Biography, artists statement and bit of an essay on art itself
Homage to Inspiration, the indefinable force which moves Worlds.
Began drawing and painting seriously beginning in 1999. Although I had always made art since childhood, there was never much of a completed piece beyond a sketch. I thank my father for raising me in the country and my mother for raising me in the city; these have both been formative influences on my art.
I began my life earnestly as an artist with a question: What can I do for the environmental movement, for this ecological crisis we’re in? All my work, no matter how disparate it seems, comes from that. As the current ecological crisis we’re within is essentially psychological disorder arisen from within a certain social context which allowed its flowering, or deflowering – we, in order to heal it need to start from within ourselves. The culmination and recent high point of that question is presented in my book Evergreen.
I learned the power of the image; to sit for long contemplation, with a well-done work of art, or one in the making, and what it can do for our psyche – as an image of the psyche. Being isolated, as a visual artist may often be, for most of us is difficult; so, I hold the value of prayer and meditation as the highest science, equal to that of true relationship with others. May my art be a reflection of all these things.
Moving from my home state of Indiana in 2oo1 to Boulder,Colorado; here I found the wilderness I’d always sought, and it saved my life; as did all the amazing colorful people I’ve met. Homage to them – too many to name; environmentalists, artists, craftspeople of all kinds, jewelers, sculptors, painters, writers, musicians, famous doctors, nutritionists, mathematicians, geometers, meditators, healers, philosophers, students of nature, and indigenous peoples of this region, and others; All artists of life! – they have awakened, inspired, and kept me alive. They have given of themselves and taught me to do the same.
There is a subtle form of mental magnetism that draws people to make decisions – where they go and what we do, if we’re paying attention.
And even if we’re not.
All life is Art
Art, in its primal essence, of whatever species in the spectrum of experience, is mental-spiritual medicine – for a freedom we have long sought and mysteriously sorely miss. The more true to the moment, the better the medicament to this enigmatic experience.
The best of artists, of whatever genre, are, in a way, researchers of the invisible. We humans, having come from the depths a long evolution, carry all those changes and alterations in our imagination, and our very image. The artist may illustrate these. The imaginal realm goes on and on, to the very source of our initial beginnings – long as their carrier, thoughts do; we feel through them, by a will which moves beyond personal memory, into a collective, which is the purpose of the Artist – to illustrate in a sense, by whatever means, some beauty intangible. And we have this vast storehouse to draw upon for whatever purpose we could muster.
Artists – poets by nature, are that societal function which brings from the depths, our future, into the present. By lack of imaginations’ positive potential, we’ve forgotten and somewhat foregone our original purpose. On that note, just look at the modern world surrounding. Imagine the wonderful world that might be if we were to collectively engage ourselves with the potential inherent within our intrinsic creative capacity.
Whether to express the magic of what occurs when thoughts draw back and subside, subsist, even a little, or to show the simple beauty of a moment to take notice of, say, a little leaf, a hill, a twig of a tree, a sparkle of light on the ripples of water, a cloud, anything which promotes peace of mind. Or, the opposite: To illustrate perhaps when thoughts take over and dominate an individual or group; when strict and isolated rationality takes the upper hand over being balanced with intuition, and what consequences result from that imbalance. These mainly depict the pathways when sojourning into ones inner worlds – even if need be into ones own darkness (ignorance) and find, learn, discover, reveal, that there is no darkness ( if you make it that far); we are free to shine up the recesses; as the ancient axiom is true that – we are already enlightened beings; we’ve just forgotten – in a way of thinking. There may be a borderline upon entering into these inner worlds — image and symbol can be vessels of safety one travels within these intermediate realms; so is music and dance. A good painting or song, I feel, might be a journey, with a token, through a window or door, into an inner mind-scape where one may travel time and time again, perchance even to a realm beyond time; there, here, we find our native and natural faith.
Concerns in life are with the ending of pollution, of any kind, mental and biological, being a part of the transformation of society into one that enables sustainable choices, endurance of community health, and the worldwide effort to preserve and restore the wild lands – all this so we may preserve and restore ourselves. What other purpose nowadays is there? What else should our talents be used for? I have great concern for the safety and longevity of the aboriginal peoples of any lands.
Inspiration, by obligation, is to be passed on. Inspiration for what though? … : … ……………………………..All beings seek enlightenment, whatever that means to whatever species in this apparent maze of life, and perhaps to approach enlightenment is doing less and less harm to others, and can perceive by whatever degree, the labyrinthine quality of day to day existence, that there is real meaning and necessity to what we go through here within the earthen body. And so, those that do harm to others are not in a space of clarity, and therefore, inspiration, overall, when it comes down to the central point, is for ecological awareness – the environment being all which surrounds us and equally so, is Us. I hope that makes sense.
Consider the enormous number of artists in the world these days and the truly titanic amount of art being created. Are there enough walls to hang all these pictures? Is there enough space to place our sculptures? What are we really trying to do as artists? Think, really go into it; what if these artisans and craftspeople were truly employed to truly beautify our cities, homes, our landscapes, our architecture, everything we use? What if artists could make a simple living without going through the process of reproductions; if the original piece of art is what mattered, if we traveled to see these originals which have been so labored upon? What if the Artist were replaced back into their original position as highly respected in society? As our beautiful once pristine planet is more and more enveloped with war and pollution of every sort, and quite the opposite as well, we need clarity of vision, with a quickness. The active artist of any field of art can be looked to in this essential work, to create a more equitable world, one that works for all, all species included. This is my vision, it’s a life’s work, I hope it works.
The main reason I posted here such a large amount of work is show that the Renaissance ideal is not lost – every human has many sides, aspects, facets to our individual being which again is same as every other being. Every human is every other human, in their own unique way. Could we yet discover this for ourselves, and each other.
We’ve become over-specialized, separate and somewhat isolated and have forgotten our whole humane self. Yet we’re remembering, i believe. Art, of course, is not necessarily to decorate the walls we’ve built for ourselves, that is but a side effect. Art is in its primal essence meant to remind us of some liberty which is obtainable, yet seemingly hidden for some reason, and another – if not for reason itself.
Fundamentally all art is visionary in a sense and has capacity to bring in, or be a channel for deeper, more broad comprehension of physical existence It has, way deep in its essence, a certain something which is simply a reminder, a signpost. Art is a record of history, a revelation of the present and a prophecy of the future. As Martina Hoffman I believe has pointed out, the origins of visionary art, all art, goes back on through ancient history, and further. Its source lies beyond the memory which has been recorded on the stones of old, and the very hills we walk upon; all the way through contemporary times. It is an unbroken tradition which carries a message within it of who/what we really are as humans; are illustrations of the many aspects of an infinite spirit on this relative physical plane. One seen on many levels.
I personally do not think we have through time improved as artists, nor is one artist better than another; we have but changed the materials of expression as the needs became fit. Our story is Old and is told and retold in innumerable ways, in many small songs, land-forms, gardens, pictures, poems, sculptures, architecture and its furniture.
Will we ever step back and attempt to see the big picture? A few of us have: will we ever all walk that way together?
The gates of paradise are decorated with the arts of the ages. Let us go through.