Post Conceptual UnGraven Image & The Art of Seeing the Divine

Where to Find Judy Rey Wasserman's websites & blogs

2009-03-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

This site serves as a redirect to Judy Rey Wasserman's two websites and blogs when a comment is made on someone else's blog that only allows the user to use an open source ID or Google blog.

Although both of my blogs use Wordpress, on Open Source only blogs that are hosted bu Wordpress are allowed. Mine are self hosted.

So, if you have been directed here from either a search or someone's Blogger blog, please use any of the links below to discover the brand new art theory of Post Conceptual UnGraven Image and the Amazing effects that the art has for people through what is now called Awakened Vision (The Art of Seeing The Divine).

Post Conceptual UnGraven Image website: http://ungravenimage.com

Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art & Inspiration blog: http://ungravenimage.com/blog

Art of Seeing The Divine website: http://artofseeingthedivine.com

Art of Seeing The Divine blog: http://artofseeingthedivine.com/blog/

This Blog is Moving

2008-10-31T10:06:00.000-07:00



This blog has moved to a new URL: http://www.artofseeingthedivine.com/blog/

New posts are there! Please update all bookmarks and feeds.

Thanks,

Judy Rey

The Poor Are Always With Us

2008-10-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

Over at Get Religion there is an interesting post credited to Mollie, entitled Blessed Are the Poor.

Not too surprisingly in these days of financial turmoil, people are flocking to religious groups, and especially houses of worship for help. The results are that while donations are down, the needs of the people, especially the lower and middle classes are mounting. These needs are for financial information and marital counseling, as well as financial assistance.

The truly interesting news is how major news sources reporting on religion are actually including real religion in news stories on the topic, such as when a minister relevantly quotes from the Bible.

Mollie also questions how the newspapers are covering the crisis and religion, saying she is reminded of the, “old saw, I believe coined by Tom Lehrer, about how the New York Times would cover the end of the world: “World Ends: Women, Minorities Hardest Hit.”

Mollie’s article inspired me to comment, which I include below:

"I say the New York Times would not cover the end of the world as everyone associated with it would have run somewhere to try to take cover! Just like most everyone else would do.

In times of crisis we look for safety and security. The religious organizations have people in need (including spiritual need, flocking to them now as these groups are seen as offering safety and security from the cares of the world.

Jesus said "Blessed are the poor in spirit." That refers to a kind of humility -- the kind Moses had, which was submitting to the Will of God.

There is NOTHING scripturally correct about being poor. In fact, throughout the Bible there are promises of the many blessings, both spiritual and worldly that will be given to those who love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and might.

That willingness to give up everything (part of one's might) is a Job like attribute. One could become materially poor like Job. However, at the end, Job's fortunes were more than fully restored!

So that someone is wealthy, including living in a wealthy community like Greenwich does not immediately indicate that the person does not love the Lord.

However, all Christians and Jews are called upon to give to those who are in physical need. That is lovingkindness. Other religions include this concept also.
Last time i looked we very much had a separation of Church and state, so from a biblical point of view, the government of the USA is not obligated to care for its poor citizens. We have government programs only because citizens, many of whom are Christians or Jews or believe biblical principles, are in favor of such charity programs.

Time when many people are experiencing less financial or material wealth have almost always been times that produced spiritual wealth for the people of the USA. As the financial problems grow, people are flocking together on the Internet into spiritual social networks and groups. Faith and spirituality are flourishing on the web, including through this web site.

If history is an indicator, we can prepare for some new understandings that include the promises and a new outpouring and revelation of The Divine purpose for our lives.

Churches, synagogues, and temples, etc., where people's spiritual needs are being met will survive -- and possibly increase. Perhaps there will be fewer gala events and more pot lucks, but people will support what brings them closer to God.

And giving to those in real need does that."

I wrote the book, The Art of Seeing The Divine to share the new way I have learned to see the world with those who have a "poorer" vision. My purpose its to change the way we actually see the world, to help others see with a new vision that inspires, enlightens, comforts and empowers.

Come and see more at The Art of Seeing The Divine.

Changing Vision Through Art

2008-10-27T22:49:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to actually see more by training your brain through art better decode the impressions of light received from the brain?

90% of the perception of vision actually takes pace in the brain-- by adding visual memories into the brain we learn to understand more. That is how we learned to read, by first learning to decode the simple shapes, then recognizing the shapes in various configurations, and finally by giving the letters names, sounds and as they are configured together meaning: words!

The new e book of The Art of Seeing The Divine is an inspirational visual self- help book, filled with Visual Exercise/Experiences that use art to bring new visual understandings to what a person sees, everywhere.

The information is based on science, including physics as the symbols used as strokes in the art represent the strings, which are the essential strokes or pre-matter of the physical universe.

The essential energy of the universe is also believed to be the very Words of The Creator who spoke the universe into existence,. This basic theology is held by all branches and denominations of Christians and Jews, and it is mentioned in the Koran.

The Abrahamic religions all agree that the words were spoken in Hebrew as it is symbolized in what is known as Torah font. This unique font is binary, alpha-numeric and phonic. It is the only font in any language in the world that is binary, alpha-numeric and phonic for any language in the world.

That the Torah font is phonic means it also references important concepts in most of the worlds spiritual or religious paths, such has good/evil, holy/profane and yin/yang.

People find seeing the energies inspirational and uplifting. There seem to be more potential and possibilities for a life filled with abundance and meaning. The world seems less solid, and more light.

Come and see for yourself at the Art of Seeing The Divine; http://www.artofseeingthedivine.com

Come and see at www.artofseeingthedivine.com

Inspiration Happens Only Now

2008-09-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

A good work of art is original.

Not necessarily an original – since personally, I'd take a good reproduction of a van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet, etc., over some of the “originals” I have seen recently in various galleries.

By original, I mean that the artist's vision is unique and inspiring.

There is a great deal of good art, beautifully rendered work being done today. I know artists who have talent and training and they paint lovely paintings using oils and watercolors, especially. Just one problem, been there seen that. Who is painting what is really new and will change the way I see the world? I want to see that.

A good life is original. Each person has his or her own path. Attempting to follow another's path only manages to take one off one's own path.

It's an interesting thing about paths. We can only take the next step. We cannot undo past steps, but we can correct our course if we have rambled off our path. But, a path is walked one step at a time. Try to run ahead and one goes off one's path.

A step takes time, even though it may seem to go rather fast, such as during a brisk walk.

Imagine a step shown in slow motion. It happens second by second, bit by bit, movement by movement: the lifting up of the leg, leaning forward, the shifting of one's weight… It's an easy accomplishment for the average healthy person, but for a baby becoming a toddler or a person who has a foot or leg injury it takes more concentration. The time seems to stretch out. Taking a simple step demands focus and being present.

No one can walk with the Lord in the past. Nor is it possible to do so in the future. All we have is now.

God is always present in the Now. It is our challenge to let go of our past baggage, worries, concerns, unresolved emotional difficulties with others, anger, and what ever else is running through our minds – and take the bold step of focusing on the immediate now.

Take a deep breath. Concentrate on just breathing in then breathing out. Experience that breath. Look around. What do you see? Not what needs to be done – but what is actually where you are? What is now? (Please, give it a try -- now.)

This blog was inspired by a Collector Family member who wrote me that she is having a problem staying in balance. She is very busy with a life that places many demands on her time.

Being out of balance means not being in the moment of now with the Lord. Even busy people only have now, although it may seem otherwise.

Jesus said, "I do nothing but what the Father does through me." That's about being in the now and focused on the Father.

Paul said, "Pray without ceasing" -- meaning be in communication as prayer is communication that goes both ways. Paul is taking about a constant relationship with God that can only happen in the now.

Hillel said, "If not now, when?" Hillel is asking when can we actually do anything except in the now?

They are all pointing to the same reality. We cannot have a relationship with our Creator except in the now. And, if we are not having a relationship with the Lord in the moment, as we draw each breath, then we are indeed going to feel out of balance. Other words we apply to our lack of being present in the moment (and therefore in relationship with the Creator) are terms such as stressed, harried, out of sorts, upset, etc.

My life is very out of balance in the way of the world. Experts might disapprove of my path. That's their problem. I am focusing on staying on my path.

I am working to stay, moment by moment, step by step on the path that the Lord has for me. Sure, I fail on a daily basis. I stumble, trip and even take spiritual pratfalls. I get lost in my thoughts of the path and future. Then I pick myself up, brush myself off and get my focus back on the Lord and what is now. I ask, What do I do now, Lord? I ask this as often as I can remember to do so, many, many times a day and I have been at it for years. What do I do now? What do I say now? There is always an answer, just not necessarily the one I want. And it is always simple and immediate, dealing with the now.

Most of us ask for guidance during times of crisis. I have learned to ask on an ongoing basis, even when I think I can handle the situation myself. On a moment to moment basis and more of my moments are spent that way. You can do this too.

We can only relate to God (or anyone) in the moment of NOW. We cannot do it in the future or past.

When I have my answer, and act on it, such as late and night, when I get the sense of inspirational feedback, like, Go brush your teeth … then when I break away from the painting or the PC screen, I have a sense of balance of peace of being on my right path. (The teeth brushing thing is generally followed with the move towards bed.)

When I am busy with the many tasks that I wish I could give to the staff I don't have yet, I try to be present in that now, focus on the Lord. Moment by moment. Easy to say, not as easy to accomplish.

For instance, putting together my shipments of prints is a task that is routine but uniquely specific in detail for each package. It is work I could mostly and gladly hand over to a competent assistant. However, it is still my own task and I have learned that there is nothing so mundane or small that the Lord does not wish to be there with you and share it.

A great painting is created one stroke at a time. The inspiration (for me communication with the Lord) that the artist had when each stroke was made shows in a painting. A great symphony is written note by note and again, the inspiration is evident. A great piece of literature…well, you have the idea.

Great works of art out continue to inspire many generations and so seem immortal.

If we live our lives one moment at a time with the Lord, we will live great lives that will inspire others. That is what Jesus, Paul, Hillel and many other great teachers have tried to tell us. In Genesis, it says that Enoch walked perfectly with the Lord and then was no more – in other words, Enoch never died. I find that amazingly inspirational.

Inspirational enough to inspire me to create a whole new theory of art, Post Conceptual UnGraven Image, where the focus is on the stroke: tiny strokes – one stroke at a time in the ever expanding and inspirational now.

The Armory Show 2008

2008-04-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

April 3, 2008

The 10th annual Armory show, NYC was held at Pier 94 from March 27-30. Only contemporary art was featured by the participating 150 galleries chosen by this year's selection committee.

According to The Art Newspaper's special fair edition, the sales held up well despite market jitters. The art fairs serve as places where top notch collectors come to see many new works and buy. This is one of the premier fairs in the world to see the best of contemporary art. As such this fair, along with some of the other fairs such as Scope and Pulse that ran concurrently, create a once-a-year survey of contemporary art that no museum, even with an unlimited budget could hope to duplicate.

Prior to attending, I had read various press releases and reports about the fair. I knew that some top galleries had been excluded by the fair this year. The NY Times article by Roberta Smith in weekend Arts sported the headline,” Smooth and Safe at Pier 94”. Generally, this years fair had few surprises and some of the galleries currently in Chelsea had better shows back home than in their booths. Ironically, looking back it seems to me that a few of the galleries missing this year had brought some of the best, cutting edge and thus press receiving work to the fair previously. Of course, the public has no idea what galleries were actually not included as we lack information as to who had applied.

If, as Rebecca Smith indicated some galleries held back the best work of their artists, possibly for Art Basel, others pulled out all the stops. Most galleries feature the works of many of their artists, while a few chose to focus on only one.

For me this year's fair seemed to excel for works by Conceptual, especially Word artists. The art theory that I am founding, UnGraven Image is a next step from Word Art, so obviously I appreciate it. However, most of the mentions in the fairs and shows I have reviewed (and will, as I am also working on Scope and Pulse) have not covered Conceptual artists to the extent I do here. Much of the best work here just happened to be by these artists, perhaps due to the recent show at the Whitney of Lawrence Weiner's work.

The Cheim and Read booth was an installation of Jenny Holzer's work that was the best booth I have seen in any fair so far. Period. OK, I am a fan of Jenny Holzer's, but exciting, powerful display was especially insightful for her work. I hope there is a way for the display to travel to museums or venues as being booth sized that is a viable idea. The booth was totally symmetrical. The blue and red scrolling light image works in the corners (two are visible in the phot below) were repeated in all four corners.) The small "benches" were carved marble to resemble monuments.

Here is just one quote from this display by one of my favorite Word artists, “TRUST VISIONS THAT DON'T FEATURE BUCKETS OF BLOOD”।

Cheim & Read booth at Armory 2008 fair

Another gallery that had a good booth dedicated to the work of one artist was Ronald Feldman Gallery's tribute to the late Eleanor Antin.

Since there was so much to see, and I had already been to Scope and would next go to Pulse on my day into the city for the fairs, I took notes that would mention basically one artist's work for the galleries I covered. Of course, in relation to some galleries this is especially difficult, but if I had already covered an artist is a review of a show, or am expecting to cover one in an upcoming show, I chose a different artist's work for a good mention. The mentions below are in order of my meandering path.

At Stuart Shave, Jesus Christ Loves You, a rainbow tambourine by Phillip Lai made a musical statement. Thanks to Nadia Berri for introducing me to the artist and this work.

At John Connelly Presents ' booth Ara Peterson made more visual music.

Still dancing to the music of art, despite obvious but minor injuries to her arm and foot, delightful and intrepid Tracy Williams showed me the interesting work of Fiona Banner at her gallery's booth.

Yvon Lambert was Bethan Huws' Untitled is a conversation between Bethan the artist and gallerist Erika. Too true. Do click on the link to see it. Good to see Emilio again, who was helpful explaining the unique presentation of this good conceptual artist. Also giving a nod to a work in the booth by Lawrence Weiner.

At Andrew Kreps , Uwe Henneken's work intrigues by probing the fantasy of reality.

Zach Feuer and I nodded and smiled at each other in his gallery's busy booth. Three colorful, playful sculptures by Tal R get my good mention here, especially one entitled, Sssstick Ball Ball Ssstick Ball Ball.

At Gallerie Thaddaeus Ropac Elaine Stortevant's Warhol Black Marilyn 2008, silkscreen, acrylic on canvas is a retake on Warhol's iconic work brought Andy Warhol into this fair dedicated to contemporary art. He casts a long shadow.

Choosing from Pace Wildenstein's artists was at first difficult, but I choose to mention Elizabeth Murray in tribute.

At Greenberg Van Doren I found especially appreciated the work of Ben Edwards.

I enjoyed discussing John Bangston's work with Katie at Jack Shainman Gallery's booth.

Lehmann Maupin had a splendid display of work by Mickalene Thomas's portraits.

Ratio 3 had Ara Peterson. My focus is always about the stroke, which can be made with a paintbrush, or it can be a button (Tara Donavan), or even a stitch. Ara Peterson's strokes are carved and assembled and colorful inventions.

Matthew Marks had works by several of their artists, including two large diptyches by Andreas Gursky in the artist's frames. Elsewhere, including in the manifesto for UnGraven Image booklet (free to download at www.ungravenimage.com )., I have written about how photography creates a image in a the click of an instant, whereas painters, sculptors and other pure visual artists who create via strokes take time. Gursky fascinates me as he is capturing what I call :strokes' that for him may be people I a crowd, merchandise, or other repetitive images. Usually, I shy from mentioning photography as my background is more painting and some sculpture, but I get Gursky's strokes as the closest photography comes to painting.

At Gallerie Barbara Weiss had silkscreen prints by Thomas Bayrle who creates images from repeated images, which for me a kind of stroke. Again, use the link to see more.

At Bob van Orsouw Gallery portraits by Albrecht Schneider paid homage to Rembrandt's self portrait but left the face blank posing questions of identity. Having recently created an Essence series portrait of Rembrant using his same self portrait for inspiration, I resonated to these works.

Artists Mary Heilman and John Waters were commissioned to create prints for the fair and the proceeds went to charity.

With thanks to Chris Burnside of Cheim and Read for speedily sending the image above that is used with permission of the gallery. Also a nod to Andrew Sheffer for alerting me that such a good photo of the booth would be available.

The ADAA ART SHOW 2008

2008-03-01T22:25:00.000-08:00

The 2008 ADAA Art Show may is in its 20th year, yet it seemed to be more vibrant and energetic than last year, when I first attended.

This year, curators Tom Eccles and Trevor Smith selected artists Spencer Finch, Lisi Raskin, and Pietro Roccosalvafor solo shows in three of the Armory's historic rooms just outside the fair, while in the hall outside was a video and multimedia art installation by multiple contemporary artists. Plus, several forums were held for the benefit of collectors about the art market.

Art is by, about and for people. The Art Dealers Association of America members are basically the top galleries both for primary and secondary works in this country and in the world. Every work in this show is good, most are excellent, and a few are great. Many of the artists and some of the booths deserve full reviews, not just the brief mentions that my time and space allow.

Determined to see all the booths, upon entering I made a quick left into the Mitchell Innes and Nash booth where I begin the task of deciding what work to mention when everything deserves one. Seeing Arshile Gorky’s oil from 1944, From a High Place, I have my first pick. Thanks to a bit of online research, I know what Lucy Mitchell-Innes looks like, so I introduced myself and she is as lovely and welcoming as her photos indicate.

The booth to the left belongs to the Luhring Augustine. I spot Roland Augustine, one of the gallery’s partners and the current president of the ADAA leading visitors down an aisle towards another gallery’s booth.

The Luhring Augustine booth is dedicated to Steve Wolfe’s sculptures which resemble editions of classic books. The charming Kristen and Sophie help me select the one of the Postman Always Rings Twice to especially mention, a good one for me as I am also a fan of mysteries, Hitchcock, and of course words in art!

Moving through the aisles, there are works by Andy Warhol in the many galleries that display Modern Art. Andy Warhol's Mona Lisa, proved that even when Warhol work was not actually in a booth, his influence on Contemporary art is present.

Also everywhere, it seemed were works by artists who, like Warhol, are connected to the Hamptons where I live. I usually mention at least the best, which is easy as I am dropping names like Pollack, Krasner, Chase, Ray Johnson and Max Ernst. The last two prominently featured at Richard L. Feigen & Co. The dynamic Max Ernst painting drew me right into the booth (see below). I appreciate the opportunity granted by the always friendly and knowledgeable Dr. Frances F. L. Beatty to show it here. Also at this booth were three small charming watercolor works by Henri Rousseau that are enchanting.

Max Ernst
Terre Ecossaise (Scottish Land), 1935
oil on canvas
25.5/8 x 32.7/8 Inches (65.1 by 83.5 cm.)

Tibor de Nagy had another selection featuring Hamptonites, Fairfield Porter, and Jane Freilicher. The James Goodman Gallery had an untitled De Kooning. The booth for the Barbara Krakow gallery featured a Vulgar, a 2007 work by Mel Bochner.

At the Richard Grey Gallery booth, I renew my acquaintance with Paul Grey, ever the gentleman, again standing and offering a smiling handshake (to that point the only one so far to stand or offer a handshake). I first met at last year's show along with Andrew Fabricant who is the chair of the Art Show committee, and sitting with the was Roland Augustine, who I met for the first time as he welcomed me into this booth, too. At that time the gallery was showing work by sculpture Juame Plensa, another artist whose work I appreciate since he sculpts using letters for strokes. This year, the gallery features yet another artist with ties to the Hamptons, Jennifer Bartlett.

The Charles Cowles Gallery itself always has ties to the Hamptons, no matter what good artist is featured. Charles himself mans the desk, always welcoming and friendly as is his staff. Two small works by William T. Wiley were among the notables here.

In the next aisle is Sikkema Jenkins. This is a very special gallery to me, as the first work of art I ever showed in a big NYC gallery was in December 2007 at the Postcards From the Edge show hosted by this gallery. In addition, gallery staff staff is friendly and helpful (I coined the term “gallerytoro” especially include their excellent receptionist Scott my first galleristas review), plus the artists are first rate and even some of by favorites such as Kara Walker. At the Sikkema Jenkins booth, smiling and saying hello were Meg Malloy who is always good to see again and to meet Michael Skimma. for the first time. Their booth was dedicated to the work of gallery artist Amy Sillman‘s *oil on untitled canvas paintings, which conjure up depth and form.

At Greenberg Van Doren, Michael Martin graciously answers my questions about a particularly interesting untitled gouache by Richard Diebenkorn.

As I leave that booth I see up at the front of the aisle the now very familiar figure of a man, amicably chatting with people and leading them towards yet another gallery booth. I consider walking up to say hello, but my attention is drawn away by just a glimpse of the Cheim & Reed booth out of the corner of my eye.

That whole booth is painted black, a perfect background for stunning sculptures on pedestals by Lynda Benglis. I am helped, as usual, by someone friendly from the gallery, this time meeting Daniel Lechner. Standing before the Cheim & Reed booth I am sure that absolutely no other booth can possibly equal this presentation…

Until I discover the D’Amelio Terras booth, with a grouping of several artists’ works that wonderfully resonate with one another in a “suspended art” theme. An ingenious sculpture/mobile by Cornelia Parker merits a special mention. But, now I am sure that no other gallery’s presentation could possible equal this one or Cheim and Reed’s.

I arrived at the show after a long day of travel and other activities in the city, so by the time I enter the final and fourth aisle, I am wishing for a bit of a break. I am tired until I see a Rothko at L. & M. It is not one of his huge works, but it towers spiritually, and momentarily lost in it, I revive.

At ACA Galleries, I chat with Jeffrey Bergen, director/owner and again, one of the delightful people I have met this year in the galleries. We chat as I enjoy the paintings from many of the gallery’s artists and try to select one finally settling on Irene Hardwicke Olivieri who had a solo show that I enjoyed just before I began to give mentions a tad over a year ago.

Nearing the end of the aisle booth Roland Augustine is meeting and greeting and showing more people around. I linger at the O’Hara booth enjoying the Calder mobiles until for a moment Roland is free. I begin to reintroduce myself to him, but he knows who I am. The last time we physically met was in the elevator at the 1018 building, where Luhring Augustine has a new gallery branch. Anyway, Roland offers a big smile along with a solid handshake. We chat for a moment about the George Condo show that I am looking forward to next week.

I move along top the PaceWildensteinbooth.On approach the booth did not seem special, displaying only one work by Richard Tuttle, with Cay Rose stationed at a desk before it. Cay explained the booth was designed by the artist, Richard Tuttle himself. It was specially carpeted and a low wall had been erected, which she leads me behind. Suddenly we are in a peaceful quiet viewing room that seems far from the activity of the show. Yet, another incredibly designed and presented booth.

Across from that, what normally would be the first booth one might enter I had saved for last. Ameringer & Yohe gallery had a tribute to the ADAA’s past president Andre Emmerich who died last year, This presentation included photos of the gallerist and works by three of the blue-chip artists Emmerich had championed: Anthony Caro David Hockney and Morris Louis.

As I reach the exit, I turn around for one last impression of the Art Show, and see near the front aisle, Roland Augustine smiling, chatting and leading yet more guests to another gallery’s booth to see and possibly collect the work of some of the finest Modern and Contemporary artists. He well represents the ADAA and the show: generous, enthusiastic, friendly and always quality.

Special thanks to Susan D’Inverno for speedily and efficiently sending the .jpg of Max Ernst’s painting, plus being helpful as always. Also thanks to Frances F. L. Beatty Ph.d. for permission to use it. It was the only image I asked for as I knew it was not yet online. The rest, especially for the contemporary artists, can be better seen through the links to the gallery sites provided in the article. Also, mentions with an asterisk (*) indicate an image is available at a special slide gallery on artnet

Successful Brand Promotion Through Art

2008-02-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

Visual art sells. It not only sells itself, it sells and promotes what it is associated with – including governments, products and individual identity.

Brand recognition not only associated thorough the through visual recognition of the product(s), logo and packaging. Marketing professionals know the benefit of endorsements and advertising that associate the product with celebrities, authorities. Testimonials and word of mouth recommendations from people we at least assume to be like ourselves continues to sell products.

Successful job applicants and romantic suitors, business marketers and governments all know the value of artistic presentation of their products. Every one is promoting him or herself in some way to others most of the time.

According to ScienceDaily.com, new study by the University of Georgia found that when a product is visually aligned with art, even if the exposure is momentary, consumers are more receptive to the product itself. Common items, such as cutlery and a soap dispenser were displayed along with fine art that ranged from van Gogh's Café Terrace at Nigh t to work by a relatively unknown artist.

According to one of the study's two authors, Henrik Hagtvedt assistant professor at the UGA Terry College of Business, “Visual art has historically been used as a tool for persuasion. It has been used to sell everything from religion to politics to spaghetti sauce to the artist's image. It's about time we develop a scientific basis to understand how it actually works.

Once the new nation and government of the 23 United States of America had its founding written mission statement documents it went immediately into the art business. How? It issued money. Most of the world's money is a form of art. Take a coin or bill and look at it. See all the decorations – portraits, symbols, decorations?

Governments have been issuing art as or on (depends on one's view) money since ancient times. Usually the art depicted has meaning for the government that can increase its power or prestige. Alexander the Great put his own image on coins to promote himself and his empire. Every time money changes hands it promotes, via its images, the ideas of its country of origin.

Plus of course, governments, religious organizations and corporations commission impressive architecture (as opposed to purely utilitarian), portraits of their leaders and encourage artists to paint or sculpt images of their triumphs, landmarks and products.

Wealth can easily be transferred and issued without art on it. Legal contracts, bank checks, stock certificates, and even plain security personal or business checks can do the job. There was a time when coins were pure metals, especially gold and silver and were actually worth the weight of the metal – yet governments applied artistic images as a form of powerful advertisement.

In a way we are all in the art business since we are all creating a visual identity that we “sell” to others. That visual identity includes our personal appearance, as well as that of our homes and places of work. The art we display on our walls or surfaces (sculpture) is a key promoter of our values and purposes to family, friends and clients.

Corporations successfully use art to create their image and promote their mission.. Of course, they have logos, well designed packaging, advertisements, etc., but most of the top corporations display good to excellent art in their corporate offices and even lend art to museums (and at the very least next to that loan there will be a small wall tag citing the generosity of the corporation). Most corporations choose the works they show and collect carefully, not only because fine art is an investment, but because they understand that the art depicts their taste and hence, corporate culture.

ArtReview magazine has a yearly list of the 100 most important people in the contemporary art world. For the past few years a dentist in Great Britain has made the list as a collector. He began his collection by trading services for fine art of up and coming artists. Not only did his known net worth rise considerably when several of these artists became such as Damien Hirst, prominent,. The dentist's patients see him as a man who is up to date, if not ahead of his time. Good branding for a man in a medical field!

In a similar way, two of my three recent dentists involved with a root canal have unsigned mass produced prints of pretty landscape scenes, usually involving a body or water or flowers or both, but all clearly at best décor store quality. These prints are supposed to inspire a kind of cozy comfort, however what they say about these professionals is that they have not put thought and any real expense into their businesses, but are, at best simply run of the mill. The third dentist was an oral surgeon who was necessary due to a mistake or accident by one of the other two. I have recommended his work to others as his work was better and less painful and his care and staff were excellent. This oral surgeon actually had some interesting original, signed and numbered prints in his reception area, hall and offices. One of the crowns from the third dentist broke while the other is too tight. As I seek a new regular dentist I will be visiting their offices, without any appointment to check out the art they have on their walls!

The original, signed and numbered prints on the walls of the oral surgeon were not expensive works, but they were quality contemporary works, not trite and simplistic created for mass production. They promoted his brand. He was up to date and quality.

Growing up in Manhattan , there were two Chinese restaurants that were across the street from each other and they served the whole, non-Chinese neighborhood. They both had just about the same menu and pricing including cocktails and liquor, crisp white table cloths, good , wall coverings and tropical fish swimming in large tanks, plus they were open the same hours. The smaller one had slightly better food and service, so they did a better take-out business. The larger one had an exciting museum quality huge painting of junks on the sea in old Hong Kong by a respected Chinese artist. People would stop into the restaurant just to see this painting.

The larger restaurant was always crowded on weekends. Business people would fill it during lunch hours, coming from all parts of the city to dine near the painting. When another Chinese restaurant opened a few blocks away with different dishes the smaller one succumbed to the competition, while the one that had the painting remained just as popular.

However stylish a home or place of business may be, it promotes its mission and values through the art it displays. Art is not a decoration. It inspires, it promotes, it challenges and it intimately shares a vision. Wise and successful people use the art they display to promote their values and missions, which is what a brand is.

”Art has connotations of excellence, luxury and sophistication that spill over onto products with which the art is associated,” said Vanessa M. Patrick, an artist who is the other author of the study at UGA. “We call this the ‘art infusion effect.' It does not stem from the content of the artwork, that is, what is depicted in the artwork, but from general connotations of art itself …and it [art] stands out, even with all the stimuli competing for attention in contemporary society.”

How to Have Greater Success with Creative Visualization, Positive Thinking and the Law of Attraction, through UnGraven Image Art

2008-02-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

Writers and creators of many best sellers, including Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, Wayne Dyer, Joel Osteen, Jack Canfield and the creators of The Secret , etc., plus many, many others, all teach variations of positive thinking, creative visualization, receiving blessings, abundance and the Law of Attraction.

It works!

But, only to a certain extent for many people who struggle to stay positive and focus their visualizations and affirmations

What impedes success? And more importantly, how can one be more effective?

Visualization is all about what we see. The only thing that is fully about what we see, and only what we see, is purely visual art. Thus, art is in a unique position to change the way we see the world and change our lives. In fact, inspiring new ways of seeing reality (one's world) is what great artists do and have done from the caves of Lascaux until now.

Purely visual art communicates only in the present. It is always an experience that is uniquely in the now .

Other art forms, such as music call upon memory to create the experience in the now . For instance, a song is heard note – or sound by sound—each one heard in a unique moment of now. However, a person experiencing the music brings (remembers) the experiences of the sounds that preceded this moment's. Few people would spend money and time to come to hear a concert where a band plays one note and the lead singer sings one syllable, which all lasts for a second.

Yet in that in the same duration of time, that one moment, one can see a great work of purely visual art such as Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night at MoMA. Every bit, every single stoke, color – everything – all of he painting exists in the moment of viewing. There is nothing the viewer needs to recall about the work from a few moments before or wait to see develop in the future. It totally is. Now.

A viewer may decide to “go into” a painting, meaning look at it more closely, spend time looking, appreciating composition and design, symbolism, etc. However, the painting itself will not change; no strokes will be added or removed. [Note: if a work of visual art is not fully present all at the same moment of time, then the work is a hybrid form of visual art, For instance videos are hybrids with literature (storytelling) and soften music and kinetic art is a hybrid with dance.]

A certain irony exists in Conceptual, especially Word Art as although the painting or work itself also exists all-at-once, the viewer must participate by spending more than a moment reading the paintings meaning, which evokes the message of an idea and/or image. Even so, the painting itself just is.

For instance, imagine a Word Art painting, which ironically this paragraph sort of automatically becomes by suggesting you image something visual. The painting is a large canvas, taller and wider than your body. It is entirely white, except exactly in the center, in block letters, all in caps about three inches in height, in a pure orange is written the word: TREE

What, if anything, popped into your mind? Did you also imagine an image of a physical tree? Was it deciduous or evergreen? Large or small? Did you have a specific type of tree in mind, such as spruce or maple? Perhaps a tree you remember from another place or time? Was your image of a tree in color, and if so was it green?

There is no correct or wrong answer to any of the above questions. However, there is a best answer, meaning one that puts you more in control of yourself and your life.

First, most people do envision something tree-ish other than simply seeing the words, as words are symbols and we use the constantly in our daily lives to evoke and depict information to other people and even ourselves via to-do and shopping lists.

Our skill at using symbols such as words and images (such as an arrow) to create meaning gives us mastery in our complex and informational society. Our ability to see more than surface meaning is useful, however it can easily get in the way of all the positive thinking, visualization and intending taught by spiritual and religious teachers of many faiths and disciplines.

Unconsciously connecting to ideas or experiences not actually in the now removes one from the creative power only available in the now. The key word in the previous sentence is: unconsciously.

Few people look at the word TREE above and consciously decide to see or not see a tree, nor what kind of tree to envision just for the pleasure of it. The response the word evokes is a reaction. Some people even rethink their initial mental pop-up response, aiming to more correctly image whatever tree might be expected. While re-thinking one's tree to “create” the correct response may seem to be a creative or conscious moment it only buys in to a host of fears of failure and possible ridicule, which have nothing to do with the experience outlined of imagining looking at a painting. It's just a lot of old, unexamined, unconscious stuff that people lug around as it is supposed to help them in life.

Lugging around unconscious stuff that one injects into the present actually makes one less effective and unavailable to inspiration (for some immediate communication from and with a Higher Power or The Creator) in the now.

While counseling and various programs can assist a person with sorting through unwanted or negative experiences or thoughts, new, positive information, ideas and actions must consciously be used to replace the vacuum left by the old or a person will revert to their familiar and comfortably uncomfortable ways of thinking and acting (including addictions). This includes how we actually see the world when we look through our eyes, and basically that has only been addressed by purely visual art.

People of all faiths and beliefs place works of art, including stylized calligraphic prayers in their homes and places of business to inspire and remind them of their own beliefs.

Our lives are full of visual messages. We interpret what we see. Unfortunately, our homes and businesses and the whole world is filled with images and appearances that convince us we are not experiencing, being, doing or having the life we want.

What we see seems to be giving us feedback: messy desks and closets and rooms show us we are slobs; an accidental passing on the street or in a store before a mirror “reveals” to us that we are too thin, too fat, too old or not enough of something; unfinished projects are visual “proof: that we are lazy, don't follow through, and/or lack skills or funds to complete the project. Just driving home, or even taking public transportation reminds us that there are others who have better cars or even arrive in limos.

Try as one can to remain positive, to consciously acknowledge all these “visual “messages” reminding us of what certainly appears to be the reality while visualizing, thinking positively and attempting to use the law of attraction or affirm our divine blessings can see inaccurate or inadequate against the visual flow of oncoming messages about what we have too much of or not enough of.

Granted a consciously held and created belief or affirmation is more powerful that one that is unconscious. Only we consciously subscribe to unconsciously held beliefs all of the time! For instance, we accidentally break an inexpensive glass in the kitchen. For the average person memories of breaking things along with “tapes” of critical voices, possibly authority figures “pop-up” in our minds informing us not only how to clean it up but also possibly that we are klutzes, careless, unconscious, etc.

A more aware person will be glad for those unconscious pop-ups because they can be easily reviewed and experienced thus releasing their energy. However, simply affirming, “I am graceful and conscious” only partially fills the vacuumed left by diffusing the old unconscious beliefs and experiences of being a person who breaks things.

Even the logical appreciation that we have all accidentally broken things is not enough to fill the void.. There one is, actually confronting the glass, looking at it as it is cleaned up. At the moment it seems a visual reminded of one's inadequacy. And then in memory, the visual reality of the broken glass exists.

What to do?

First, see (imagine) the glass as energy --- energy that appears to be in the form of matter. Simply in scientific terms, that is what the glass is.

The energy of the glass is not broken. It all remains; no energy or even matter is actually lost when a glass breaks. It is just reconfigured or realigned. So a person who breaks a glass can think of themselves as a person who reconfigures and realigns things (even accidentally) rather than a person who breaks things. It is easy, even fun, to look at the glass and see that it is certainly reconfigured and realigned!

That imaginary glass, once “viewed” as energy revealed a lesson. In fact, the whole physical universe is essentially energy called branes or strings, according to elementary physics. Not just energy, but energy that is binary or dualistic, comprised of opposites.

A universe founded on energy and or dualism concepts as the essence of existence is found in the basic theologies of most of the world's great religions and paths. Of course, in the basic theology held by all Christians and Jews, whatever branch or denomination, when the Creator speaks (in Hebrew) the universe into existence in Genesis !, the letters of those words represent the essences of the universe. Amazing, but true M Theory physicists agree that there are 11 branes in our dimension of the universe while their opposites are in other dimensions; thus, 22. There are and always have been 22 Hebrew letters!

Founded by Judy Rey Wasserman, UnGraven Image Art theory uses binary symbols (Torah font letters) for every stroke in a painting, drawing, sculpture, etc. The binary symbol-strokes visually reference the pre-matter branes, which we cannot actually see even with the newest particle accelerators, as they are so minute. Thus the strokes overlap each other, intertwine, glaze over each other, but can be “felt”, while here and there one peeks out to remind the viewer. All the strokes align into an image, a narrative picture. For instance in the Genesis: Sunset-Sunrise series it might seem that one is looking at a sunset in the Hamptons , but the painting vibrates with strokes, which are the actual focus of the work.

For Jews and Christians seeing that we are surrounded by and moving in the very words of our Creator, always and especially in the now, are visual messages that affirm, bless and inspire us.

Then when there is a mess in the kitchen or on your desk, you can see the mess as a challenged to be blessed by “playing with” and realigning the energies. See a world of energies, all easily reconfigured, where taking public transportation is an adventure in seeing other people, and experiencing the Creator's love and energy (words) everywhere.

See a world that vibrates with possibilities and where challenges affirm the universe's (and for believers, The Lord's) confidence in you as a re-aligner, reconfigurer and even creator of energies. As such person it becomes easier and fun to be confronted in many of life's daily nows with energies to experience and realign or reconfigure.

As a person who experiences the reality of being a realigner and a reconfigurer of energies you can easily receive the blessings of the moment, think positively, use and affirm the Law of Attraction, and the secret potential of the universe unfolds before your unique affirmative creative vision. It is all energy. Even thought is energy. You can work with energy – you do that all the time!

Reading this article is a step in understanding a new theory and way of seeing – perceiving—the world. Next, comes the practical experience of the theory and that entails actually, visually seeing the world this way. That is why UnGraven Image Art is inspirational.

When you change the way you actually see the world you change your life. There is a difference between perceiving everything as energy (and even the very words of the Creator) and understanding that this is good science and theology. Understanding does not mean ability to apply that understanding, but it is the important first step(s).

Learn to perceive every moment of now as a blessing and affirmation full of possibilities along with challenges. See more. Then share the vision.

Framing One's View of the World in Art & Life

2008-01-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

We all frame our own unique and personal universes with the limitations of our perceptions, beliefs and thoughts. We do this consciously or unconsciously or a mixture of both. These are the limits of our personal world view.

A frame is the border—the edge of our ability to perceive, know or imagine reality. In art it usually surrounds the edges of a work, especially a painting, thus physically defining and expanding the work's space.

Both physically and metaphorically our frames can expand or contract. Human thought energy has been measuring, expanding and contracting around the subjects' heads as far back as the nineteen-seventies by Yale University scientists. Thoughts, conscious or unconscious -- and a belief is a thought – are things.

Stick three inch wide frame around a painting and the work needs to take up more wall space. As children mature into adults their frames of reference and understanding enlarge. Spiritual growth involves letting go of ideas and beliefs, often ego driven that hold us in, keep us small.

There is an idiomatic expression, sometimes said when one feels desperate and is reaching one's limits, “I am being driven over the edge!” That edge is a metaphorical cliff, the edge of a personal frame.

Like many other artists, especially contemporary and modern, I often paint “frames” on the canvas or support of my paintings. The frames are almost always the words of (letters are strokes) psalms because psalms are prayers. Prayers reach out, usually hopefully, sometimes desperately or with joyous gratitude to the beyond of our physical, even spiritual limitations, to the IAM that some of us glimpse but never fully able to understand, experience or know.

Often a phrase from the particular psalm that frames a painting is chosen for the work's title. Last night as I was painting Psalm 19 , my favorite, I had some insight into my frames and work.

From the very first very small experimental paintings using the Hebrew letters from Bible texts for strokes to symbolize elementary physics pre-particles, the essential building blocks of our physical universe, I have tended to paint frames. It somehow seemed “right” and since I was just fooling around, experimenting, I allowed my artistic intuition full rein.

Originally, when I began to use the Psalms regularly for the frames, the idea was that the frames would usually be gold or silver, maybe copper metallic.. I still intend to do that, but so far, the frames are almost always golden.

I realized that for me gold tends to signify that the painting is religious. In my several-visits-a-wwwk to the Metropolitan Museum of Art when I was a girl, I spent a lot of time in the medieval areas. I wondered at the various kinds of golden halos, but mainly I looked an the many, and various versions of Mary with the baby Jesus. This may seem strange for a young Jew, but I tried to fill all the time I could by pursuits away from a difficult home life, and the great museums and galleries, especially the Met were my havens. My young attraction to those loving Madonna mother is evident but not religious. [Note: the irony and blessing is that without that difficult home life I would never have spent all that time in the museums and galleries learning or become the artist I am today.]

I did recognize that I was looking at religious art. The medieval works use gold, a color and substance almost always missing from the paintings in the other, more modern galleries. I came to associate gold and silver with art and items (such as menorahs and candlesticks) with religious significance. When I see gold on a painting, I tend to look for a spiritual intent.

So, I am signifying my religious intent by painting frames around the inner narrative imagery with gold and/or silver.

However, I also recognize that by using precious metals I am signifying hope, even optimism and blessings, when I intend to symbolize the borders of our understandings. There are times, when the gold I use is darker, or various shades are used to indicate the shades of understandings and beliefs.

The “frames” are painted fairly quickly (for me) and are becoming more painterly strokes, more what I learned from the Frans Hals, whose strokes portray intensely human, earthy subjects, who I would often visit, after the more ethereal images of the Met's medieval wing. So the strokes of my frames are thick, textural, and passionate with joy or desperation. They are usually purposefully “messy” as are our unexamined beliefs, whether we hold them with some degree of consciousness or not.

In the Met, if one goes upstairs to the galleries of the Impressionists and Post Impressionists, it is easy to see how revered these works are by the frames the Met has selected for them. These are the same types of gilded ornate frames that are used for most of the museums other treasures of Western Art that are pre-modern, or Renaissance and beyond. As a young, basically artistically ignorant girl, these frames signified the works were important and accepted, as accepted as the more natural imagery and works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, David and Delacroix.

The newest art was that of the Abstract Expressionist and Pop artists. Even at MoMA, a place that certainly revered Modern Art, the frames were different for the newest works – sometimes there were no frames at all! Between the ages of twelve to fourteen, I assumed that this indicated these new works were less revered by those who ran the museums and thus really knew about art.

Then, as an older, and artistically wiser teenager (I had Bertram Katz teaching art history at the High School of Music and Art) I began to appreciate the courage of the unframed artists whose works defied being framed in. Picasso's Guernica and Monet's large Water Lillies were unframed at MoMA, and those works always resonate with me.

Andy Warhol used the gold paint understanding from religious icons and the gold frames idea when he made Gold Marilyn

I suppose to some unconscious degree, expensive, ornate gold frames signify financial value. Secondary market art galleries use them for that purpose on paintings.

In a previous artistic experiment (that went nowhere important enough for me to pursue), I experimented with painting using frames. The main thing I appreciated about those earlier works were my frames, which were readable words or frames more like the type often painted by Roy De Forest, which visually refer back to the narrative subject of the painting. Those initial frames were not gold.

My painted frames do not usually extend to the edge or near edge of the frame (leaving space for an additional wood or metal hanging frame), but have another area or painted narrative realm outside the painted frame of the narrative imagery. That area is important.

Originally and often when working with acrylics, I painted an initial background, which is something I learned working with oils. Artists use this to unify a painting. However, my background was painted with a color that was not fully mixed, creating variations and interest, especially since it was thinned and the strokes of the text I use for it, usually Deut . 6:4, overlap creating variations of texture and color.

When I began to also use watercolor pencils on paper, which creates translucent effects, I had to choose between painting the area outside the frames distinctly, or painting the initial imagery and then superimpose the frame upon that so the edges of the imagery surround the frame. I use both, depending on the intention of the work.

Recently, a new type of gesso has been developed that allows artists to use watercolors on canvas. I had already experimented on paper with using water color pencils (so I can write the letters of my symbol-strokes) with ink, gouache and finally acrylics. Painting on canvas gives me a better, stronger support so I can apply the many layers of painted letters, especially when using acrylics. My newest and largest works begin with layers of work with water color pencils, which are then covered with additional layers of tiny symbol-strokes in acrylics.

This new mixed media way of working gave me a new problem, as I needed to something that would reference the unknown or unrecognized universe(s) beyond the frame of our prayer and hopes, dreams, and conscious or unconscious beliefs. The first painting of this lot had the inside imagery, and then sat plopped on the easel for two weeks while I figured and prayed my way around this dilemma.

My current answer is to paint referencing both the physical Torah scroll texts and those of the medieval Bibles, laboriously created by scribes in illuminated manuscripts. So I paint in dark, blackish ink, then wash a scroll colored glaze over that, using the Deut. 6: 4 letters for strokes. Then the gold frame is painted so that it overlaps the inside edges of the outer unknown along with the edges of the inner reality narrative of the painting – again more layers, but much larger strokes usually. I am just completing the third of these paintings.

I find that almost all of the paintings of the Genesis: Sunset-Sunrise series, except for the very smallest and several where I was experimenting with new materials (such as watercolor pencils on canvas) have gold frames. It just seemed intuitively correct as I went along, as if the painted frames are a part of the concept of this series.. Now I think I understand why.

The Imagery in the Genesis: Sunset-Sunrise series involves landscapes and seascapes. There may be a building, such as a lighthouse or windmill, but painting sunsets and sunsets means being outdoors with a hearty view of the sky. Usually, the paintings narrative imagery comes from scenes and photographic studies that actually exist no more than five miles from my home and studio. I have watched as development has come in and overtaken so much of the woods and nature, I have loved since I first saw it when I was four years old. As in most areas of the world, the weather has become strange, as I write this we are having a heat spell, it today was like a summer day, over 85 degrees in the middle of October, and although I should be raking leaves, they are not turning and instead of the heat, I have a fan on in the studio where I write and paint.

I want to frame the actual landscapes my neighborhood in gold and call to the land that is special and needs to be treated with reverence. It is my personal echo of how the earth needs to be treated with care and reverence.. For me that references the latest scientific information as well as biblical theology which shares a reverence for the earth with many religions, including that of most Native Americans, such as the Shinnecock Nation, whose reservation is four miles from my place.

Theologically and scientifically we are never able to perceive the full scope of physical reality, no matter how acute our senses. For instance, we know there are X-rays and infrared light, yet we can only perceive them using instruments, never with our own eyes. Although we cannot expand our senses (only correct them with eyeglasses, hearing aids, surgery, etc.), but we can expand our understandings, explore our unconscious and limiting beliefs and expand the boundaries of our personal unique frames.

To read more about the painted frames often found around Judy Rey Wasserman's paintings, see: Why the Painted Frames (or Borders)?

Essence and Time in Portraits

2008-01-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

The best known painting in the world is a portrait.

For great portrait painters, the challenge is to create a portrait that shows the paradox of the eternal essence of a person in a fleeting but immediate moment on the edge of transforming into a new facet of the eternal self.

The portrait shows a unique moment of the present, the now – and some of the best portraits ever seem to catch their subjects mid action, or at least about to inhale or exhale. The best portraits also imply the past while also implying the future.

The implied future in every portrait leads to another paradox involving the duality of life and death. Everyone born before 1893 one who has ever had his or her portrait painted or bust sculpted in his lifetime has died, and many born after that year have already passed away. To fully paint a person in a moment of life, the shadow of death then encroaches the work.

A great portrait is not necessarily a perfect likeness, nor one that can be used to promote an agenda of fostering a person's position in life, as historically most portraits have.

Every president of the United States has had his portrait painted, and these are on view at the White House and on its web site. We learn to recognize the earlier presidents, Washington, Jefferson, the Adams from their painted portraits. Since Abraham Lincoln, most people are more familiar with the photographic images (including movie and video images) than with their official portraits.

At the turn of the last century, having a black and white portrait taken by a photographer was a significant event. The portrait was cherished and passed down to family members and in many families continues to be passed down providing a rare record for current and future generations.

Photographic portraits, including videos and film of people bombard us through print, TV, film, email, our phones, T-Shirts, mugs, billboards, etc. We see images of people we know, people we don't know and people we think we somehow know (like celebrities) and people who are not even people, are fictional characters. We humans seem to never tire of seeing images of our selves and others, as the people who create magazine covers and advertising executives know well.

Yet, the traditional painted portrait or sculpted bust continues, partially as a status symbol as it has been a hallmark of the rich and powerful since antiquity. Since ancient times, this kind of portrait has been one that is always somewhat idealized, showing the prominence and often might of the subject. Successful pharaohs, emperors, kings, queens, CEOs all learned how to use the power of their own selected image to present themselves to gain and keep authority. Alexander the Great used imposing heroic statues of his image and placed his portraits on coins to control and foster his vast conquered empire. With the exception of the portrait of John F. Kennedy, all of the portraits present their subjects as leaders of a great country and are posed, showing a static moment.

Artists have painted themselves, their family and friends in more realistic or certainly less than heroic images since the Renaissance. They also painted images of people who were less than heroic in dramatic paintings that dealt with historic or mythical scenes. However, creating portraits that were less than flattering and unusual in their approach really begins with the emergence of photography.

Photography readily captures a physical likeness. The mechanical camera has a greater chance of accuracy as to proportions shadings and color relationships. Andy Warhol, who was trying to remove the artist and make his art somewhat as a machine, understood this.

The accuracy of photography encouraged artists to create portraits that revealed the personality and the reality of the person in the moment.

We are always in a state of being and becoming simultaneously, as one moment of being flows into the next. We are always transforming into who we are at the next moment.

One of the first and for me one of the best, portraits of is that new era is Monet's Camille Monet on her Deathbed . Monet, a master of catching the fleeting lights, paints a transcending moment of a woman transforming from one moment into another. Although she is dying, barely present and seen as if in a mist, Monet manages to suggest the recently vibrant and young woman his wife was.

Van Gogh, who knew Monet and quite possibly had seen this painting before he moved to the South of France, paints two pictures that revolutionize modern and contemporary portraiture. He paints Vincent's Chair with His Pipe and Gauguin's Armchair . There insightful portraits of the two men, their painting styles, colors and occupations show van Gogh's perception of the differences between them, although he is kinder to Gauguin than himself. But, van Gogh never created a flattering self portrait.

Like Monet, van Gogh is capturing a moment in time, which definitely points both to the past and future of himself and Gauguin. On van Gogh's empty chair his pipe is in the process of being filled, while Gauguin's empty chair holds a lit candle and two books. Each man's chair is askew, as if push back and aside during a hasty and unplanned exit. As such, they are slightly turned away from each other, not companionably side by side nor facing each other for discourse.

A recent article, Questioning What is a Portrait -- in Chelsea covered works by contemporary artists that stem these portraits by van Gogh where Gogh's what is depicted becomes a portrait of a person physically unseen. An excellent and relevant example of contemporary portraiture is Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, where the plates and dinnerware depict the essence of the renowned women while the chairs are not just empty, but missing!

Picasso abstracted the images of the people, often his mistresses and wives, in his portraits, revealing more sides of their physicality and personality. Even when the subject seems posed, she seems to be in motion, the subject's past and future, which often seems to include sexual encounters, is implied.

Andy Warhol managed to obtain commissions for portraits that were not essentially flattering of their subjects. Many of his subjects were not then famous (but they were paying!) so he would take photographs and then turn his selected images into silk-screened images and paintings. Warhol's work challenged the school of portraiture where the wealthy and renowned pose for a static, flattering, possibly imposing portrait tat promotes their power and authority and even wealth. Instead, Warhol abstracts and simplifies the features of his subjects into black planes that are “enhanced” by and placed with fields of bright, even garish color. He takes his simplified black image and stamps it in row upon row of a canvas, changing the colors, altering the look and hence the time behind the ever unchanging image, creating icons that are both of there time and without real time, eternal and fleeting.

Warhol's greatness as a portrait artist is proven by the fact that when we recall most recent presidents we think of moving and still photographic images. However, more of us know what Mao Zedong looked like from one of Warhol's portraits than from the many photographs of him. Of course, by simplifying the images of Mao that were meant to inspire respect, recognition and even awe, Warhol made him very human and far less imposing and about as much a figure of perfect leadership as Warhol's Marilyn Monroe.

Of course, Warhol was well acquainted with the work of the painter who created the portrait that was the best known painting in the world then and remains so now. That work does not glorify its subject, although it probably was a commissioned work, but simply presents a human being. Warhol actually seems to have revered this artist since he appropriated from that artist's work in some of his own later paintings.

It seems that when essential identity is revealed in a portrait, the fleeting eternal, which implies references to a fleeting past and future are inherently depicted, but when a subject is posed and the portrait flatters special qualities, the element of time becomes static, a mere advertisement for the image the patron and artist seek to present.

Those imposing flattering portraits may be beautiful and skillfully present an excellent likeness of individuals. We may be impressed. There splendor museums, stately homes and board rooms. But, we do not love them. We do not travel to see them, put them on our mugs, shirts, posters and address books. They fail to communicate to us the way the portraits by artists such as Rembrandt, Monet, van Gogh, Picasso and da Vinci do.

The best known painting in the world is a portrait is the Mona Lisa. Da Vinci depicts a lady, looking at us but clearly thinking of something else, he captures the movement of her thought and in doing so we look and wait expecting her to breathe in or out or even blink. It is a painting of paradox of the eternal essence of a person in a fleeting but immediate moment at the edge of transforming into a new facet of her eternal self. Time and identity are brilliantly portrayed and we are intriqued and inspired.

2008-01-04T10:20:00.001-08:00

Sharing Visions

Without vision, the people perish” --Proverbs 29:18

I have one of the most important jobs in the world: I am an artist.

Although I used to write comedy the statement above is not meant to be funny. Yet, it it must be acknowledged that when the baby is sick in the middle of the night, or the toilet is overflowing, or the roof is leaking or the car will not start, no one ever says, “Quick! Call an artist!”

Artists need to do their jobs: to communicate inspiring and unique visions before an emergency arises. Artists create and offer visions of the world that add inspiration and meaning to life.

Genuine artists have been the leaders of their tribes and communities, they are Shamans, medicine men or women, priests and priestesses, the ones who bring a vision to the group. Chiefs, kings and queens, presidents and CEOs manage and govern the affairs of the state, community, company and home.

When leaders try to control or even inspire artists what results is a lot of truly awful stuff, in all the art forms, visual, music and the spoken or written word is created or thought to be “inspirational”. It is simply illustrative, often bombastic and “party” line propaganda, whether the group being represented is religious, political or social. Certainly emperors, kings, and others with dictatorial power have used the arts to foster and disseminate their views and interests.

Artists themselves can wallow in what is politely referred to as “self expression” and “exploration”. Wiser. Mature artists keep their research and development process behind closed soors, at least until it leads to an inspirational masterpiece.

If artists abdicate their job, people seem to look to them anyway. Currently, because we see them as related to a vision, in visions on movie and TV actors and video (including music) stars' lives and interviews are featured on TV, magazines, TV, and even radio – why? Having a recognizable image brings celebrity. Vision sells. Visions we know are shared with others sell more.

However, the people behind the vision, the writers, directors, cinematographers, designers and visual artists happen to be the ones more responsible for fashioning the images we see on screens in theatres and on desks, in galleries, and in books, etc. Art in the commercial world is not about self-expression, but about selling a product or supporting and enhancing a story-line (script).

It has always been true that there are fewer genuine (inspirational, bringing-fire-down- from-the-mountain) artists, people with inspiring visions to share per capita of the population.

Why does it appear that there are more artists, including fine art visual artists than ever before, yet we are not seeing many visions that can inspire or lead us, individually or in society?

Perhaps the explosion of images that began with film photography and then grew with movies, television, less expensive printing, and now digital and computer and Internet images have made it seem that anyone can be an artist. Perhaps our intoxication with youth, which is encouraged by how stunning young people look on in photographs, is also partly responsible for the assumption that looking good and even speaking in dulcet tones indicates that a person has something valuable to say.

Real art inspires us to be more of who we are meant to be, individually and as a society. It changes the way we see ourselves, others and our world. Genuine artists manage to hold complete dichotomies in a seeming moment, they delve into truths we have not seen they show us a new vision. As such it is healing, inspiring us to be more whole and reminding us that we are not alone (that others have been through this way before, but we are responsible.

And they there is art that is clever, loud, sincere but not inspirational. For instance, once again we are being treated to paintings that depict, now often with words, that “War is Bad” as if it is some new and brilliant idea. Most (I am being kind) of what I have recently seen in NYC galleries on this theme has been superfluous (still being kind) to previous works by genuine artists, such as Goya. A genuine artist, one with an inspirational vision will add something more to the oeuvre, the way that Picasso, who was well aware of Goya's work, added Guernica . And then, another visual artist and storey teller, Francis Ford Coppola added, Apocalypse Now .

I believe genuine artists are sort of “anointed”. Artists are not people who have carefully selected a career path. The path chooses us. It hounds and follows one until one's unique vision and the way to communicate it is discovered. It is not about self-expression or fulfillment or having fun. it is about expressing a vision, which one may also be emotionally or intellectually attached to. The vision can creep up and find the artist as when the heretofore un-political Picasso was asked to create a work for Spain 's pavilion at the World's Fair and this commission resulted in Guernica .

Although training is helpful all the training and talent in the world does not make one a genuine artist offering a vision. If it did then there would be less people teaching art and even more artists shown and selling in galleries for large sums. More people who have MFAs from top schools are teaching or even working in other fields than are creating recognized art. Knowing how to create is not the same as having a vision that needs to be communicated, eve when the bills are due..

In fact, most artists in any field do not reach their prime until they are older. This goes against the current grain of finding the new and young artist. That is a notion that puts an unfair and enormous burden on most young artists of promise, except for those who play ingénue roles.

Although his work looks easy to create (but, isn't) Mark Rothko expresses deep pathos along with grand scale majestic awe. As a genuine visual artist he did his job, and although his narrative is not religious his intent and meaning surely inspires. He created a vision that people of all religions and beliefs, including atheists and agnostics can share.

When Italian Renaissance artists developed new understandings of perspective, they both led and mirrored social and scientific understandings of their times. In their world new and connecting lines were being “drawn” socially and from city state to city state. The telescope had been invented and improved, along with the understanding that the earth revolved around the sun. The focus was often on vistas, on how humankind fit into the general scheme of things and physical place and landscape was important.

The Impressionists focused on the light. Their light fell on everyone (as light does) rich, poor, on the dancers, the middleclass, etc. The light was everywhere, and so, startlingly were they.

The Cubists mirrored both psychological discoveries (think Freud, where morality takes a back seat to understanding) and those of physics and chemistry, which were giving shape and form to energy and mass.

The Surrealists continued to present new psychological and scientific understandings, with Dali heading up the relativity of time.

Andy Warhol and Pop artists threw our popular imagery and fascinations back in our faces. We saw our reality and ourselves anew.

Minimalists focus on the basic energy and form, including light as physicists continued to delve into the Big Bang.

Conceptual and then Word Art came in as the world was bombarded with imagery in advertising, in stores, billboards, print and various screens – the idea itself not the image became primary.

Currently, an emerging visual art theory is that of UnGraven Image where the strokes that create an image are all symbols (binary letters) mirroring contemporary concepts in science, especially elementary physics while referencing ancient religious theologies.

We need genuine artists more than ever before to create visions that inspire us to see the world, society and ourselves in new ways. We need visions that change our lives and how we live, creating meaning and responsibility. We need visions we can share.

Being a genuine artist, an inspired and inspiring artist, is one of the most important jobs in the world.