“Don’t admire this art with just your eyes. Admire it with your heart and spirit. Let it whisper to your soul. It was created in such a way to do all of those things, for those with ears to hear.”
~from “The Poet Prince” by Kathleen McGowan
This quote from “The Poet Prince” captured my attention in a big way. It describes perfectly how I feel about my creations and most artwork in general.
I find that the majority of people who view art find it “pretty”, or “interesting”, but very few really see it with their hearts, or experience it in more than a superficial fashion.
Then there are those who really study art. They linger in galleries, savoring and tasting each piece that calls to them. They experience
an emotionsl response. They hear the whispers of the artist’s spirit, distilled through the brush and spilled onto canvas. They have the ears that hear.
On occasion, I will get a comment on a particular painting that jolts me with that person’s complete understanding and identification with the feeling behind the piece. They truly GET IT! I know that my paint spattered self expressions are really speaking to them in a language they understand…that they are truly hearing what I was trying to communicate.
I am always flattered whenever someone enjoys my artwork. Whether they think it beautiful or interesting, it is always a compliment and I take it as such. But when a person connects to one of my paintings in such a way that it is obvious we are speaking the same unknown language…that we have established a connection at the level of emotions and spirit…this goes beyond being complimentary. This is truly success as an artist.