content or satisfied with less than that as a goal.
 
I've been to all the sites linked from your blog Paschalis and this guy stood out for me amongst a whole plethora of pleasures. One of my favourites whatever his influences.

Mike
 
Art truly is in the eye of the beholder, because I look at the painting that Tim posted and see... well... a well executed painting, but nothing more. While I love Hans Larsson's paintings (and have for some time, several of them have grazed the cover of our local birding magazine ;)). That's one thing I love about art, the fact that not everyone reacts the same to it. Just because I don't feel something for a piece doesn't mean it's bad art, someone else might love it. :)
I'm not the least bit bothered by the fact that Larsson's clearly inspired by Lars Jonsson, since his paintings are so well done and most of them are done with a great deal of feeling. Even Lars Jonsson started out inspired by other artists... I believe he wrote somewhere that he was very inspired by Gunnar Brusewitz when he was young, and it shows in his early paintings.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to following Larsson's work and see how it develops. After all, he's still young... :)

Just wish I could paint like that... ;)
 
Enji said:
Art truly is in the eye of the beholder, because I look at the painting that Tim posted and see... well... a well executed painting, but nothing more. While I love Hans Larsson's paintings (and have for some time, several of them have grazed the cover of our local birding magazine ;)). That's one thing I love about art, the fact that not everyone reacts the same to it. Just because I don't feel something for a piece doesn't mean it's bad art, someone else might love it. :)
I'm not the least bit bothered by the fact that Larsson's clearly inspired by Lars Jonsson, since his paintings are so well done and most of them are done with a great deal of feeling. Even Lars Jonsson started out inspired by other artists... I believe he wrote somewhere that he was very inspired by Gunnar Brusewitz when he was young, and it shows in his early paintings.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to following Larsson's work and see how it develops. After all, he's still young... :)

Just wish I could paint like that... ;)
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Quite right, Enji.
There's a whole world out there and many ways of interpreting it. Vive la difference!
 
May as well throw this into the mix,;) the artist makes the best art they can, then comes the viewer who sees and responds( or doesn't) two different worlds and purposes meet in the collector of the art. Here is a link to a story about an amazing man, who's view of art may help us understand the way we see the works mentioned here. Why the artist makes the work and how, is really different from how the finished work makes way in the world. http://www.pbs.org/smitten/essay.html

When I look at the work mentioned here I'm focused on how it's made, when others see it they may instead have attention on how they respond. But I think this man has a key, here is a quote, and his story is really worth reading...
Like the region it celebrates, like the art that fills its indoor spaces and spreads across its hills, like the man who created it, the di Rosa Preserve embraces the clash of public and private, nature and artifice, ego and altruism, cool distance and deep feeling, low humor and high seriousness, seeking in the intersection of opposites what is most dynamic, satisfying, and real. “Give me slashing colors, and I will need a peaceful blending,” di Rosa wrote in one of the leaflets he hands out to visitors. “Offer me sweet coloration, then, please, stir me to the strife of life. Yes, awaken me to the yin and yang of living, as reflected in art that mirrors life – my life, my very own life. “
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...
he was asked if there was a fire and you had to choose what to take what would you do...He said "I'd probably die in the fire trying to decide"
 
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