Transition

Transition between two Worlds

Today I near the end of my stay in Asheville for now, hopefully to be back in October or November. As I sit by the fire with Da Vinci snuggled up I think of all the art I didn't get done this trip, but I know I took time to fill the bank of experiences and images that will come out later when I do art. I think it is so important for artist to realize sometimes they need to not do anything, to be quite, to reflect. For me as an artist there is a deep reservoir that I must stay in touch with and replenish. I can only do that in quite times by myself. I know families and partners my not always understand us, but it is essential to our creative being. I have not relaxed as much as I would have liked, there was much to do with the house and studio that dealt with repairs after a rental period. But my drives to Potato Branch road, looking at the family farms(that remind me so of England and Wales), visiting with my mountain friends who fed me well, and experience the culture and art of this area of the world has been renewing to my creative self. When I head back to the Florida palms, the warmer more humid weather, I will leave behind the blue mountains with turning falls leaves. I will leave behind the chill of fall coming and the pumpkin patches and scarecrow decorations. I will leave behind a culture that is so different from my Tampa/Cuban/Italian/Greek community I love equally as well. It is like having two lovers both with wonderful exciting possibilities. I am fortunate I can go between both.

What Inspires Us?

What inspires people to do art? There are many things, beauty, nature, sadness, a tender moment, war, tragedy, a thought, an idea, a concept, science, happiness,....the list is endless, for it is what motivates the artist to put pen to paper, paint to canvas, a note to a composition, and movement to dance. Think of Picasso's Guernica about the horrors of war, or the enigmatic smile on Mona Lisa's lips, the tenderness of a child and their Mother in Mary Cassat's Mother and Child, and the science in the study of color in Joseph Alber's Squares.

Some artist are intent on copying realistically what they see, others want to capture a feeling, others want to convey and idea...and still others want to work only from their subconscious. There is no right and wrong in art. It is what inspires you to want to express yourself. Art is self expression.

Florida is one of the things that inspires me. I love the Florida thunderstorms and the fireworks of lightning in the night sky. I love the sound of the rain rustling in the plams, and the glint of the light as it shines on the fanned leaves. I love the pond grasses and red winged black birds that flick in and out, the More hen's poignant chirp, I love the sunsets and watching rain sweep across the landscape. Will I paint or make art of these things, maybe not, but it triggers such an emotion of joy, I often turn to doing art. What inspires you? Please feel free to share.