Rather than listing individual pieces of art, I decided to list artists, because among each of my favourite artists I can’t possibly pick just one favourite piece. I say ‘so far’ in the title because I’m only 22 and my favourite artists are continually changing and expanding.
5. Jill Greenberg
Jill Greenberg's work is some of the most breathtaking photography I’ve ever seen. I had the opportunity to see her work once when she took photos of animals, but of course that was my first introduction to her so I didn’t know who she was until I looked at her website afterwards. Between carefully-placed lighting and computerized / hand-drawn enhancements, the outcome of her images is remarkably pleasing to the eye. In addition to photos of people and animals that are just stunning to look at, she also has a large collection of fascinating conceptual art.
4. Thomas Barbèy
I found out about Thomas Barbèy when my family and I stumbled upon his art gallery in Maui. His pieces are montages of several different photos, combined in flawless ways that stretch the boundaries of the real world. The more you stare at a picture, the more you see, whether it's physically picking up a new 'mini-image' in the piece or suddenly realizing that you just found new meaning behind it. When I look at his pictures, I suppose the feeling I have is "connected." It feels like everything in the world just comes together in one photo. I purchased two of his prints in Maui because I found two that mean a lot to me when I look at them.
3. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
"Truly there would be reason to go mad were it not for music."
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
My favourite classical piece ever is Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. His music makes me feel so relaxed and at peace, yet so energized at the same time. "Balanced" is the word. His music is just so expressive. I've only ever been to one ballet (though I'm seeing another one in a couple months), but I absolutely loved it, so how can I not love the man who wrote The Nutcracker and Swan Lake?
2. Walt Disney
"If you can dream it, you can do it."
- Walt Disney
Art is a very loosely-defined term, and I think Walt Disney fits in here as a sort of visionary artist. No matter what, there’s something to be said about the man who fuelled my childhood. Disney and his company created some of the world’s best movies and songs, and some of the most wonderful places on Earth. It’s entirely Disneyland’s fault that I continued believing in magic until I was far too old to think that you really can fly if you "believe hard enough." And these childhood memories are what keeps me going to Disneyland / Disney World on a regular basis, always reuniting with that feeling of overwhelming, almost manic happiness that filled me every time I went there as a child. At 22 I can still say that the Disney classics are among my favourite movies to watch. I suppose I still do follow Walt Disney's mantra, that you can accomplish anything, including the impossible, if you just believe.
1. Lady Gaga
"I used to walk down the street like I was a star. I want people to walk
around delusional about how great they can be - and then to fight so
hard for it that the lie becomes the truth."
- Lady Gaga
Yes, I know, I am obsessed. I admit it. But this woman is a walking piece of artwork. If I was given the opportunity to work with anybody on this planet, it would be Lady Gaga. I'm completely enthralled and fascinated by her, and I would love nothing more than to see her creativity and relentless work ethic in action. Between her voice, piano skills, fashion statements, and performances, she is the full artistic package. From her lyrics to her wardrobe, she puts meaning behind everything she does, and it’s meaning I can identify with. Whether it’s a dress made of meat to make a statement about standing up for what we believe in, or a performance in which she virtually bleeds to death in order to become famous, she has a shock value that I adore, and an edge I've never seen before in any celebrity. I’ll forever stand by a girl whose message is peace, love, freedom, and feeling like a rockstar when you wake up in the morning.
