In her new book Art Begets Art: One Artist’s Inspiration, Winnipeg author and artist Faye Hall asks the question, “Where does inspiration come from?” The answer unfolds through stories, poems, personal insights, and Hall’s beautiful paintings. Her prolific and powerful repertoire of realistic images and abstract works featured throughout, and the stories behind the artwork, makes the book a very engaging read.
Man With Turban
As the title suggests, we come to see that many of Hall’s creations are “beget” by the creations of others: photographs, writings, music and nature itself. Hall has a way of lovingly capturing the spirit behind a poem, a face or a song. Her book is a moving testament to the people and experiences that have touched her life in some way.
The Journey (a painting of the poet Malcolm Guite)
Here are a few examples: the poetry and sonnets of Anglican priest and poet Malcolm Guite; faces from India captured in photos; her mother’s journey through dementia; the inspiring personality and struggles of a dear friend who was a paraplegic; words from a sermon preached at Hall’s church; a tangle of branches glimpsed on a walk in the woods; the happy grin on the face of her 100-year-old uncle.
One intriguing story is her encounter with “Mully Children’s Family”, a charitable foundation founded by Charles Mulli that cares for street children and orphans in Kenya. Hall happened to see a film about the organization, and was inspired to paint a giant mosaic that featured a portrait of Charles Mulli surrounded by many of the faces of children he rescued over the years. This led to Hall being asked to create 32 illustrations for a book published in 2014 called The Biggest Family in the World, a children’s book version of the life of the founder, Charles Mulli, who was himself an abandoned child.
In Art Begets Art, Hall describes her own artistic path from childhood – from an elementary art teacher who recognized her gifts, to her parents allowing her to turn the family “root cellar” into her first art studio, to a career in advertising design.
Sanctus the Heart
She put away her oil paints and canvases as her life’s path wound its way through marriage, children, suddenly finding herself a young widow, and then years of caring for her elderly mother. But a new marriage and job ‘re-booted’ her life, and it wasn’t long before Hall found herself picking up her brushes and oil paints again.
Bliss in the Woods
Faye Hall’s book, with wonderful examples of her artwork sprinkled throughout, is a delight for the eye and the soul. As she reveals the sparks that light her own creative fire, she encourages us to open our own eyes and ears and hearts, and remember that inspiration is everywhere.
All artwork on this page by Faye Hall. Click on each to see enlarged image.
Faye Hall
Art Begets Art: One Artist’s Inspiration may be purchased from Amazon.ca or friesenpress.com
Find Faye on Facebook or visit her website at www.fayehall.com
