Listening learning viewing practicing.

With no fine arts training or creative education to un-learn, my exploration of abex art has been pure joy.

The best way for me to aspire for better and hear the reprimand of my own mistakes,

How lucky am I that I live in a place that offers so many magnificent species of greatness?

I can visit the various public collections of Rothkos around Washington DC and immerse myself in what he built. Same with Joan Mitchell, dekooning, Helen F., and parts of the ocean park series, and invite Bennett to go zipping through my psyche like a hot knife.

So much light and love and spirit it’s almost like an earthy proxy for an Eucharistic offering . Not quite but these are sacrifices offered up by human creators for (my benefit, theirs)? The imitation of Christ is what this is in one form, and that hits me hard. Whether they intended anyone to receive it this way is unlikely. But I have. And it makes me want better. More. And to contribute.

It’s humbling and inspiring at the same time. These are shoulders I hope climb up to. If not, on. The east tower of the national gallery should require me to remove my hat or wear a tie. It’s a place where grace is given and wisdom dispensed. I’m only half joking.

Yet, other museums display “contemporary artists” that have the opposite effect on me. They tear down, they flatten life, they preach at you about how they need you to believe. instead of honoring immovable truth and providing vectors that let you find it yourself.

I am not criticizing anyone. and obviously this is one uninformed opinion. I just can’t help but notice the delta in how I imbibed both. I feel the call is for art to lift, inspire, inform… and should be everywhere. To me at least.

It’s a waste of my time for “art” to tell me life can suck, or unfair, or sometimes be deeply cruel. When Art defies those fallen conditions and finds hope and joy within suffering. That’s what the works below allow me to do. It lifts my brokenness.

How could it not after visiting with work like this:

(All taken by me at public museums where photographs are allowed)

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