J. Coleman: Depiction

Artist J. Coleman of Washington, DC, continues my recent project by writing about "depiction." As usual, I extend an invitation to all local artists who would like to participate in this effort. Just email me!

I Need You Closer to Me (Hope is in the Boombox)

J. Coleman: Depiction

The canvas whispers, and I can barely make out its lies. In a frenzied attempt to capture the passing moments, I apply my paint. Caught in a moment of desperation I find myself moving my brush with such guided direction, but at the same time I’m feeling so lost. Trying to render the inspiration that is only with me for moments into something others will recognize, I paint some more, and write and spray on the canvas until the surface is thick with layered emotions. The breakdown is evident in the broad strokes. Like I am returning to a familiar bottle, I return to my favorite subjects: desire, loss, tragedy, and even hope. If I cared about a landscape or a barn, I would paint one. If I cared about a realistic portrayal of a subject, I would take a picture. I make marks that are meaningful to me and stylize my work in the only way I know how to draw and feel satisfied with my finished product.

Exhaustion and violence, but mostly violence is moving me. If it’s not violence, it must be a power struggle of some sort to regain control of the situation by making a statement in an image. It feels like forty nights of fighting, but in reality it has only been a few hours. Intoxicating and all consuming, is this thing they call “art.” By choosing to embrace it, I am only accepting to struggle. Oddly enough the struggle always leaves me wanting more, feeling hollow and half contented when I’m not creating something. If it wasn’t this way, I would think art was a mere hobby, not a path to release and personal satisfaction. So for me the key is to achieve the goal, not of a sandy beach scene with an umbrella that matches the towel, not seagulls cleverly placed to direct one’s eye to the horizon line, and not portrait either, that others will say, “that looks just like so-and-so.” My goal is to channel all the voices of creativity that keep me awake at night, like noisy little chickens clucking in my head, and with release like a shot gun blast, attack whatever project is at hand. I want my individual works to stand alone, serving as glimpses into dreams and memories all intercepting, but I want my body of work as a whole to provide an even more complete picture of the moments I render. I can only hope that if I am true to the inspiration in my depiction, then viewers will recognize my honesty and find themselves relating to the overwhelming emotion and subtle narratives presented to them.

Don't Give Up On Me Yet

Previous Posts:

Charles Neenan: Tradition
Kelly Towles: Color
Ryan Mulligan: Originality
Matt Hollis: Confinement
Dean Fueroghne: Originality
James W. Bailey: Obligation

Comments

[Kim Merritt]

This page is so old, I doubt you still check it. Are you still painting? I was just curious where your work has taken you but this page is all I could find.

Maybe I'll hear from you. If you do get this tell your family I said hi and I hope all is well.

Best,
Kim