ARCHIVES - President’s Message - November 2005
The Language of Art Or, How to Develop an Expressive Relationship
(A tongue-in-cheek treatise from John Muhler's Art Guild Ramblings)
It's the most insane puzzle of your life. It's the chance to make a unique statement. It's a vision of your foolish life. You can call it a love affair or a just a chance encounter... we prefer to call it our latest greatest painting - the culmination of thirty years of exasperation and exhilaration. It's all about me, playing hide and seek with light and shadows; capturing the fleeting moment of inspiration, where focused observation meets artistic license. It's a process where furrowed eyebrows and derisive expressions often follow outbursts of laughter and the whole process can make me pull out my hair trying to get at the root of the problem. And what is the problem? Of course it's my challenging relationship with two-dimensional imagery. This relationship has to be courted and there are certain necessary and expected rules. First, a proper introduction will help clarify who is charge. This is followed by a sudden and frustrating alpha reversal... usually due to the fact that the image is the one in control and one can only hope to persuade her (actually I'm not sure of the gender but because I'm a guy I think it's best that the image is of the female gender)... to persuade her to come out in a timely manner.
Alas this just isn't the case... she always needs more time, and no pressure please; a little more touch up here and something over there. Perhaps a change of outfit... should I go with the blue or the red? One must always be patient because to her there are no deadlines. And any argument is fruitless. I know, I know, you are ready, you've been ready, but if you push too hard disaster awaits. In fact you might as well put away your brushes and go outside (or inside if you've been doing that plein air thing). If things really get out of control it's probably time for intervention. There are professionals out there that can help but for me counseling is often addressed at the wood block with an axe or at the beach wrestling with driftwood. And that usually leads to a bottle of ibuprofen or merlot.
With some music you may be able to woo her to dance again - just make sure your footwork is as clever as your handiwork. At some point the dance comes to an end and the trick is to figure out the best time to leave the studio and find some other foolish enterprise to engage in. Despite my best intentions she keeps calling and I realize that I am not done and glaring splotches of color or worn out clichés stare at me until I am forced to give in and start with a fresh palette. Euphoric bliss is seldom reached but there is a moment or two when everything seems to fit together and the magical illusion of space coupled with a unique interpretation allows me to scribble a signature and claim our relationship to be consummated. Hopefully in nine months or so someone will want to adopt her- for a price, mind you!
Now art is a special form of communication and is probably a lot more succinct than all this word-processed jargon. We want to buy art because it speaks to us- sings to us or even consoles us. And if you find the right piece it will continue to talk to you for a long, long time. So you buy it. Good for you. Good for the artist. This is not just an ordinary purchase... it can be an important addition to the house, yard or body that should reflect your appreciation and acknowledge the unique form of communication that it shares. I call this honoring the expressions of the artist... or simply honoring the artist. Let's face it, this is a distinctive creation- treat her as such.
The language of art is not always clear and is often designed to make you feel a little uncomfortable until you get it. But once you get it and you find the place to honor it there is an incredible sense of connection, a relationship has formed between the artist and the collector with the artwork acting as the bonding glue.
And now my bottom line: If you're the collector- well it takes a fool to know one... I mean, we genuinely thank you for getting "it"- we are honored by your embrace... just don't let her get jealous. If you're the artist - dance with your oeuvre, sashay with your tools of choice, open your studio door and let the light shine on, let the shadows play across the earth, and watch your endeavors (along with Mother Nature's) show off a new dress everyday, amen.
-John D. Muhler
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