I will speak the truth, with honesty and integrity.
The role of fine art is not to report the visible, but to reveal and communicate the unknown.
My goal is to make contemporary art accessible to people who may not be familiar with it or feel intimidated by it.
I believe art and artists are valuable and important members of society who transform individual lives through their aesthetic expression.
Art should provide the viewer an opportunity to jump into the work and become a part of the work.
Art is more than a marketing slogan, a brand, or a PR stunt; it is the transmission of feeling’s the artist has experienced.
Painting is not dead.
Art Criticism is alive and well and more important than ever in this age of cultural and information overload.
The response that a person has to a work of art, is the art.
I value the spiritual and transformative qualities of art and believe that creating art can heal and change lives.
I believe everyone is creative and has creative ability.
But I also believe that at some point, there is a line in the sand that differentiates art for arts sake from art created by professional artists. Professionals have spent a significant amount of time mastering their craft. Professionals understand that they are in the end ultimately creating a product for sale in a market.
I do not believe in the ephemeral notion of art. It is disingenuous.
Process happens in the studio. Art is not process.
I value work that is intellectual but not over thought.
An artist, writer or creative person must go to the deep, dark places.
A group exhibit should add up alchemically to more than the sum of its parts.
I like art that conveys a message—political, feminist, etc.—but is more than just a message.
Shock value in art is overrated. It also has to have substance.
Using material just for the sake of the material is not art.
There is nothing new under the sun; every artist is doing something that has already been done before. The question is are they doing it better? Are they transforming a style into something more?
Art is more than a symbol of culture.
Art is more than something you can get away with because you call yourself an artist or are affiliated with an arts organization.
Leanne: I love this manifesto! So many of your points are right on target! “Painting is not dead” is a good one, as well as your comments about professionalism (craft) and accessibility. Nice work! I am (kind of) planning to be in Albuquerque at X-mas. I’ll let you know. And, of course, let me know if you make it to Chicago.
Leanne: I love this manifesto! So many of your points are right on target! “Painting is not dead” is a good one, as well as your comments about professionalism (craft) and accessibility. Nice work! I am (kind of) planning to be in Albuquerque at X-mas. I’ll let you know. And, of course, let me know if you make it to Chicago.