How can I link an artist to my work?

When making links to artists/art periods to your own work it's important to look at the various elements of the art form. Think of the colours Monet used to capture the seasonal tone or the intricate mark making of Cezanne and how these relate back to your own work. It's important to look into the history of the artist and what influenced them to create these pieces, are you inspired by the same events? In Art, artist references are important for this aspect. It is not how you can copy an art form but how you can learn and inspire from it.