My first draft for my artist statement:
I find myself in the background as an audience member, a viewer, and a listener. Through personal observation, I record with journal entries, photographs, loose sketches, collective memory; I document with words, lines, paint, brushstrokes, and ink. I create “memoir portraits.”
These “memoir portraits” are autobiographical. They are paintings, illustrations; a collection of drawings that have the potential to become a series of images that may form into a comic book; which can turn into a series or a graphic novel. These pieces are reflections of my life, re-told.
My goal is to capture the motion, the movements, the music, the energy taking place in a room, a place, the people who I am with, the things that I see; the image of loneliness on streets, streetlights that glow at night, the quietness of a given moment, waiting for cab, the emotions and the feelings, a favorite 24-hour diner, a crowded open mic, city life, the music, the beats, the rhythm .. riding my bike at a high speed 2 o’clock in the morning in a Chicago neighborhood by the el tracks.
I re-create the energy of a certain time and place. Energy rush and flow through my hands. I transfer it onto paper, onto canvas; Rendered, re-lived, and re-told.
In the forefront, I am the artist, the illustrator, the painter, the archivist, and the storyteller.
These “memoir portraits” are autobiographical. They are paintings, illustrations; a collection of drawings that have the potential to become a series of images that may form into a comic book; which can turn into a series or a graphic novel. These pieces are reflections of my life, re-told.
My goal is to capture the motion, the movements, the music, the energy taking place in a room, a place, the people who I am with, the things that I see; the image of loneliness on streets, streetlights that glow at night, the quietness of a given moment, waiting for cab, the emotions and the feelings, a favorite 24-hour diner, a crowded open mic, city life, the music, the beats, the rhythm .. riding my bike at a high speed 2 o’clock in the morning in a Chicago neighborhood by the el tracks.
I re-create the energy of a certain time and place. Energy rush and flow through my hands. I transfer it onto paper, onto canvas; Rendered, re-lived, and re-told.
In the forefront, I am the artist, the illustrator, the painter, the archivist, and the storyteller.
My friend's edited version:
I frequently place myself in the background at public gatherings or events in order to be a viewer and a listener. From this vantage point, I record everything I see and hear with journal entries, photographs, and loose sketches in order to construct a collective memory of a particular occasion. I document with words, lines, paint, brushstrokes, and ink. I create what I choose to call “memoir portraits” drawn from experience.
These “memoir portraits” are almost entirely autobiographical. They are paintings and illustrations - a collection of works that have the potential (I hope) to become a linear series of images for a comic book and a subsequent series of graphic novels.
My goal is always to capture the movements, the music, the energy taking place in a given situation - the people I'm with, the things that I see, the loneliness I sometimes feel in a large city, the quietness of any given moment, the patient (or impatient) waiting for a cab, eating late (or early) at a favorite 24-hour diner, a crowded open mic, riding my bike at a high speed in a Chicago neighborhood by the El tracks, the beats, the rhythm ... all of it.
I frequently turn to the literary device that James Joyce used in Dubliners - the Epiphany that accords a certain incident or emotion a deeper and more transcending significance. THAT, in many respects, is what I strive to achieve with my art.
I recreate the identity of a certain time and place. Energy rushes and flows through my hands. I transfer this energy onto paper and canvas. I want my consciousness to be rendered, relived, and retold with clarity, honesty, and genuine feeling.
In the forefront, I am the artist, the illustrator, the painter, the archivist, and the storyteller. These "portraits" are my "memoirs" with and without words.
These “memoir portraits” are almost entirely autobiographical. They are paintings and illustrations - a collection of works that have the potential (I hope) to become a linear series of images for a comic book and a subsequent series of graphic novels.
My goal is always to capture the movements, the music, the energy taking place in a given situation - the people I'm with, the things that I see, the loneliness I sometimes feel in a large city, the quietness of any given moment, the patient (or impatient) waiting for a cab, eating late (or early) at a favorite 24-hour diner, a crowded open mic, riding my bike at a high speed in a Chicago neighborhood by the El tracks, the beats, the rhythm ... all of it.
I frequently turn to the literary device that James Joyce used in Dubliners - the Epiphany that accords a certain incident or emotion a deeper and more transcending significance. THAT, in many respects, is what I strive to achieve with my art.
I recreate the identity of a certain time and place. Energy rushes and flows through my hands. I transfer this energy onto paper and canvas. I want my consciousness to be rendered, relived, and retold with clarity, honesty, and genuine feeling.
In the forefront, I am the artist, the illustrator, the painter, the archivist, and the storyteller. These "portraits" are my "memoirs" with and without words.
