Love & Art: Couples From Art History Who Inspire Me

Feb 13

Photo: https://www.albersfoundation.org/

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I wanted to put together an email about love and art, with a roundup of some of my favorite couples from art history and their beautiful work, which inspires me on a regular basis.

I hope this curated collection of artists and artwork – with themes of love – can offer you fresh inspiration.

1. Josef and Anni Albers

Josef and Anni have been influential to my art and life for years, not only for the incredible artwork they've created individually but also for their creative life and marriage shared as a pair of husband and wife artists in love.

Anni's use of textiles has given me a deeper appreciation for materials, and her patterns inspire me to look at my compositions more thoughtfully.

Josef's teaching on color has shown me new ways of curating interesting palettes for my paintings. I love his Homage to the Square series and his opinion that art should be an experience.

Moving from Germany to North Carolina in the years leading up to WWII, I think about what an interesting life these artists shared, and I'm inspired by their commitment to each other. They traveled to Mexico often on holiday, constantly searching for inspiration, and they seemed to prioritize friendship in a way I've admired.

Even though they created artwork independently, I love how you can see threads of similarities that seem to weave in and out of Anni's and Josef's pieces. It's as if looking at their art is like looking at a conversation they might have shared.

2. Rembrandt van Rijn and his love, Saskia van Uylenburgh

Rembrandt is one of my favorite artists for his mastery of light, shadow, and emotion in his iconic paintings. One of my favorite pieces of all time was painted by Rembrandt (Storm on the Sea of Galilee - bottom right image in the collage below).

Something special about Rembrandt's story is his sincere affection for his wife Saskia van Uylenburgh, and the ways that he lovingly incorporated her (or her likeness) into many of his paintings. While she wasn't an artist, I thought Rembrandt's adoration of Saskia throughout his painting career granted them a place in this list.

A very moving piece in particular comes to mind when I think of Rembrandt's love for Saskia. In her portrait, she's wearing red velvet and gold (top right image in the collage below).

Rembrandt began this painting soon after they were married, but he left it unfinished until after she died, only eight years later. When he came back to finish the painting, he added a white ostrich feather to her hat and a sprig of rosemary to her hands—perhaps as symbols of purity, remembrance, and love.

3. Ruth Asawa and Albert Lanier

I read a book about Ruth Asawa last year (Everything She Touched by Marilyn Chase), and in the process, this artist quickly became one of my favorites. Like so many people, I am enamored with the delicate and complex nature of her famous wire sculptures, which float gracely, suspended in space. They inspired me to learn to crochet last year during a season of creative block, and this new skill helped bring to life new ideas for my paintings.

Asawa's interesting and inspiring life story is one of incredible perseverance and hope through the many obstacles she faced. As a Japanese-American born in 1926, she spent her entire youth in internment camps during WWII and struggled to find a college that would accept her in the years that followed.

She eventually ended up at Black Mountain College, where she planned to study art. It was there that she also met her husband, Albert Lanier.

After they wed, Ruth and Albert moved to San Francisco, where they shared a rich and creative life together—making art and raising babies. Albert was an architect, and Ruth was an artist. He designed their home, and she filled it with sculptures.

One of my favorite photos of an artist in their studio is an image of Ruth surrounded by her six children as she works on one of her sculptures on the floor (see below). It’s a beautiful picture of an artist who didn’t compromise her love for family in order to be an artist—she found space for both, and that inspires me to do the same someday.

Getting to know my favorite artists always reveals to me how art, life, and love are so intertwined. It's incredible how the things we create or collect can become even more special because of the people we share them with.