What is Art?

Art is the way we fulfill our mission to develop and express our uniqueness. The daring choice to be an artist or just to practice anything as an art form allows, welcomes, and develops the expression of the uniqueness of the individual.

Conformity leads to degeneration. Comparing ourselves to others, blending in, and imitating leads nowhere. It can only feed the illusion of being accepted and recognized. We conform for fear of rejection, fear of making mistakes. We hide behind what seams to be already approved of and expected. On this path, growth is not possible, only survival.

Art invites growth and becomes an element of society through which the ongoing discovery of life can occur. Allowing oneself to expand through art is allows humanity to expand and develop. How else than through the individual can the whole be altered? When one wants peace, one has to embody peace first. When one wants society to grow in beauty, one has to develop the self through art and faith and share that self with the world.

Art is because it is shared - whether accepted or not, liked or not, whether seductive or repulsive. I personally find Bacon’s work very disturbing, but his unique expression of energy comes through clearly.

I paint the highest expression of life that I can perceive. I translate it into images. Sometimes, I am not able to paint because I don’t have the words and colors for it. Time is needed for integrating into the physical level any perception. It has to sink in and before it can be translated into an artistic language. I don’t always consciously plan what I am illustrating, but a painting gets started when my sprit knows. I paint as I pray and heal. I turn down the volume of my ego and disconnect from my concerns and my ideas. I let the painting happen. I free up the way so that the connection between Spirit and the canvas can be manifested in a beautiful and fulfilling dance.

The current or flow of art history has not stopped. You just won’t ever see it displayed.

Art current, art movement…isn’t the course of art history suppose to flow?
Why are the galleries and museums stopping its public course by presenting the same old works?

How many David Hockneys or Chagalls must there be displayed every year in the US? David, Marc, I love you, but we are all thirsty for the new. Did the current stop in 1970?
What has been shown to the public through galleries and museums throughout the US, labeled contemporary or modern art, is usually abstract, abstract expressionist, expressionist, impressionist, conceptual, minimalist, pop, surrealist, cubist, taggist, etc. It is only called contemporary because the artist is still alive. But a lot of those artists and masters who originated these currents are dead or getting quite old.
As an art student I had the misconceived idea that a gallery’s and museum’s job was to be aware before anyone else of the fruit of the artistic research going on and to present it to a public ready to be seduced, challenged, and shocked. There was excitement on all sides – the artists who had the hope of creating that connection with art dealers and trusted their power to put their work under the spotlight of public appreciation; and the art dealers who, just like the public itself probably loved the power they had to give a thumbs up or thumbs down, and like Julius Cesar at the arena, to destroy or give life.

Where is the current contemporary art? What is new under the Tuscan sun? Nothing at all since Leo Castelli exhibited the NY street tags on the wall of his gallery...well, let’s see…twenty or more years ago!
Why have galleries and museums lost their purpose?
The art of dealing art has died; it has just become another commercial field. Secure profit is what galleries are into now. Why have museums surrendered to safe choices too? What is their excuse?
Art galleries and museums have lost their purpose: to educate.
So I am wondering how new art movements are supposed to emerge if there is such a strong wall being put up against new currents by galleries and museums?

There are no more art dealers, just ex-car dealers converting or upgrading themselves to the fine art field.