“Tree of Life” by Keith Haring | Style Imitating Art

It is my turn again to choose the artwork for Style Imitating Art. My last pick was a vibrantly colorful watercolor by Jerry Garcia called “Feeding in the Light” and I just can’t seem to get enough of bright, bold, cheerful colors this summer. So I chose another vivid painting in acrylic this time…”Tree of Life” by American pop artist Keith Haring.

About Style Imitating Art

Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of Meadow Tree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as presenter, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the presenter by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the presenter will share all of the submissions on her blog.

You don’t have to be a blogger to join either! In fact, you don’t even have to join but you can still use the art to inspire an outfit just for the sake of trying something different. If you want to share your inspired outfit, we invite you do so on Instagram or any other social media platform that you prefer. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!

This Week’s Presenter

That would be me, but you already know that!

The Artwork

Tree of Life by Keith Haring

About the Art and Artist

Keith Haring was an American artist who emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s to become one of the greatest pop artists of our time. He used bold colors and vivid animation that has translated into a widely recognized visual language of its own. He started off with chalk drawings around the New York City subway system which eventually gained him public recognition that led to various high profile commissions that resulted in colorful large scale murals for hospitals, day care centers, orphanages, schools, and other nonprofit charities. Between 1982 and 1989, Haring created more than 50 public artworks of this sort, many of them voluntary and unpaid.

Haring was an openly gay man in New York City at a pivotal time in our history of awareness of different sexualities. He used his art as a way to advocate for safe sex and the freedom to love whomever we choose. In the fall of 1988, he was diagnosed with AIDS which would take his life in February of 1990 at the age of 31. During his last year and half of life, his art became his way to speak about his illness and to raise awareness and generate activism about AIDS.

“Tree of Life” is not one of these advocacy projects, however. It was created in 1985 to honor his dear friend and fellow artist, Maria Bonnier Dahlin, who had died that year in a car accident at just 20 years old. “Tree of Life” bursts with positivity as a celebration of life and friendship. (Source)

I am all about positivity and celebrating life and I have been wanting to feature a Keith Haring work since I first joined Style Imitating Art as a co-host. Ever since I first learned of Haring and his work (which was in the mid-1980s as he was rising to fame), I have been a fan. A fan of his bold outlines, bright colors, quirky figures, and social and political statements that he made with his art. 

So let’s celebrate life and love for this edition of Style Imitating Art. Bring out your happiest apparel and make a cheerfully exuberant statement with your outfit!

If you want to be featured with your art inspired outfit in my gallery post on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, be sure to submit your photos to me at shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com by 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. 

Happy styling, my friends!

Keeping it on the edge, 

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.