The Artist's Mind Before Painting
Preparing my mind before I paint is a very important
process. I need to concentrate and try to take in
and use the power that I feel around me. It's an ex-
citing time, an explosion of sensory awareness. My
pictures are entitled "conversation" but they aren't
based on ideas that can be put into words. The context of "conversation" is the
flow of energy and feelings between me and my environment. And from that
point of view, preparation is the busiest "conversation" time. The textures,
colors and forms that I place on the canvas take on a life of their own and
speak to each viewer in a different way.
The artwork has to always begin with a clean and transparent surface, a
metaphor for starting from scratch. When I see the white canvas, if I think
about white as a color, I'm not ready to begin. "Clean" allows spontaneity
which comes from an empty but strong mind and is crucial to the "birth" of
each piece. Once "born", the essence can be steered down countless roads to
arrive at its final destination. The ride is pretty free but I have one rule: stay
clear of any bad feelings or ideas. I empty my mind of anger and any other
bad thoughts. Sometimes this takes a long time. I have to fill myself
with feelings of hope, passion and love. I've trained myself for many years to
begin this way. From this, I've learned how to be patient. I have to be ready
to catch the Muse when she comes. After that, I have to open another state of
mind depending on the painting surface - canvas or wood.
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(Photo by Jim Zver)
