|
| |
Tatiana Ivaschenko-Jackson • Cedar Falls, Iowa
|
In Russia, I was instructed in the traditional academic school of art, drilled in the fundamental techniques of drawing, composition and painting.
Fascinated by the multitude of movements, styles and concepts in American art, there was a time in graduate school when I tried to capture the essence of "Modern" by creating avant-garde type pieces.
|
|
 |
The works left me wanting and empty, so I did not become the abstract or conceptual artist which I surely thought America would make of me.
Instead of focusing on trying to render the subject with photographic accuracy, I try to let go, choosing colors that harmoniously align themselves to the feelings and ideas involved in the act of painting itself. |
What I gained from that experience was a way to use the medium I worked in with a more creative and free approach. Most noticeable were the technical changes. By combining the pallette knife and brush, my paintings developed a thick and moist texture. |
This more liberal mindset also meant my color choice would not be controlled so much by my conscious seeing eye, but rather what I call my inner eye. The intensity of color and movement are determinded by the intensity of my spirit as I paint. |
|
I can give no clear logical explanation to what exactly happens during the creative process. I belive that the act of painting, indeed art itself, is beyond the confines of complete understanding. Some see art as a way to investigate the unconscious, others as a way to investigate the unconscious, others as a way to voice an opinion. All artists have their reasons and yet all speak of the innate need to create. For me this need arises in my desire to rejoice in the beauty that surrounds all of us. If so choose, I believe art can help us see what is really there, what our creator intends to say, the revelation of grace in a person, place, thing or event.
|
|
|
