I wanna triple.....time as a healer...

Wait   mixed on paper   20 x 13.5

Well then, would that be a triple base run, a triple lutz, or three great paintings in a row?  Sometimes, the ideas expressed by other artists resonate within me.  Not immediately, but will rise to the surface of my thoughts in time.  I am grateful for this.  Last week an artist in my class lamented the fact that he felt he needed to progress more, and the measure for that would be three or four great paintings in a row.  Those of us who have been painting a long while just looked at each other and simultaneously declared, "That ain't gonna happen".  

Like it or not, we have a lot in common with athletes and I believe that we need to incorporate some of their experiences into our own.  While the desire to conquer, to win, to claim the prize is decidedly a left-brain notion, the actual playing of the sport, the moment-to-moment maneuvering of one's body in response to another's is an in-the-present notion that is shared with us artists.....from the R-brain.  One needs only to take in the sports news for a week or so to realize that even the best of the best athletes have their share of disappointments and setbacks.  To attain peak performance at all times is an oddity.  What matters, of course, is the long run, the continued playing of the thing, the continued painting of the thing over time that allows for more success, whatever that might entail for any given individual.  The process is the thing. The love of the thing.  The playing.  The triple-lutzing.  The capturing of light in early morning.  A peak performance at any given event does not guarantee a peak performance at the next.  You are only as good as the current game, the current painting.

"Wait" is about exactly that.  A feeling of failure.  A loss.  Not living up to what one believes is his or her potential.  The only healer is time....waiting.....painful waiting....until the next painting when all goes as planned and one's self-imposed definition of success is met.  Sometimes it happens.

Paradigm Shift

In 1962 scientist Thomas Kuhn developed his notion of a paradigm shift, which determined that progress, or knowledge, is not linear, not evolutionary, but, rather a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions.  I don't think that this notion is strictly science-based.  Over the years, I have been obsessed, sometimes for years, about various art-related elements, all related to the way I see art-making and what I have decided to be visually stimulating and aesthetically pleasing TO ME.  We all know, that seeing is subjective.  And aesthetic differences vary from artist to artist.  That's what makes it all so fun.  My quest in all of this problem solving is to reduce an image to its essence, to say only what needs to be said.  The overall feel of the work is more important than the pieces parts.  My first obsession was the notion of transparency/opacity.  That lasted many years.  Then I moved on to complex color.....layering of colors to achieve a good feel.  I found that I much preferred color that was layered and truly considered, rather than the spontaneous local color expressed in most all prima works.  (I do, however, feel that alla prima painting offers so much in learning to make quick decisions and fresh stroke-making).  Hard and soft edges became another obsession, where my desire was to merge the subject and its ground in a kind of oneness.  Recently, I have experienced yet another shift in the way I wish to see my art....I simply cannot resist it.  The process tends to deconstruct the subject a bit, allowing for an even deeper merging into the ground, as well as further redefining that which is important.  The process is difficult, enduring and, frankly, requires a whole lot of paint.  But, for some reason, I believe that this is where I am supposed to be at present.....and I am enjoying the ride....when I am not tearing my hair out. It is stimulating.

Now you see it...now you don't

Hidden Symmetry   oil/canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

Illusion is what painters do....the illusion of a 3-dimensional object on a 2-dimensional ground. My community of Brimfield is probably like many semi-rural communities in that it is being invaded by commercial ventures such as WalMart, Lowe's, Dollar Tree, Appleby's and Kohl's. Things are changing rapidly. A beautiful barn on my road was always a stand-out due to it's two dilapidated but beautiful spires. I always hoped to paint them. A couple of years ago, I finally had an opportunity to produce a painting of each one. Whoa...........within a few weeks of completion, the spires were removed and disassembled, despite local rumors that the owners were going to completely refurbish the structure. I feel lucky. My goal in "Hidden Symmetry" was to juxtapose the extreme texture of the shingles and old wood with a complete smoothness of the background. As always, easier said than done. My normal painting style is full of texture and strokes. Painting the background was most difficult, what with trying to hide and smooth out brushstrokes. "Hidden Symmetry" can be seen in "The View From Here", currently on exhibit at Second April Galerie in Canton.