We live in a 3-dimensional world. Our multiple senses give us clues to live safely in our environment. Why does the creative need to capture images and words from a world that is already filled with an abundant stimulus interacting with our senses. The only negative to realism is a camera can do the job faster and better, where does this leave the creative?

An artist doesn’t just capture what they see, they perfect an image and then allow the viewer to see dimension where there is none, light where it doesn’t appear naturally=on a 2d plane. Creativity is all about illusion but still the idea is not to simply fascinate the viewer but instead show them what the artist sees and even more importantly feels.

After the initial view is digested, it becomes the viewers own. They will put their own feelings from their memory into the creation. They will remember the smells at a fair, the autumn wood as they walk along a stream in November, they will make the image their own and feel things that the creative wants them to feel.

I always ask an abstract artist, what was your impetus to create their piece of art? It can be an annoyed response from the creative or they can share what they felt in creating it. I will always choose the latter.

I capture moments, snapshots of a humid evening, lightening bugs rising from tall grass, people gathering to watch fireworks and in that space they smell things they remember, they should feel the moist grass, remember the laughter of family members. It should take them to another place-this is why I create images of nature. I want the viewer to fall in love with a moment, they will gather all the background color and senses from their own experiences and that’s what makes art magical.

Capturing Light:

A recent task for some of my artwork was a spectacle of light. I drive near Lake Ray Hubbard in Rowlett, a great white light fills the scene and burns out the lake. Sometimes there is a mist that comes in off the lake which gives it even more of an ethereal feeling as the light turns brighter and the sun rises to its position in the morning.

I did a series of pastel with the intent of capturing light that was not existent in a flat piece of paper. It is the mix of complementery colors weaved into the background. It is the absence of using white to bring out the light that is the paper beneath the color. The dark tones vibrate not only with the colors overlayed but with the paper itself. I learned that if I use white, instead of having a transparent light that grows unexpectedly from the paper, the color actually eliminates the light simply because of its opacity.

This is something I have just recently begun-experimenting with the same image multiple times-it is incredible to see the light change and grow in the image and all the many techniques available using light instead of the white hue.

The Next post will be on weaving light into a night scene. What makes the stars sparkle and how does the feeling of depth happen in a 2D plane.