The Role of Art

I am trying to make art that is connected with the spirituality of nature. I want to instill a great visionary quality into my art. “Deep visioning” for me is about finding a way to make the connections between things VISIBLE, and that is a deeply spiritual thing. I am just beginning to attempt this profound thing – I don’t claim that my recent art is succeeding at this, but this is what I am striving for.

What is the experience of looking at art like for you? Do you respond to the level of realism or impressionism in a piece? To the use of vibrant or subtle color? Or to subject matter (or lack thereof)?

Some of my favorite artists are Georgia O’Keefe, Odilon Redon, Andrew Wyeth, Paul Cezanne, Willem De Kooning, Alex Grey, Wassily Kandinsky, Salvador Dali, Jean-François Millet, Susan Seddon Boulet, Mark Rothko, Henri Matisse and Pavel Tchelitchew. Of course, there are many other artists that I love and I am sure have had an influence on me.

I believe that art should not be gimmicky, kitschy, or difficult to understand. Now that we are firmly in the 21st century, all the “isms” of the 20th century are old-hat. The role that art needs to play now is it’s most important role, to touch the heart and connect us to that which is most profound. I strive to create art that fulfills that role!

9-24-08