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Artist Statement
14 years ago
Just a little explanation for the recent flood of dog paintings...
“The Love of Dogs” is a series of acrylic paintings that explore and share dogs on a personal and intimate level, differently than the way dogs are typically viewed in society. I wanted viewers to get up close and face-to-face with the dogs as a way to truly look into the dogs' souls and understand their unique individual personalities.
These paintings were referenced from photos taken by me over the last few years. During this time, I’ve gotten to know dogs on a psychological and personal level in a way that very few people ever experience. I've known dogs that have been in and out of shelters, abused, and neglected. These dogs had been cast away and given up on, and yet, someone gave them a second chance at life and with love. These “imperfect” dogs tend to be better, kinder, and more forgiving friends than most people I meet. These dogs are the cast-aways that most of society has given up on. As an artist, I feel that it's my duty to show the potential in things that have been given up on.
The reference photos are not intended to be shown. Like the dogs, the photos are regarded by most people as being “imperfect” as fine photography (due to being out of focus, blurry, etc) and are therefore discarded. Despite being “imperfect,” the photos appealed to me due to the nature of their composition and the way the dogs interact with the viewer, and inviting him or her into an entirely different culture.
Dogs are rarely seen in fine art, and if they are, it's in the background. Showing dogs as the central focus of the artwork is almost unheard of in fine art. These paintings, evolutions of the “rejected” photos, are a way of taking the imperfect and elevating its status in an way that is welcomed by mainstream society. The dogs in these paintings are no longer just companions but rather meant to be presented as “equals.”
“The Love of Dogs” is a series of acrylic paintings that explore and share dogs on a personal and intimate level, differently than the way dogs are typically viewed in society. I wanted viewers to get up close and face-to-face with the dogs as a way to truly look into the dogs' souls and understand their unique individual personalities.
These paintings were referenced from photos taken by me over the last few years. During this time, I’ve gotten to know dogs on a psychological and personal level in a way that very few people ever experience. I've known dogs that have been in and out of shelters, abused, and neglected. These dogs had been cast away and given up on, and yet, someone gave them a second chance at life and with love. These “imperfect” dogs tend to be better, kinder, and more forgiving friends than most people I meet. These dogs are the cast-aways that most of society has given up on. As an artist, I feel that it's my duty to show the potential in things that have been given up on.
The reference photos are not intended to be shown. Like the dogs, the photos are regarded by most people as being “imperfect” as fine photography (due to being out of focus, blurry, etc) and are therefore discarded. Despite being “imperfect,” the photos appealed to me due to the nature of their composition and the way the dogs interact with the viewer, and inviting him or her into an entirely different culture.
Dogs are rarely seen in fine art, and if they are, it's in the background. Showing dogs as the central focus of the artwork is almost unheard of in fine art. These paintings, evolutions of the “rejected” photos, are a way of taking the imperfect and elevating its status in an way that is welcomed by mainstream society. The dogs in these paintings are no longer just companions but rather meant to be presented as “equals.”
