Painting Inspiration from Edward Hopper

With Toronto schools and daycares open again, I'm back to painting alone in my Toronto art studio. I've been thinking about all the time many of us have spent isolated in our homes with little outside interaction. Blissfully at work and able to socialize a bit more, I'm thinking more about why I paint and how to better write about my artwork. As a former lawyer and now artist, I'm used to spending a lot of time working, researching and creating alone in my own space. 

Artist Edward Hopper as Inspiration in these Strange Times

The modern, dramatic artwork of Edward Hopper is popular again during the current worldwide pandemic. Hopper's paintings often depicted scenes of lonely urban life. With people in different countries around the world living in lockdown and "social distancing" as the new normal, Hopper's paintings of isolation seem relevant today. 

Edward Hopper was an American Artist who lived in New York from 1882 to 1967. Though he passed away over 50 years ago, his paintings and influence on culture have never seemed more relevant. So many people are spending more time than ever alone because of various COVID-19 restrictions in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and worldwide. Daily interactions with others are limited. Most business meetings and meetups with friends are conducted at a "social distance" or over Zoom or Teams. 

With more time spent alone and limited interaction with a few family members and friends, I've found myself struggling to find the right words to express myself. Paint has once again become my preferred method of communication so I love the quote from Edward Hopper about using paint for expression in lieu of words. This particular quote from Artist Edward Hopper gave me much to think about during the COVID-19 closures and restrictions in Toronto,

"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."

- Edward Hopper

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On thinking about why we paint instead of write...