Artist’s Statement
Creating harmony out of chaos is a driving factor in my work. Painting allows me to have the freedom to create things without the expense of building them, like a novelist constructing a Cathedral or a science ction writer establishing a colony on another planet. I can stretch my imagination while perfecting my craftsmanship. In doing so, the simple act of painting slows my thinking to let it rest. In this way, chaos and calm work together to soothe my soul, bringing balance and primal energy to my life’s work. I surround myself with the latest technologies and the people who have the skills to make them work. It is refreshing to learn every day as part of a team of engineers. Meanwhile, at night, I like to play with basic materials like pencils, inks, and oils. e choice of the medium I use depends on both my whim and the pace at which I wish to work. I keep many projects in motion at the same time, staggering the works according to completion times, ranging from hours and days to months and years. It takes long periods of time to complete big projects. Large paintings need time to dry between coats, and patience to resolve composition and form. It helps to have small wins along the way to keep my mind sharp and cheerful. I am continually experimenting with the latest software. Even so, I relish my time working with hand tools and the materials used by the old masters.Technology is trying to mimic old-school techniques. In approaching them, it is also inventing new tools. e results are disruptive, but I do not think they will ever replace the old masters’ methods. I enjoy the challenge and continue to work in multiple mediums. Here is a short list: oil, pencil, watercolor, encaustic, glass, clay, paper, wood, digital, and found materials. As an artist, my mind is like a microphone, sensing materials, sounds, and feelings. Everything is pos- sible. Everything has limits. I am a composer, and the canvas is my orchestra. Most of my work starts with intimate drawings. I have standardized on 14”x 20”, Fabriano Acquarello cold-pressed 100% cotton grana na 140 lb., watercolor paper. It may sound quirky, but I always cut the last inch oª the block of paper, so I end up using 14” x 19” sheets. at size feels right to me and ts perfectly into my travel art bag, which I carry everywhere. I love drawing things I can study in person. Musicians are my favorite models. As a band starts playing, I feel the rhythm and begin drawing as if I am playing an instrument along with them. Usually, the drawing is just about nished when they complete the set. I also love to visit museums; they are perfect places to explore. On a good day, I will arrive when the museum opens and will be the last one to leave when it closes. My entire goal for the day is two drawings. Over a two-week vacation, drawing daily, I can have enough nished drawings completed to last a year of painting. I look at my subjects very carefully, paying extra attention to the lighting, es- pecially the nuances that form through happenstance. I believe I cannot really see what I am looking at until I try to draw it; it takes patience and focus, but if I take the time, I am rewarded, the model unpeels itself to reveal its essence. After capturing an initial drawing, I intentionally practice letting go, seeing where my mind can take it. My inspiration might be anything: mythology, Art History, previous drawings, patterns, perhaps a book or a story, anything that catch-
es my attention. EXAMPLE OF DRAWING DURING A CONCERT. CARAVAN PALACE STAND-UP BASS. SHOOSTY 2017
© SHOOSTER PUBLISHING - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online