First Time
The process of creating a work of art has intangibles that many people see subconsciously. What I see in a piece of art is determined, due in part, by how I feel. Working with the right person - having an insight into who that person is - adds those intangibles to a painting that turns it into a work of art. Not all those who see my paintings will think of them as works of art, but rather as simple pictures. For art to be art it has to move or connect with the viewer. Personal experiences and feelings come into play in both creating art and appreciating it. My art is a statement on how I see the people and subjects I paint. The color - the shapes, are altered by how I feel; by what senses are in play at the time I'm creating. As a result, it is important that I know my subject and important for me to paint from life. The smells and sounds of a landscape play into how I paint the landscapes I grew up in. The music accompanying a still life comes into play when I paint the objects that surrounded me as a child. Knowing who I am painting is the most important factor in many of my works, for the human figure has become the main inspiration in my life as an artist.
There have been three women who I have worked with who have inspired me to be more than simply a painter. They have helped me define what it means to me to be an artist. Working from life opens my artistic eye to who I am painting, adding that intangible needed to create real art. Colors appear that I had over looked before. Knowing who I am - really seeing, adds an understanding to both my own feelings and how I wish to express those feelings. Decisions are made as to what to put to canvas and how I portray my subject. Knowing my subject personally, I become aware of the feel of the paint leaving the brush. Thus, painting has become a moment of understanding.
