03 12 / 2008
Breathless
Last night, I saw the one of the most beautiful and inspirational paintings I have ever seen. The interesting thing about it is it’s over 100 years old and the creation of an artist I’ve always revered, Gustav Klimt. If this painting on a 25 inch TV screen playing “The Rape of Europa” took my breath away, I can’t imagine what its power would be over me in reality. This not only sparked my dormant need to paint, it also revived my love for traditional art. I’ve been so wrapped up in graphic design and photography for the past few years, I’ve forgotten the humble satisfaction of creating something from your own bare hands sans programs, electronics and batteries. I miss the smell of freshly squeezed oil paint or the way a brush feels in my hand. I love how a palette knife slides like butter across a blank canvas. The initial part of first starting a painting can be procrastinating, frustrating and discouraging; but there’s nothing like the feeling of a proud accomplishment and completion of a work you had envisioned become a living piece. When I find myself in the zone, everything else in life disappears in the background and all I see before me is color and strokes. I let every conscious and subconscious emotion, ache and stress melt away in the mixed paint I apply. It’s a very therapeutic process that I’ve been missing for too many months. It’s time to try again.
