“Now
you see it, now you don't”, proclaims the magician, as an ordinary
object changes before your very eyes! As an artist, I can certainly
relate to this. Art is illusion and artists are
illusionists. We all have our 'tricks of the trade', but the Magic we
all share is called Intuition. It's an inner compass that always
leads in the right direction. If followed blindly, it never fails us. I have never understood this phenomena nor wish to,
but recently I have felt the need to examine it.
This
desire came about after being invited to participate with two other artists in an upcoming
exhibit entitled “Changing States”. As the exhibit title
implies, it focuses on the use of unexpected materials in uncommon
ways. While choosing my artwork for the show, I carefully analyised
which ones best addressed the theme. It was during this selection
process, I realized that my trick is to assign each found object a human-like persona. This allows my subconscious to have a conversation with
it. The resulting creative collaboration is mutually beneficial. Each
finished art piece is as individualistic in expression as the
found object that is featured. Some discards take center stage,
while others become chameleons. I often feel each object determines
its own role while I simply set the stage and raise the curtain!
Here are two different examples of 'waving the magic wand.'
On
the other end of the spectrum is Beyond. The main element has
hidden its origin well, but it forms the foundation of this mixed
media collage. The deteriorated lid of a cardboard
box has morphed into the flat earth of ancient belief. It is hardly
noticed in the turmoil surrounding it. But it serves as the
springboard to discovery of unknown worlds that lay far beyond human
cognizance. Beyond also carries a message. Curiosity
sustained by imagination leads to invention; invention leads to
knowledge which leads to discovery. Although this piece portrays
space exploration, the equation can be applied in any arena. Beyond
is my interpretation of “thinking outside the box.”
Witness the magic of Kimberly Riner, Jim Krieger, and myself at “Changing States”.
It opens January 2017 at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers,
Florida. You will be amazed!