Laurie Simmons Homage

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

You may recall from past blog posts that I sometimes attempt to create artwork in the same style or following similar methods as well-known artists.  I often find that this plays an incredibly helpful role in understanding their methods and techniques when I am researching them from an art historical standpoint.  Previously, I have emulated the work of Vincent van Gogh, Rene Magritte, Yayoi Kusama and Kazimir Malevich and the experience is both wildly insightful and wrought with insecurities.  Obviously, it is not easy to recreate Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” or to paint a Suprematist canvas in the vein of Malevich, but in the process of attempting to do so, I learn so much more about the artists themselves.  This is an undeniable asset in the process of producing a class or lecture on said artist.

My most recent homage is dedicated to the work of photographer Laurie Simmons who began her career utilizing plastic dolls and doll houses for commentary on gendered play and its connection to both male and female stereotypes.  Toys, dolls and playthings are frequent recurring motifs in her work and are used to question male and female roles in society, the line between fantasy and reality, the idea of roleplaying, mindfulness, and other challenging topics.

“First Bathroom/Woman Standing,” Laurie Simmons, 1978
“Yellow Living Room,” Laurie Simmons, 1982

I became a huge fan of Laurie Simmons and her work after seeing her epic retrospective, “Big Camera/Little Camera,” at the Chicago MCA in March of 2019.  What has resonated with me over time is her use of toys as a fine art medium.  As a collector of toys, both plastic and plush, I decided to pay homage to the work of Ms. Simmons by combining my love of toys and art history and photographing a few of my collectibles “within” famous paintings.

BB-8 rolls through Georgia O’Keeffe’s “From the Plains I” from 1953.
Lego Luke Skywalker hangs out in “The Grey Hills” (1942) by Georgia O’Keeffe.
Miss Piggy is charming in Van Gogh’s “Flowering Garden” from 1888.
Baby Kermit is at home in “Daubigny’s Garden” (1890) by Van Gogh.
Bobblehead Dwight fits in nicely w/ “Two Poplars on a Hill” (1889) by Van Gogh.

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.