On Painting & Art: Another Look at an Old Problem

“Here is a corner of the atelier as a before image ( see my previous post)”

My earlier article about thinking outside the box stopped short of talking about the rebuilding of a new box. And here we get into the nitty gritty of it. The rebellion side of the coin is easy. The rebuilding of a new ethic, set of values, a new mode of politics, ect. is a horse of a different color. So easy to become nihilistic at this stage. If all the values, gods, religions, current modes of thinking, and so one go out the window what’s next?

Humanity, it seems to me, is in the process of coming to grips with the problem. If we do not succeed collectively we are in big doo doo. The understanding neccessary is left up to the creative minds working on the edge asking hard questions.

These are just some thoughts flying around in my head. Remembering that answers do, in fact, come before questions does not help a lot. The questions seem so huge. Is there nothing else to do but patiently watch things unfold in slow motion?

So, here I am, contemplating the reentrance to my artistic path. It sseems that I’ve been off-track for some time now. As much as I’ve been a student of tradition, I likewise have been quite sensitive to world happenings,ect.

My move resulting in a new mode of life and a new atelier:

I’ll keep you posted about my first steps back on the path.

In art & love,
denis

Published in french as Retour sur le chemin

“Bright New Atelier” There is a large skylight over my shoulder. The shade is open quite a bit for the photograph. (Canon S90)

It has been well more than one year since the necessity of moving became apparent. A frustrating difficult decision ! Sixteen years earlier I swore I was through moving. And after years in the same place it seemed an impossible task. Enough said. Now, the move is completed, much work organizing, tearing out walls, floors, ect. It feels good to be decompressing a bit. Still not really back to work but it is just around the corner.

Read the rest of "Getting here from there"

As I began work for moving our abode in early April I made a few notes for an article. The article did not get written but the move was duly made. We are now installed in a small Bourgogne village enjoying a refreshing change of lifestyle. A grange was converted into a very nice atelier and I am as they say, a happy camper. It seems appropriate to post the few lines as they were written.

It was a photographer that I heard say that there was not a need to become too concerned with art. The point is that if we start from where we are and focus on the essentials will the process will pull the art out of us. If, on the other-hand, the focus is on what we consider to be art the motivation may very well be a self-serving one. Both painting as well as photography (any creative pursuit for that matter) is best approach with humility. The reward for keeping it simple in this manner : a refreshing of the things within us that are essential : truth, beauty, deep feeling and aesthetic pleasures in all the important areas of life (The open door of each consciousness.).

Published in french as Peinture : les fondamentaux

“Tim with window reflections”, Leica M8, 35 mm, Summicron, 2010/03/22

At a certain point in the process a Visual Living experience distills itself into some kind of essence. Something remains: not a mental reflection, the memory of what was seen, or the relationship between them which has now passed.

Luckily, we occasionally through our lives gain insights that give us a warm glow. Time stands still and the Universe sings us a wonderful song, some time passes, much of the glow diminishes but the wonder of the remaining essence can remain for a lifetime.

These experiences, the visual experiences and the magical moment experiences are, I believe of the same nature. Most of us have them. Some of us attach more importance to them. And many more are simply oblivious to them. Someone recently said: “The world without Art would be like a parking lot.” True. And, I would add, life without the soul of experience would be the cement that paves the parking lot.

The above is some reflection on a telephone conversation tonight with a good friend. We talked about understanding life, health, selling an apartment, relationships, the emphasis on technique in painting today, friendship and other things! Why am I rambling on like this you ask? I am afraid I’ll have to answer with a question, “Would you read this if it was poetry?” It seems to me that in the days in which poetry was part of our literary lives things were much different. Words had deeper meanings, paintings and photograph had deeper meanings, our lives had deeper meanings and the world was not becoming a parking lot.

Reclaiming the words used today by main street to make that cement is important, no?

Published in french as Merveilleuses expériences des yeux de l’esprit