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Artists are a funny bunch of people! Considering I am one, I'm adding my name to the "bunch." In order to really "see" and "feel" things, you really have to wear your heart on your sleeves! Really? Yep! The reason artists have the ability to evoke so much emotion from the viewer is the artist's own vested emotions they throw into their paintings! You can look at a piece of art and sometimes it does nothing for you. Another piece might, for whatever reason, evoke an emotional response from you. "I hate that," or "That's interesting," or "I love that piece," or "That is a disturbing piece." The one thing in common with all those responses, is that the paintings or works of art evoke some kind of emotional response from you, good or bad or even indifferent. I've noticed, in today's world where everything moves so fast, it's really difficult to stop the world long enough to take a second look or even "feel" anything! Artists are looking and feeling every day. They are noticing the usual, the unusual, the average, the above-average, basically artists are taking it all in. It's a blessing and a curse. Artists easily can get swept away by their emotions! (Say it isn't true!!!!) A long time ago, far, far away, I went to see a movie with a friend. It was one of the most unusual movies I had ever seen, to say the least! But, something in the movie resonated with my spirit, and that emotion swept me up, up and away for several weeks as I was consumed with painting these images that came to me. The movie? "Moulin Rouge directed by Baz Luhrmann. A very, very, strange movie that totally overcame me with emotion. I purchased the CD and for the next couple of weeks, worked feverishly on my painting. I really was off in "La-La" land, totally consumed with the painting. The painting was a jumble of images, probably making no sense to anyone but me! After I finished it, exhausted, I displayed it in the studio I shared with 2 other artist friends at the Orlando Visual Artists League (aka O.V.A.L.). Interestingly enough, one of my studio-mates absolutely loved the piece, so I gifted it to her on a special day. Not necessarily seeming her type of painting, I asked her, "Why do you like this particular piece?" "It's a happy piece," she replied. So, if the piece is happy it makes her feel happy! I was happy, (well, to be honest, obsessed) with painting it and the end result was it evoked in one person the feeling of happiness. Interesting! Now, let me reel your mind back to the artist. I'm painting images of bluefin tuna. I'm researching the tuna and find out "Pacific Bluefin Tuna Overfishing has led to 96% Population Reduction." I read further and now I'm seeing images I'd rather not be seeing. The belly meat from the giant (Atlantic) bluefin tuna is considered the finest sushi in the world. Where there's lots of money to be made, anything goes. According to a National Geographic magazine article, "The decimation of giant bluefin is emblematic of everything wrong with global fisheries today: the vastly increased power of new fishing technology, the shadowy network of international companies making huge profits from the trade, negligent fisheries management and enforcement, and consumers' indifference to the fate of the fist they choose to buy." Images of this beautiful fish caught in nets and other images brought me to tears. Oh, there's that artist in me coming out. So, tell me what you feel by seeing my painting, if you actually feel anything. (You may not). The bluefin tuna is beautiful and I hope I captured it's beauty so if they're caught to extinction, like the bluefin tuna paintings on ancient cave walls and their minted images on ancient coins, you'll know how beautiful they once were and how they filled one artist with awe and sadness at the same time!
