When I began my art career and first started to do art shows I was very intimidated by the discussions I would have with the art collectors who would wander into my booth to view my works. I had not studied art, I did not know art history, and I never knew any of the artists that art collectors would speak to me about.
During my art first art expo I had a serious art collector approach me and tell me he was drawn in by my abstract paintings works because he saw a strong influence that reminded him of J.M.W. Turner works. When I told him I didn't know who Turner was he looked at me extremely perplexed as if he was staring at a woman with three heads. The fact was I knew little to nothing of any other artists.
Other self-taught artists who have not studied art will totally identify, I think, with how the innocence and ignorance of not studying the works of other artists can be so beneficial to one's creativity. You have nothing to influence or hinder you during your creation process. But as I attended more shows and I was told my works were reminiscent of Turner, Twombly, Rauschenberg, etc it lead me to learn more about the artists people were speaking to me about.
I did not learn of Marcel Duchamp until I was given a book about dada art. I was so drawn to the works of the dada artists and I remember as the book sat on my coffee table and visitors would flip through I found few who understood or appreciate the art. Most would flip through laugh and exclaim things like, 'how is that art', 'who would pay for that', 'my child could create better art than that'. But I love it. I love the artwork created by dada artists as it resonates with my soul. I see beauty and art in even the most absurd. Before I even learned of the dada art movement, or found object art I had been making little boxes of art from old cigar boxes I had obtained as a junk box lot at an auction. Soon, after viewing the works of the dada artists I was feeling more normal than odd with my artwork creations.
The readymades of Marcel Duchamp are ordinary manufactured objects that the artist selected and modified, as an antidote to what he called "retinal art". By simply choosing the object (or objects) and repositioning or joining, titling and signing it, the found object became art.
To view more of my found object art pieces you can view my found object art category at https://www.keckfineart.com/collections/found-object-art-assemblages
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