The language of art is imbued with either grace or meaning; it is a thing full of weight and mystery which human context sets in motion.
Art can be a guiding star to the confusion of being set down on this plane within this tilted and wobbling sphere, with the task of orienting oneself to the beauty and suffering of life.
Through the thread of intentional thought, art takes form, and is born to us, out of nothing and through the use of materials in symbiotic relation. Its dimensions expand and contract, and sometimes barely make a ripple on the perceived surface of things until its density pulls the center of the plane down creating a chasm, which can become a thing of strange power and pull.
Memory is subject to the one who perceives the experience, and it is frequently challenged by others who were there, and saw the same scenario and experienced it differently.
One’s memory of events is a soft thing, subject to change and, horrifyingly enough, it can leave us completely. Where is our sense of self and identity if we have not memory? How can we survive without memory? Presence is all we may need but our internal worlds need connection and shared experience with others as proof of existence.
I make paintings and drawings to remember, it is an act of remembrance, love, and longing. This cathartic unearthing of personal memory, history, and myth moves like inner tides. It’s a way to work with the wordless and essential observations which line the inner walls of interior being.
History is narration, and the power of the one who gets to tell the story which is believed by the majority. At its best it is a chronicle of events and experiences. At its worst it is an aggressive and powerful tool in the hands of anyone who seeks to control and dominate the story. Art has the power to rebalance the narrative, and show what is hidden, small, objectified, and disrespected.
Myth is the foundational stuff we acknowledge we believe, and things we inherently think we know. It is born of conflict and struggle, it shocks and disturbs, blames and creates legacy with its wrestling elements. It is also magical and can give life to the abstract concepts we can’t explain coherently.
Art-making is simply the only way to deal, and the only way to cope. It is a chance to dive deep into the dark water of existence, to see how far I can go before needing to surface. In distilled form it is exploration, it is play, and it is necessary.