History has shown us that we as a society and individuals are always pushing the envelope of known boundaries in all aspects of life, whether it be science, technology, medicine, or art. The evolution of art since the time early man made cave drawings to the present time when art can be fashioned from anything from recycled trash to intricate mosaic tiles and from oils and brushes to graffiti drawn with cans of spray paint, has been to push what we are comfortable with viewing and asking ourselves, "What made the artist do that?". On the flip side of this coin are those artists, and I count myself in this category, of which much of the world has been seen through the years, measured not so much in time, but in events, both tragic and wonderful. At this point, the knowledge of what we are capable of in terms of horror and destruction has turned our inner vision into a place of peace and renewal. Where the baton for social commentary has been turned over to those ready to take it and move forward with it, while introspection and the need to see the beauty of what lies inside us are needed by other artists. I choose to make art that doesn't descry social injustice, I have been lamenting that all my life, but instead, I want to give the weary souls who do it now a respite from it by allowing them to see something valuable in beautiful color or a pleasant scene. Because while we need to always be aware that change to make things better always needs to be looked at under a magnifying glass, we all also need to know that we need an oasis away from the turmoil, and nature and art gives us that calm to weather the storms. Now, in this stage of my life, my soul yearns for the beauty in a world that can be dark with despair, and my art gives me the ability to convey that message. A message of hope and beauty now and into the future. I believe we need to see art that is interesting, beautiful and thoughtful, to ease our souls in turbulent times. It is a blessing that bathes the soul in serenity for a brief interlude, a quiet moment of freedom to let our mind bask in memory of an image that gives us joy.
So while my art may not be the basis of a societal message of change or to point out the wrongs of mankind, what I hope it does is help the brain to know that there is still joy and light in the midst of the dark forces that seem to surround us, and that indeed that experience is worth it to enjoy, for our own mental and physical health, and that of the world at large too. The soul needs a balm, just as a wound needs a bandage, and art can be that balm when needed.
