Saturday, September 22, 2001

It's a new experience for me to attempt to have my art speak to what disturbs the soul.

...and I wondered as I worked on "Preparing for war" and "September 11, 2001" whether is was art or just visual clutter. It was an attempt at reflecting my interior, and at the same time making some sense of the chaos. I'm so pleased that others have connected with these pieces.

War itself is very visual. Peace is not so. It's conceptual and not dramatic action. So symbolism works best. I do want viewers to consider that war destroys people and relationships. It destroys the future and with that the hope of the young. Obviously the international flavor was a conscious choice.

On reflection about what happened September 11, 2001 and days following I realized: first, that I was angry because evil has had such an overt expression in our world. Secondly, that I was afraid for how my life has been changed and will be changed. And thirdly, I was ashamed that hope again has been squashed. As a middle-aged adult I feel the weight of the responsibility for offering hope to the younger generation.

But I have discoverd hope for as it turns out, the art may have a life beyond what I had ever dreamed of, a purpose I didn't foresee.

So be it...

jim