Why are you an artist?

Insanity? Gravity? Can't help yourself? Wanna bankrupt yourself?

Why are you an artist? Really...

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Permalink Reply by Ken Church on September 11, 2011 at 2:24am

Painting is a way to investigate the world. I am constantly invigorated by discovery through sketching. I love drawing animals and trees and discovering how long bear claws are, and tiger stripes, wow the skin is striped too. And who made birds and fishes so colorful? I copy to discover little secrets about the planet and life. One leaf, thousands of colors, how do you paint that? Why is it like that? Everything seems to be made up of daubs of color and patches of light. I can't decide if I go to nature to get inspiration to paint or if I paint so that I can walk into nature. I feel good working real hard and dragging every bit of energy into the canvas. But in the end I don't seem to be able to predict or manipulate what I find successful and what I find a bit overdone. I have a wonderful struggle with the urge to be literal and please others. I have more to investigate through painting. I need another life time. And I think we have another shot at it. All of your paintings are a wonder to me. I find great joy in looking at all the art work in B-Uncut for hours. It's like a big mosaic of thinking, discovery and individual interpretation of life.