“Any great art work … revives and readapts time and space, and the measure of its success is the extent to which it makes you an inhabitant of that world – the extent to which it invites you in and lets you breathe its strange, special air.”
—Leonard Bernstein
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I came across this quote from Leonard Bernstein that I really thought captured what I hope occurs in my work. I think that my work is most successful when people allow themselves to feel themselves as part of the landscape before them, to enter and breathe in that strange and special air, as Bernstein describes it. I know that this is the case for myself. I have written about this here before, about how these landscapes, with their blue and orange fields and bright red trees, feel as real to me as looking out my studio window. The fact of the blue in the field is overruled by its harmony within the composition which creates that sense of rightness to which I often refer.
Maybe this sense of rightness is what makes up that strange and special air. I don’t know. I only know that I still seek words or explanations to describe why a painting works, by which I mean has an emotional impact on the viewer. The new painting above is such a piece for me. It’s a 15″ by 25″ image on paper that I am calling, thanks to Mr. Bernstein, A Strange & Special Air.
I could sit here and try to break down the painting, talking about color and contrast, texture and depth. Line quality and composition. All of the things that I might momentarily consider while I’m at work on such a painting. But when all is said and done, I still have no idea why it has its own life, its own strange and special air. Except that I feel that I am there when I look at it.
And glad of it.
Perhaps that is enough and all that needs to be considered. For now, I accept that and will be satisfied to dwell in this landscape with its strange and special air.
Redtree Times 
That this quotation should come along today is a bit of marvelous serendipity. I’ve just finished a series of three posts on travel in Louisiana, and several people said, “Never knew about any of this – feel like I’ve been there”. Apparently they were able to enter that landscape just as you – and we – enter the landscapes of your paintings.
What I did wasn’t great – not even close – but it had just enough of what Bernstein was talking about for me to recognize it, and keep the quotation as a reminder that, if I did it once, I might be able to do it again.
I suppose I think of it as a kind of literary Desiderata. Thanks so much for sharing Bernstein’s words.
Glad that Bernstein’s words struck close to the mark for you. It’s interesting how his thought goes across many mediums– your writing, his music, my painting. All succeed when the reader, listener or viewer feels as though they are along for the journey.
My wife and I just bought this painting at Just Looking Gallery in San Luis Obispo. That quote from Mr. Bernstein says it all as we were both mesmerized by it’s stunning colors and beauty. The painting invited us in and we couldn’t take our eye’s off of it. Ken McGavin educated us on some of your techniques and we were just blown away. Can’t wait to hang it in our living room. Thank you so much for what you do. This is our first but won’t be our last.
Dan–
Thank you for your kind words. I am glad that this piece which I find very special has found such an appreciative home. I hope it serves you well for many years to come.
All the best——Gary