Skip to main content

Due West

I continue to try and record this theme. The theme of looking for beauty in the banal. After all, this is the reality that exists outside the mind. My mind may be busy with all sorts of goings on, when it finally decides to engage outside itself it simply exists, it just observes, it tries to live in the moment. Art has as one of its components an idea of non utility where it has no purpose for something practical. It is meant only to be contemplated, to be stared at, to be engaged with it exactly at the moment. I know it may be a cliche to write this but a painting (the kind I strive to create) is there to take a break from the frantic social media checking, email replying, information gathering internet. I want to just stop and look. 

Comments

Michael Ward said…
A painting is there to whack you upside the head and say, "pay attention!"

Nice work.
John Sanchez said…
nice. Who said that? Thanks

Popular posts from this blog

Chicago

I am thinking of a general sense on how I perceive the subjects in my paintings. I can only put a stream of experiences to describe the image: the song by Frank Sinatra, a barely remembered poem about Chicago..something about big shoulders, pop culture thoughts like prohibition and gansters, great pizza, baseball, lots of guys that look like me (baseball cap, bearded, slight beer belly) Guinness, el trains, bridges, biting cold etc.. Does this make sense?

Frolic

In Victor Hugo's Les Miserables there is a chapter where he paints a picture of friends in the throws of joyous doings. Much laughter, drinking, and enjoyment of each other's company makes one's spirit giddy. I thought of that chapter while on a winter trip to South Carolina's Kiawah Island. In this painting I depict my friends Harumi and Christian spontaneously riding found kids bikes. Christian is obviously too big for this ride, while Harumi seemed quite comfortable and serene. I hope this painting is seen in person as there is much to the texture that my poor photo taking does not capture.

The Room

I have a secret envy for those that have lived in the same house through to adulthood. It must be nice to be so secure about what home is. I have been contemplating putting wheels on practically every thing I own. Maybe I'll buy an old Uhaul truck and live in that. I have been carrying the same books around for eleven or twelve years now. I guess in a way "home" for me is everywhere and anywhere these books are next to me.