A Musing #29

I’m in a very Brut state of mind these days. My thoughts have been preoccupied with evolution and risk taking when it comes to the series. I feel very slippery talking about if these recent three are successful or not. I’ve always stood by the theory that it’s the artist’s responsibility to create and let the rest of the world decide. While all of you are critiquing, I’m on to the next piece. If you do think about it, I am helping out all the upcoming art historians out there. I’m creating jobs. You’re welcome.

This trio is a stepping stone to me. I recently came across some previous work I did back in university that made me want to retry somethings. As I’m writing this, I’m staring at the next three I’ve made and I can see why my new ones are stronger than these ones. Then again, that’s just my opinion. I’m also paranoid that if I talk about them too much that I’ll get bored of them. The Bruts are fusing together more and more as each set is completed. Colour has been a serious part of their growth. Black and white was a good training period and launch point back in Florence. These paintings were born as a protest to the academy, but I’ve worked on them the same way a student would gradually build up to paint a live model. Funny how things workout like that.

After doing a few interviews this week, I’ve come to the conclusion that the way I describe myself as a painter is the same way an individual explains they’re bisexual. I paint portraits and I go completely abstract. I enjoy both worlds and it’s who I am. Please don’t tell me “Make up your mind and choose” because you’re limited to only one end of the spectrum. My visual vocabulary isn’t all over the place to me nor am I lost when it comes to my identity as an artist. You don’t have to pick a side.