I never really thought about doing an artist statement until my son, Lewis' girl friend asked me if I had an artist statement. I have painted and will continue to paint the things that I love. But this started me thinking about what I would write as an artist statement for my work.
It is more than obvious that I can not go there. I searched the web for photos of Icebergs that inspired me.Why do I paint? What drives me to paint the things that I paint. Why somethings fascinate me and other things, places, objects do nothing for my artistic sensibilities. I have given this much thought.
The natural world always fascinates me. I have always been drawn to nature, even as a young child. The way that light plays against objects and nature, and clouds casting shadows across mountains tops never fail to capture my interest. I seek a way to paint nature in order to show the wonder that I feel. I loved taking walks in the fields, in the forest, through mountain trails, along streams and a walk along the shore. I no longer can walk as I have to use a power wheel chair to get where i want to go. I enjoy nature none the less for being a little more remote from nature than I would like.
I remember my grandfather quoting the Bible "The heavens declare the glory of the Lord and the firmament shows His handy work." This made an impression and I began to see the majesty of the world around me. I do not want to paint just pretty little paintings, but paintings that were more than pictures. I wanted to have my feelings projected as well or provoke feelings for the viewer.
I have been a keen observer of nature. Sometimes I have sat in the car and watched the changes of the landscape and the ever moving clouds as we drive. I have had time to both observe and to draw depth from these observations. I paint nature as I see and feel it, trying to paint more than just a hill or a mountain, but that mountain or hill as the clouds cast their shadow over it and the sun plays upon their surfaces. I want to give the viewer something of the way I feel about nature as I paint it.
Not being able to get to as many places that I would like to paint I have to sometimes rely on photos that I have taken or ones taken by someone else. In these I still interpret what I see drawing from my observations of nature, and how I personally feel about the subject I paint.
I recently have been alarmed by Global Warming and the effects that it is having on our world particularly on our Polar Caps. Our Northern and Southern Poles are fast melting and great chunks of ice are falling away. So I have endeavored to paint some Icebergs before they are no longer there.
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| Fantastic Iceberg Photo |
