Blue Moon Mystic-– Soon at the West End Gallery
Every true artist does feel, consciously or unconsciously, that he is touching transcendental truths; that his images are shadows of things seen through the veil. In other words, the natural mystic does know that there is something there, something behind the clouds or within the trees; but he believes that the pursuit of beauty is the way to find it; that imagination is a sort of incantation that can call it up.
–G. K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man (1925)
This new 20″ by 20″ painting, Blue Moon Mystic, is headed to the West End Gallery in the next day or so for my solo show there that opens next Friday, October 16. I spent well over an hour writing about this painting than decided that the words I had written did no justice to it at all. They were not up to what I was seeing in this piece and, in fact, seemed to diminish it.
It’s sometimes hard to write about paintings that strike a deep chord in me. You would think they would be the easiest subjects on which to expound. Maybe it is that there is something in these pieces that are not so evident, that seem beyond the surface.
A transcendental truth?
I don’t know. I would like to believe that I am touching such truths with my work, but how do you know such a thing?
I would say it is just an innate feeling, a belief or certitude, that rises in you but that doesn’t really count for much. After all, the wild-eyed guy on the street corner with the tinfoil hat yelling about the invisible little people following him has that same level of belief in what he is saying.
But then again, maybe he is touching on transcendental truths and we just can’t see it. It might be a thin line beyond delusion and absolute truth.
I guess the best you can do is just make work that strike a chord of authenticity within yourself and hope that that is something that others will see and react to. Maybe along the way you’ll be fortunate enough to stumble onto a transcendental truth every so often.
Once in a blue moon.
That’s all I am going to say about it. It may not seem like enough for this particular painting but at the end of the day this is a painting that has much to say in its own way to those who can hear it.
Let’s leave at that, shall we?
Here’s Into the Mystic from Van Morrison. Take my word, it fits.
Blue Moon Mystic is included in The Jubilee Dance, my 25th solo exhibit at the West End Gallery that opens next Friday, October 16. There is an opening reception at the gallery on October 16 that runs from 5-7 PM.
There is also a Gallery Talk accompanying the show that takes place on Saturday, November 7, beginning at 11 AM. Keep an eye out here for more details in the coming weeks