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when art begets art

March 16, 2009 By Kate Inglis

Colville paintings fit comfortably with fiction because they often hint at an imagined world of relationships and a subliminal level of emotions. His symbols register as fragments of stories that are never entirely told, rather the way Paul Simon writes lyrics as fragments of narrative.

What Colville shows is engaging, but he hints that something even more gripping is happening offstage, not that he would be so literal as to show it. … He quotes with evident pleasure a French critic who remarked that in Colville there is always something terrible happening, over the horizon, just out of sight.

(The National Post, October 31, 2000)

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Ever taken a photo and watched as it took on some unspeakable, barely-there hint of something else? Has bokeh felt like impressionism? Has visual staccato or abstract line or repetitive pattern or blocks of colour in your photos reminded you of modern art?

Today, share with us a photo that — intentionally or unintentionally — feels like art. Feel free to get specific, as to a particular period or artist (a painter, another photographer, any medium) or simply share with us something that feels artful to you.

Comments

  1. margie says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    i took this photo in jerusalem last year. i always felt there was something much larger down those stairs than what i could just see.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/margela/

  2. Karyn says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayak57/3102839650/in/set-72157611124137621/

    This one surprised me by ending up looking like some kind of colorful painting. It’s actually my hotel room in austin (the bluish lights are the tv) with the shutter open for 30 seconds.

  3. busymomma66 says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    I had Edward Hopper in mind when I shot and processed this:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/busymomma66/3334604964/

  4. Kate C. says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    These are my favorite "became something else" shots.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinec/2041560578/in/set-72157603470981048/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinec/3255146207/in/set-72157603470981048/

  5. Toni says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:42 pm

    My first comment on this photo said it had a painted quality. Art History class was too many years ago to recall a particular artist, but this has a water color feel to me.

    http://dailyvignette.com/2009/02/26/a-bug-in-the-barn/

  6. Katy says

    March 16, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    For Christmas, my parents commissioned a family friend to paint each of my brother, sister, and I a piece depicting our cottage. For mine, she used a photo that I took, and turned it into a painting. It’s a really special gift, and something that is going to be hanging in my house forever.

    Here is the original photo:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29536663@N04/2856701175/

    And the painting (I think she did a wonderful job):
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/29536663@N04/3360039356/

  7. Sue Henry says

    March 16, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    Coincidentally, yesterday’s blog post dealt with this very same subject. Please visit http://suehenryphotography.wordpress.com

  8. NotAnna says

    March 16, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    I’ve played a few times with self-portraits, trying to learn how to place lights. My most recent experiment produced photo that was too grainy to make for a good photo, but one of the handy-dandy PS Elements tools turned it into a pseudo-painting that I quite like: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866449@N04/3352838782/.

  9. Mod Girl says

    March 16, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    Golden warmth with simple, almost abstract lines… I captured it in my home.

    http://modobjectathome.blogspot.com/2009/02/micromacro-1.html

  10. Amanda Johnston says

    March 16, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    A dream of spring:
    http://endlesslightcreations.blogspot.com/2009/03/dream-of-spring.html

  11. debi says

    March 16, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Last spring I I had a very deja-vu experience while photographing a little pink dress. Turns out I’d painted such a dress 10 dress years earlier, but didn’t realize it until I downloaded the images. Serendipity.
    http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2008/03/little-pink-dresses_22.html

  12. Jamie-o-e-o says

    March 16, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    I took a picture of a magnolia blossom yesterday; the shallow depth of field and overall softness of the picture made me think of watercolors blending together…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs-eaves/3358778130/

  13. Charlane says

    March 16, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlaneg/3357536775/ to me, the light and the delicate baby hair made me feel like an old master

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlaneg/3323048630/ here, I felt like Warhol

  14. Ange says

    March 16, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    this is my favorite straight out of the camera, somewhat surreal shot

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8266875@N02/3247857404/

  15. Puna says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:01 pm

    I surprised myself with the processing I did on this shot. I put the before photo in as well…

    http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/before-and-after-the-barn/

    Loved looking through the art of the commentors…

  16. camerashymomma says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    this felt like a painting to me, the motion and the blur. lately photography has been wanting me to paint for this very reason. making something so flat look like textured paint.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3354029110/

    that photo of yours is full of story. love this post kate.

  17. robin-bird says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:05 pm

    how many ways can you love a photograph?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22496405@N03/3360330438/

  18. kosenrufu mama says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/
    here an art shot… for me art of life….

  19. robin-bird says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    how many ways can you love a photograph?

    whoops the above link is dead! here it is again…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22496405@N03/3360367506/

  20. Marcie says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    This reminded me of a Japanese silk painting:
    http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=718

  21. Barrie says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:26 pm

    I recently took a photography class. This was one of my favorties photos from the class assignments. It makes me think of a still life painting.

    http://barrieb.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/still-life/

  22. Kelly says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    For the sake of time and a fussy toddler, I’m going with the "just feels artful": http://kellysphotographyblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/thirty-one-spray-bright-evening-into.html
    and the old oil painting, which I know you’ve featured here already: http://kellysphotographyblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/weekend-giveaway.html

    I just love the things you can do with a camera…

  23. Tracey Clark says

    March 16, 2009 at 4:40 pm

    omg. i have soooo many shots that feel more like paintings than photographs. abstracts, blur, bokeh all lend themselves to this concept in my own presonal work.
    this shot has always reminded me of a Mark Rothko painting.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/maypapers/3360428572/
    great photo and post kate.

  24. Kathleen O./ko2008 says

    March 16, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    Nature’s art…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko2008/3358291878/

    Longing for summer am I!

  25. KL says

    March 16, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    When I first saw this picture, with the branches backlit by the grey winter sky, it had a very ink drawing or screen print quality to me. Even the the sprig in the bottom right gave me the impression of an artists signature.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/12418609@N00/3359682161/

  26. Mrs. E says

    March 16, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    This isn’t recent. It was taken last fall. I like the misty quality of it. After a summer of really ugly tornado torn streets, it was nice to know that there was still some place in my small town that was pretty.

    http://erickfam.blogspot.com/search/label/fall

  27. Jessamyn says

    March 16, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    This was an instant favorite that was taken while visiting friends in Las Vegas.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelittlehouse/3359806519/

  28. Steph Wiese says

    March 16, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Sunsets or sunrises always capture my heart.

    http://stephwiese.squarespace.com/

  29. CDScott says

    March 16, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    Here are a few of my favorite "artful life" shots.

    http://courtneysablogger.blogspot.com/2009/03/artful-life.html

  30. Leslie says

    March 16, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Here’s my version of art "photography", with help of a little photoshop, a couple in love.

    http://lesliephoto.blogspot.com/2009/03/when-art-begets-art.html

  31. Alejandra says

    March 16, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    I came across this shot while dropping off my friend’s car at the local mechanic’s shop. This image caught me eye–the shapes, lines and rust.

    http://fotografias-fotografias.blogspot.com/2009/01/yellow.html

  32. shelli says

    March 16, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    I really don’t know enough about art to compare it to another artist’s, but I always felt like this shot was very artsy:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/3016942236/in/set-72157607622594351/

  33. faith says

    March 16, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    I really like this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/faither81/3357761153/

    and maybe this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/faither81/3358578526/in/set-72157614448973046/

    or: http://www.flickr.com/photos/faither81/3350503658/

    Lately I find myself taking a lot of closeup almost bokeh photos, or at least trying to. ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. jody says

    March 16, 2009 at 11:39 pm

    this one def. gave me the feeling of being on the edge of something else…
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3173591911/

    This is a photo I was asked to restore by my dear neighbor…I love the vintage look it has..
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3157047179/

    And this finally is a photo that I have fallen in love with from our trip this past week to Las Vegas =)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3356481671/

  35. Alicia says

    March 17, 2009 at 12:01 am

    One of my favorite "artistic" shots:
    http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2008/11/bethesda-fountain.html

    Another I like from last fall:
    http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2008/11/tall-trees.html

    And one last:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34467943@N07/3286880634/

  36. Kate at LIttle House Monday says

    March 17, 2009 at 12:09 am

    Here’s mine… Although not the traditional ‘Matchstick’ figurers of L.S. Lowry the urban theme, tone and colour remind me of one of his paintings…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/3106008942/in/set-72157608798327491/

    and this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/3361555022/
    is taken at the sight that inspired Tom Thompsons ‘Jack Pine’ ay Great Lake in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Played around with a little to match the mood of the origional : http://johnhdoe.com/me/images/jack_pine.jpg

  37. Kath says

    March 17, 2009 at 12:25 am

    It happened to me on Sunday. I was working at it and took a lot of shots. The last photo in the series is the one that is "art" to me.

    http://www.soeursdujour.com/2009/03/macro-monday-the-great-outdoors.html

  38. heidi says

    March 17, 2009 at 1:39 am

    The colors and DOF in this one remind me of watercolors:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hstender/3292033682/

  39. hi kooky says

    March 17, 2009 at 1:40 am

    We played in the sun today. I think our environment (combined with shadows) lent an air of "something else is there" to these photos, imho…

    http://hikooky.blogspot.com/2009/03/all-light-and-angles.html

  40. cara says

    March 17, 2009 at 2:05 am

    This reminds me of Georgia O’Keefe:

    http://caramoulds.com/index.php?showimage=224

    This one turned out like a vibrant watercolor:

    http://caramoulds.com/index.php?showimage=291

  41. JeanaMarie says

    March 17, 2009 at 3:10 am

    after seeing a Degas exhibition at christmastime last year i went a bit bokeh/blurry crazy. but it was fun.:)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanamarie31/3361165699/

  42. claudia says

    March 17, 2009 at 5:09 am

    Here’s one I still like from last year
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/2577291628/in/set-72157603707815517/
    And one from Monday
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/3361392687/

  43. Liz says

    March 18, 2009 at 3:49 am

    it was an unearthly day of fog and blue ice
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/3236077798/in/set-72157613067839155/

    sci-fi/fantasy landscape. or calvin and hobbes?
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2484980619/in/set-72157601159455456/

  44. Liz says

    March 18, 2009 at 3:53 am

    i take the second one back, and offer this instead:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2376446914/in/set-72157604324544765/
    and this:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2376453280/in/set-72157604324544765/

    denver did me well, a year ago. ๐Ÿ™‚

  45. tongue in cheek says

    March 18, 2009 at 7:30 am

    In my kitchen, the morning light came in, creating a perfect palette, still life with glasses, candlesticks and a clementine.
    http://willows95988.typepad.com/tongue_cheek/2009/01/snowing-in-provence-.html

  46. jillruth says

    March 18, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22096859

    a ttv photo I took about 5 weeks ago. This chair sits on our acreage because of neglect–my daughter picked it up free curbside but didn’t use it. "Life" has gotten in the way and we did not dispose if it and there it sat all winter. Now I like it–ALOT–and don’t want to get rid of it.

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