Brown Paper Sack Under Natural Light, 2008
Oil on Canvas Mounted on Panel, 16" x 18"
Will my art ever become saleable, widely recognized in my lifetime? I would like to think so, but it is not likely.
I paint too laboriously, deliberately, slowly and ponderously. Each painting can take months to complete, and producing two or three paintings a year is not a recipe for commercial success.
But do I really want that kind of success? Being commercially successful has never been one of my ambitions.
My art is an expression of my journey through life and the results of just living each day. It is a document, of my life and my relationship to others, to community, to society, etc. It is my social and spiritual connection to make the world a better place. It is my life’s work, and my main concern is to produce the finest work that I can with the current skills and talents that I possess.
I make paintings not because I want to, but because I have to. It comes from within me. It is not a want but a need. One cannot commodify a need. One can only express it, share it, leave it in the world as a personal legacy.
Make no mistake; I would love being widely recognized and even successful. It would be good for the ego. But would it be ultimately good for the creative spirit and process that we need to keep us truly alive?
