Why We Make Art

I was recently in London and took a tour of the East End to see the beautiful and fantastic street art. The works ranged from multi-story murals on the side of a building to art small enough to fit on a traffic sign. They could be beautiful, funny, or disturbing. But why were they there?

A famous London artist.

Granted, some artists had been paid (sometimes a substantial amount) for their creations. Some artists were hoping for name recognition and were trying to build their brand. But many of the art makers were creating art for it’s own sake. Perhaps to decorate their neighborhood or to make a social statement. But it wasn’t for the money or the fame.

Those of us that create art for galleries and collectors, do so for the love of the medium. We would gladly work full-time jobs to pay the bills while we create our art (and most of us have). But those of us who can, have given up the security of a regular paycheck in order to have more time to create. We want to tell our story, share a thought or emotion with an unseen viewer. We seem compelled to offer these images to the world.

We just can’t help ourselves.

Another famous Brit... Imagine - 36"X36" acrylic on canvas.

In Praise of Strong Women

There is a saying in my part of the world to the effect that “Texas women shoot there own snakes”. The message being that they are self sufficient and solve their own problems. Of course, this may apply to women in other parts of the world, too.

"Lauren Bacall" - 30"X40" (detail) Acrylic on Canvas - on view at Casa Vindemia, Wimberley, Texas

Lauren Bacall was a 19 year old ingenue when she met one of Hollywood’s legendary leading men. She went on to be his equal in cinema and his partner in life. As she matured, she did so gracefully, saying “I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that”. So, here’s to the strong women of Texas and elsewhere! If you know one of them, give her a whistle. You know how to whistle don’t you...

Frida Kahlo
Inspiration in life and in art

"Wings to Fly" - 36"X36" Acrylic on Canvas

Frida Kahlo is one of the people that originally made me want to be an artist. I ended up following a different artistic path than Frida, but the way she lived her life has been an inspiration. Even though her life was full of hardships, both physical and emotional, she lived it with grace and determination. As she once said (probably during one of her many convalesences)

“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”

So, here's to spreading our wings every day and following our own path with Frida's grace and determination.