Convergence

The purpose of art is not to produce a product. The purpose of art is to produce thinking. The secret is not the mechanics or technical skill that create art - but the process of introspection and different levels of contemplation that generate it. Once you learn to embrace this process, your creative potential is limitless.

Artwork should be an active verb (a lens by which to view the world) not a passive noun (a painting that sits dormant in a museum). Creativity lies NOT in the done but in the doing. Art is active and incomplete. Always shifting, always becoming. Art is a sneak peek into the future of potential, of what could be. Not a past result of what has been already done. Art is a process not a product. 

Art is a human act. Art is Risky. Generous. Courageous. Provocative. You can be perfect, or you can make art. You can keep track of what you will get in return for your effort, or you can make art. You can enjoy the status quo, or you can make art. This is the purpose for why art should not be cut from education. 

I’ve included the above passage because it has direct and strong influence over this project. Creativity is a never-ending journey for me, and I’m always exploring new concepts, techniques, and ideas to challenge me and hopefully produce some meaningful and exciting work. 

The making of these images begins with me scanning my photo library for images that I feel will converge, produce energy, beauty, and interest. In some cases, a story emerges. The photographs must speak strongly and loudly to me, or they will not make the cut. I’ve imposed a single restriction which has increased the challenge. The restriction and increased level of difficulty has raised the beauty and interest of the images significantly. The restriction is that multiple people present in the same image must be the same person. This brings an organic energy to the images that would otherwise not exist. I may, at some point, expand the project to blend the energies of different people into the same image. There’s no doubt in my mind that the results would be dramatically different.

Once an image is given life it’s allowed time to breathe, grow and evolve. There is an organic energy created when these images begin their life. I spend time on multiple days reviewing and listening to them before I’ll consider them completed. They do speak informing me as to what they need to grow stronger. This is where patience is required. If I don’t allow them the requisite time, together we will not produce the best possible results. 

I’ll study them on the computer and in print attempting to ensure that we’re not missing even a small element that would enhance the image. Different viewing media provide different feedback.

Each image is edited a number of times depending on their needs. And yes, there are many that choose not to begin a life as a converged work of art. The energy simply does not exist. I will not attempt to force an image to be successful, they tell me early in the process if they wish to live on or not.

The enjoyment and reward I’m receiving from doing this work is beyond measure.