I agree with a musician friend that all great art comes in a moment of spontaneity – a moment the artist (writer, musician, visual artist) “lets go” and moves freely in the creativity that they have cultivated. But is that creation simply “spontaneous”? That question comes up in a different form regularly at exhibition openings. There is always someone who asks “How long did that take you?” My idea of a “correct” answer is “Thirty years and six days”. It would seem that “spontaneity” comes with “deep roots”.
Every experience, thought, person and event influences those Creatives who consistently produce new works. Sometimes we “float” along, stuck on a sort of “writer’s block” that keeps us from painting, writing or producing music at the moment. And like everything else in life, that “block” passes. You learn this as a Creative over time, or very quickly, depending on how much feedback & encouragement you get from friends and relatives. And when the “block” passes and the Creative becomes “spontaneous”, all the experiences that occurred during the “block” become part of the new Creation. No time is “lost”.
Above is a painting of our “Atelier”. This is where everything comes together – all the thoughts, people, & events from our lives. Here you see a self-portrait, a portrait of my partner, some memories expressed in other paintings, and, of course, some of the animals that live with us. Since we also built our Atelier ourselves, the structure itself has deep roots and emotional connections. People that helped with the construction (Ana’s family, Fred Brooks, Bill Yoskowitz, Lalo Solache, David Allen and others) are all part of the rich tapestry that is our Atelier.
Of course, the animals here are all part of daily connections. We spend around four hours a day working with them, feeding them, making sure everyone is properly housed and cared for. They are big part of our lives. AND, they figure into our art, being the inspirational personalities that they are. Below are two paintings that include the animals we live with. The painting of the Toy Store is also connected to my time living in France and to my children. One of the greatest joys I had while living abroad was finding unique toys and gifts for Joseph and Sara.
(Above) A solid wooden car bought for Joseph at Printemps Haussmann, Paris - made by Vilac. Now considered “collectable”. It was a lot of fun picking it out - and Joe now drives a very sleek black car.
The painting of Caffrey’s Gallery is connected to our animals, an art gallery in Ireland, and to my roots in Ireland – where our family came from. Caffrey’s is a real gallery and does show our animal art! So many connections around the globe.
My Life as an Artist is an exciting adventure, for sure. It is ongoing and the longer I live, the more I see how everything in life is connected. Skin colour, religion, gender, preferences, and other aspects of humanity are not quite as “important” as some people think, and certainly not worthy of “separation” (segregation) from one another. We are ALL connected to one another and when one of us is degraded or hurt, ALL of us are degraded or hurt. That is what I’ve learned. And that is a huge part of my Art.
You saved the best for last.
Absolutely agree. You have built a very fine life.