Art and the Creation of a Visual Language
Expressionism
You can’t reduce yourself to a single word. If I were forced to, I would say artist. Although being an artist is merely how I communicate. I’m influenced by expressionism and the idea that you can convey your deepest emotions through a painting. For these reasons, my artwork sometimes becomes a kind of contemporary expressionism. In art, there is a sweet spot between realism and abstraction. You can choose varying amounts to say what you truly feel. There is nothing wrong with both extremes, but you must find a balance between the two if you want to convey high levels of emotion. That balance is always different depending on what you want to say in your art.
Surrealism
Art is a visual language, and each visual is a symbol. When you combine symbols in different ways, it adds depth to the language that you’re using. Surrealism often combines symbols in weird and wonderful ways. My artwork will often become more surreal when my visual language is expanding. You combine symbols, and they become a visual sentence. Then I’ll add some expressionism to decide the tone in which I’m speaking and to portray my emotion.
Abstract Art
I will often create abstract artwork. In these pieces, there is no visible subject matter. However, sometimes I’m exploring an abstract concept. I asked myself, what does happiness look like? Then I created an abstract image to portray that concept. Even though I’m looking at happiness, I’m exploring it as an abstract idea. Creating abstract paintings gives you greater freedom to explore abstract concepts because they are both defined by a lack of physical representation. They don’t have a body or a shape that you can see in the physical world.
Visionary Art
There is also a spiritual side to my artistic practice. There is so much that is unseen in this world, and I can be felt and observed by those who are sensitive. I understand that each artist has a different path. My path is to reveal parts of that invisible world. This has led me to paint the soul entering the universe to begin the process of birth. When I create artwork, I aim to speak, but I also want to express the energy of others. I never create my artwork in isolation. I’m never alone. I always have spirit guides to assist me.
Merging Surrealism, Expressionism, and Visionary Art Into One Artistic Practice
If you thought about combining all these different influences and ideas, it would seem too complicated. However, this isn’t a conscious analytical process. I’m connecting to the parts of surrealism and expressionism that speak to me. I’m opening myself up to the art that surrounds me, and that influence becomes part of how I express myself. Communication isn’t just about speaking. You must listen so you know when to speak and how to speak. When you’re working with a visual language, that means observing the world around you.
Music and the Language of Sound
Music is another way that I communicate. I’ve just begun to write songs. Before that, I was creating electronic instrumental music. The relationship between instrumental music and abstract art is vital. I took what I’d learned from creating abstract art, and it assisted me as I expanded my understanding of music composition and music theory. I’m beginning to believe that there shouldn’t be a harsh separation between art and music. They are two art forms that have a lot in common. In music, the words provide the subject matter. Without those words, music becomes something more abstract. When I share my emotions in a piece of music, it reminds me of creating expressionist artwork.
I’ll write lyrics that combine visuals. In one song, I sang about a wave made of glass. When I use a lyric to combine different visuals. It reminds me of creating surrealist artwork because I’m mixing different symbols to say something more. The whole process is teaching me about abstract art, music, writing, and surrealism. More importantly, I’m exploring the connections between each of them. Music has allowed me to view art differently. I’m interested in the relationship between color and sound. I ask myself questions about the shape of a musical note, and I often create artwork to convey the music. This has also led to animations where some of these ideas come together in a new way. Below is the animated music video for my latest track.