A Constant Muse
LaSaga was the Second Prize winner of International Artist magazine’s Challenge No. 112, Favorite Subjects.
Canadian artist Brian LaSaga has always found nature to be never-ending in its inspiration and surprises. In particular, he has become interested in clouds and driftwood—things that seem to be rustic or weathered. “This collaboration offers me something I never even thought of,” LaSaga says of his muse, adding, “My style and technique fit well for my nature scenes and my most important elements are light, texture and composition. I like the abstract nature of driftwood against a beautiful sky.”
LaSaga usually drives, hikes or kayaks to locations in Newfoundland, where he lives, with his camera in hand to photograph the world around him. He takes hundreds of photos to gather all the references that he can before he heads back into the studio to paint. When deciding on a composition, LaSaga will look through
his photos and pull elements from multiple images to build the scene in photo-editing software. “When I arrive at a final image and composition which I like, I will either save it for another time or print it off and work from this,” he explains. “I may also make other changes as I paint on my panel from this final photo image. Many times I try to compose my photos as best I can so there is less editing later.”
Living near the coast, there is no shortage of sandy and rocky beaches for LaSaga to explore. Those are the places he will find driftwood, and it becomes the centerpiece for many of his paintings. In Beach
Rhythms, not only were the wood pieces inspiration, but he also was drawn to the “sound of the waves and blowing wind.” Another painting, Tidal Roots, has the driftwood as the focus. “I love the abstract shape and
texture of this subject,” he says. “This piece was the result of a kayak trip I made to a place called Sandy Point. [It’s a] deserted island now declared a bird sanctuary.”
Although LaSaga’s artwork is based on real places, he wants to have a sense of familiarity to every viewer. “I like to create a sense of a place that is somewhere or nowhere in particular,” he says. “I hope each and every viewer sees and takes something a little different from my work and has an experience rather than just be viewing a picture. My goal is not to paint life, but to paint life into my work and create an emotional connection that I hope will inspire my viewers.”