I am certain about what I will never do – but not about what my art will render.
–Odilon Redon
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When I came across this quote from the great French Symbolist painter/printmaker Odilon Redon, I found myself nodding in agreement. There are many things I know that I will never do with my work mainly because these things don’t inspire me to take the time to make the effort. But about those things where I do make the the effort, I am never quite sure where they will take me or how they will surprise me or how they will reach out to others in ways I never imagined.
And that is the thing, the driving force, that keeps me coming back to this studio each morning: the hope that this will be the day that brings that next surprise, that next thing that remains a wonder to myself.
By the way, you should really take a few moments and check out the work of Odilon Redilon. He was one of the most influential painters around the turn of the 20th century and set the groundwork for a lot of modern movements. Plus, his prints and paintings are just plain interesting to take in, with a mysterious twist and symbolism that feels both psychological and spiritual. The eye in the sky is a recurring form in his work as you see in the painting at the top, The Cyclops. His one-eyed creature has a different feel than that of the more terrifying one in Homer’s Odyssey. Redon’s has an almost protective, paternal feel. It feels odd but inviting.
Here is a site ( click here)with most of his known paintings although not much if any of his print work. It’s worth a look.
Redtree Times 