Wednesday, August 22, 2007

New Art.


"If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint." –Edward Hopper

I started painting as a way of expressing myself. Not being a terribly "emotive" person and, simultaneously, being a person full of emotion, I needed an outlet. I have journaled since I was in High School...and kept all of those journals. In fact, I keep everything. I am the ultimate documenter of my life. It could be the highest form of narcissism, but I think we forget too much. We live in world of constant transition where things are so impermanent. We can change, reinvent our lives, lose our history by adopting a new identity and we too often forget how we got where we are. Being in school for the past 2 years, I have not had much time or energy to paint. There has been much to paint about, but no real time to commit to it. I suppose I have put some of that energy into my design work but last night, when I pulled out my supplies and sat down to create, I remembered why I love painting. It is easy, there is no thinking involved, there is a complete freedom to express whatever I want. It doesn't matter if it communicates, it is not about that. It is a snapshot of a moment in time, a thought, a feeling, visually interpreted and I am the only person who ever really has to get it, understand it or know what the "story" behind it truly is.

6 comments:

Mary Campbell said...

oh yeah, and that is a shitty picture of the piece...go easy on me.

aud said...

i love the concept. bueno!

Anonymous said...

i'm so glad you've got time to do that again.
-LL

Anonymous said...

Beautiful...really beautiful.

Anne Elser said...

Really interesting comments about painting. You called it easy. For me, it's harder than anything else I do. It makes me unhappy. It makes me resent the medium. I am completely absorbed and obsessed and unhappy until it's finished (which, as you now, really never happens until you give up on a painting.)

BUT when I have something to show for my work, I'm happier and swear I'll never pick up a paintbrush again.

smile

Anne Elser said...

sorry mary - forgot to mention that I LOVE your new painting!!