Its all about interpretation- what one sees, may not be what is intended, by another.
A couple days ago, I was in the final stages of a painting, I decided to take my easel and palette out on the sidewalk to enjoy the fabulous day that graced us mid February. This very colorful mural was commissioned by the owner of a fun and funky boutique in Carthage Mo. The artwork was created to support the feel of her business embodying the elements of life- wind, earth and fire. Full of color and symbolism this piece spans 7ft and transforms from day to night as it progresses across the piece. From one one shore accented by a Golden tree, representing growth and new life, leaves are set free in the flowing air that whip across a sea stylized waves. On the other shore, a young woman emerges out of the waters, renewed and ready to face the challenge of the physical and metaphorical mountain before her. So that is my take, right?
For another perspective, an older gentleman emerging from a coffee shop on the other side of the square, coffee firmly grasped, passes by and simply asks- " eh, a TSUNAMI huh? " Caught, by the random charm, I laughed and said, "Or something," as he never broke his stride. Curious, I never associated by cute stylized waves of brilliant aqua against a star filled sky, to a TSUNAMI, associated with death and destruction. The sidewalk gallery experience can be rather comical.
Another View
My greatest joy is to learn how one of my paintings is interpreted by patrons or potential clients. I have had many visitors to the studio who have studied my work, and the symbols contained. When they give me their take on what it means to them it brings new light to the work I do. Several years ago when I first opened my studio on the square, a friend of the family, was transfixed by one of my earlier works - "Affirmation". He was trying to decode the symbols contained in the background. He asked me what they translate to because they look like characters from his native language in Egypt. Truith is, that I just made them up because something told me to do it that way. He went on the actually translate, if you will, the work to me, before I could explain the meaning my self- I was floored. He was right on all counts. This particular piece was ground breaking for me and my development as an artist and an individual, as I broke from one state of being to another- standing firm in my afflictions.
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