“Art is not what
you see, but what you make others see.”
-Edgar Degas
The only thing I would add to that quote is,
“…and feel.”
You cannot make a blind person see a picture, but you can make
that person feel a symphony and be moved by it. There is no
doubt that music is art, art that we experience through senses
other than our eyes, but we experience it nevertheless. For
me, visual art should go beyond what one can see. I want the
viewer to experience my work with more than just his eyes. The
visual input is only the beginning of the dialogue between the
work and the viewer. It is crucial that one takes the time to
absorb what is in front of him in order to filter the work through
his own experience and thus resulting in a unique and individual
interpretation.
That is not to say that, as the artist, I do not have my own
intention of what I want the work to express. I begin with a
vision and use my skills to craft the image towards a direction
to that end. Whether I choose painting or photography to accomplish
my objective, my purpose is to produce a visual that takes the
viewer beyond the ordinary, to have a visual experience that
evokes emotion.
Each time I embark on a new project, I imagine the final image.
If the picture in my mind creates a strong emotional feeling,
call it inspiration or motivation, I begin my task towards making
that vision a reality. Sometimes I do this by taking a photograph,
then changing, adding or removing visual elements in order to
create the desired effect. Other times the feeling I am trying
to convey is better achieved by painting. Through colour, shape,
texture, lines and other design elements, I create abstract
expressions which capture the viewer’s attention and draw
him into a dialogue with the work.
In the end, what matters to me is the experience one has with
my work. If what one sees has made him feel, I have done my
job as an artist.
Jerome
