Saturday, June 26, 2010

Evoking Emotions

'Play it Pretty' - acrylic, paper on canvas / 30 x 36 in.


'Dutchess County' - acrylic, paper, fabric on canvas / 24 x 36 in.

'Baby Oh Baby' - acrylic, paper on canvas / 30 x 36 in.

In mystical terms, when you're in a state of grace, all of 'it' happens effortlessly. I keep creating paintings, seeking moments of 'Divine Grace.' One can try to analyze a painting but it's not easy. You don't need to know the 'recipe.' In our contemporary world, we are so removed from our emotions and feelings. If you create a painting, you are supposed to evoke an emotion, a 'rasa.' For instance, Bach knew which tones would evoke certain emotions. I too base my work on specific moods. Most of my work is about exuberance and joy. That's it. Often when I paint, I turn the canvas to lose my sense of up and down. After a time, I became more comfortable with not working with a specific subject or a 'something.' My paintings just developed where each paint-stroke dictates the next. I enjoy to paint loose and free of not having to represent a 'something.' The painting is a representation of my mood. Like a symphony, there are many moods. When I step back and look at the painting, a 'little voice' tells me which color to use next. This is the intuition or sense which guides me - when I am in the 'groove.'