Collages by Keats and Katz

Whistle For Willie Illustrations (above and below) by E.J. Keats

The Snowy Day Illustration (Above) by E.J. Keats

Alex Katz Collages (above), of which imagery and the book are nearly impossible to find

I love, love, love these works. The paired-down simplicity, graphic, flat quality to the image and color/pattern contrasts are so fresh.

I forgot all about Keats' work until working with kids this past summer. I thought it was so funny that my aesthetic taste has carried through since I was little, as these were some of my favorite books. I remember completely judging a book by its cover and only being invested in the story if I thought the illustrations were good (which is quite snobby considering I was probably making scribbles).

When I saw Katz's collages which I favor over a lot of his paintings, I thought of this connection. I also thought of some of Horace Pippin's work in relation to these collages. I have begun thinking about all these qualities in relation to my work too. How to incorporate pattern and a more graphic element in contrast to my brushy strokes are fueling a few experiments these days. Not quite ready for the unforgiving eternity of the cyberworld yet though...