PERSONAL STATEMENT
In the visual arts world, the “truth” means nothing. On a daily basis, artists are defying the laws of nature, science, and logic to render images that are aesthetically pleasing to either an audience, a commissioner, or to their own eyes. In a sense, it is an artist’s job to both question and challenge the existence of a subject and portray it in a manner that is unique and exciting. It is because of this that I study art.
Before entering my post-secondary education at the Medicine Hat College, I believed that I was a painter, and nothing else. In junior high and high school, my medium of choice was water colour or acrylic paint. I rarely strayed from that medium because it was easy to work with, inexpensive, and easily accessed. However, upon entrance to the MHC, I was immersed into art fundamentals, both 2 and 3 dimensional; and was reintroduced to pencil, charcoal, and pastels. For three semesters, I dabbled with pencils, mixed media, sculpture, and photography, but I can still say that painting is where my heart is set.
When looking at past artists for inspiration, I tend to gravitate away from the masters from the early periods and focus on the late 19th century to present day fauvist, expressionist, or surrealist artists. Their usage of vivid coloration and intriguing subject matters are something that always catches my eye. On top of that, these artists are bold enough to experiment with reality and attach an emotional connection to their work. Rather than repeating what they see, they manipulate it to how they see it and create their own truths; they put their perspective and create their own world allowing the viewers to look in. It’s amazing.
Though I myself am not at a level where I can create images such as these, I am hoping that with further instruction and practice that I will be able to take another step out of my ‘comfort bubble’ and be able to put more of my perspective into my art; break away from realism and into a more expressionist style.
Before entering my post-secondary education at the Medicine Hat College, I believed that I was a painter, and nothing else. In junior high and high school, my medium of choice was water colour or acrylic paint. I rarely strayed from that medium because it was easy to work with, inexpensive, and easily accessed. However, upon entrance to the MHC, I was immersed into art fundamentals, both 2 and 3 dimensional; and was reintroduced to pencil, charcoal, and pastels. For three semesters, I dabbled with pencils, mixed media, sculpture, and photography, but I can still say that painting is where my heart is set.
When looking at past artists for inspiration, I tend to gravitate away from the masters from the early periods and focus on the late 19th century to present day fauvist, expressionist, or surrealist artists. Their usage of vivid coloration and intriguing subject matters are something that always catches my eye. On top of that, these artists are bold enough to experiment with reality and attach an emotional connection to their work. Rather than repeating what they see, they manipulate it to how they see it and create their own truths; they put their perspective and create their own world allowing the viewers to look in. It’s amazing.
Though I myself am not at a level where I can create images such as these, I am hoping that with further instruction and practice that I will be able to take another step out of my ‘comfort bubble’ and be able to put more of my perspective into my art; break away from realism and into a more expressionist style.