painter/illustrator/designer
The Cleansing
Journaling on Canvas.
One of the best perks of working at the Signpost Music office are the moments where we listen to a new song written by our boss, Steve Bell, and observe the process of raw melody and lyric developing into a layered and polished recorded composition.
Steve explained to us how a new song usually has a word or note sequence that will at first make us question if we like it, and then after listening a few more times, we decide whether we like it or not. It’s the same thing with a painting – we will look at it for the first time and see one thing that may bother us at first, and then as we take a longer look, we see the “whole” and perhaps understand something that the artist is communicating through the piece.
Steve explained that a song is like a “journal entry” to the artist – an expression of something very personal. Whether one writes, sculpts, paints or sings his or her journal entry, it resonates personally and therefore fulfils it’s purpose.
I could identify clearly with this allegory, as an artist who is discovering the art of journaling on canvas. I did some serious “journaling” on a recent long weekend. The Cleansing represents my feelings of being buried in a backlog of work at the office, and then finding my weekend where I can burst out and release some stress through painting. Two other paintings on the same weekend followed in short order: The Firmament and Keening for the Dawn.
Steve went on to say that sometimes the work of art goes on to become meaningful for others who are in relationship with the artist, and occasionally the work will resonate with a wider community. This happens if the theme of the art is universal enough and leaves enough space to “insert self here”.
It is at this third level that the piece gives voice to a general audience and takes it’s place as part of the larger cultural landscape. That’s where an artist of any genre will become very popular.
My personal aim is to continue to paint what pushes it’s way out of my mind and hands when I become inspired by beauty, form and color.