Unveiled
June 26, 2020
Inspired and enjoying time in the studio! Here’s what’s new:
Oscar Wilde wrote, "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life”, but we draw from life as an inspiration for art. When the world came to a halt this year with the onset of COVID 19, it became a time to evaluate what’s important—health, friends/family, laughter, food, and for me, art. I’ve learned, through the years, that difficult times can lead to inspiration, so I waited. Here’s what came through my lens depicting the ebb and flow of life.
A single piece of art can inspire different thoughts and feelings in different people. I imagine one person might look at Unveiled and think of a moonlit Arctic Ocean while another might appreciate it as a non-object, something abstract and mysterious. I wonder, if I reveal the items I photograph, will it take away that singular experience? I have thought about this a lot and, in the end, don’t think it will. After spending many hours creating Unveiled, even I see it separate and apart from its origination. And people so often ask me for the story behind my art...
Unveiled was born from a humble painted stool; an American antique I found in Texas. I have photographed this piece in the past but recently a new spot caught my eye; a spot smaller than one square inch. There is always more to be discovered in life, but we have to look closely and with a fresh perspective to see it! Once I photographed my new revelation, I moved the stool and the peeling white paint I had just photographed, chipped off. I had to laugh, because Unveiled can never be created again now that the paint chip is gone. It reminded me of how fleeting our experiences may be and how important it is to enjoy every moment!
In 2015 I photographed this same stool to create First Frost and Boreas. As you can see, this one modest object has given me much inspiration and produced very different results.
Oscar Wilde wrote, "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life”, but we draw from life as an inspiration for art. When the world came to a halt this year with the onset of COVID 19, it became a time to evaluate what’s important—health, friends/family, laughter, food, and for me, art. I’ve learned, through the years, that difficult times can lead to inspiration, so I waited. Here’s what came through my lens depicting the ebb and flow of life.
A single piece of art can inspire different thoughts and feelings in different people. I imagine one person might look at Unveiled and think of a moonlit Arctic Ocean while another might appreciate it as a non-object, something abstract and mysterious. I wonder, if I reveal the items I photograph, will it take away that singular experience? I have thought about this a lot and, in the end, don’t think it will. After spending many hours creating Unveiled, even I see it separate and apart from its origination. And people so often ask me for the story behind my art...
Unveiled was born from a humble painted stool; an American antique I found in Texas. I have photographed this piece in the past but recently a new spot caught my eye; a spot smaller than one square inch. There is always more to be discovered in life, but we have to look closely and with a fresh perspective to see it! Once I photographed my new revelation, I moved the stool and the peeling white paint I had just photographed, chipped off. I had to laugh, because Unveiled can never be created again now that the paint chip is gone. It reminded me of how fleeting our experiences may be and how important it is to enjoy every moment!
In 2015 I photographed this same stool to create First Frost and Boreas. As you can see, this one modest object has given me much inspiration and produced very different results.