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In the years that I have been making art, I have learned about its purpose and importance. First of all, I think meaning is crucial. I create work that communicates ideas rather than subscribes only to "art for art's sake" philosophy. The creative process itself points toward content. In the visual language wonderful accidents happen that naturally forge connections. Often a process of listening and watching rather than assuming full control is required. I am constantly taking in new information and this expands critical thinking. The search for answers in the creative process encourages self-awareness, and it also brings the finer details of the environment, community and time into focus. Creativity also lends itself to absorption. When completely focused making art, time disappears. The ego disappears. It is like meditating. And all the traditions in the world have understood the value of that stillness. In my current work I explore the universality of humanity. There are differences among us, but we are also the same. We all know fragility. We all understand strength. We all seek compassion. But we also share this impulse to create an "us" and a "them". This impulse is destructive at worst and exclusionary at best. Such persistent perception of difference is, ironically, another commonality we share. Simultaneous truths such as this play out across the surface of my work. The images evoke raw disjointedness, but also a desire to reconnect. There is a sense of discord or anxiety to the work, but also a feeling of calm. I use the image of an animal frequently. It represents itself, but it is also anthropomorphic. The emotive body of a buck or a rat creates the subtle distance necessary for us to look firmly at ourselves. It evokes a true other while offering an identifiable familiarity. Therein breed compassion. |
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