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'I became a painter because I wanted to raise painting to the level of poignancy of music and poetry' Mark Rothko |
Art is emotion made visible. A painting without feeling has no reward for the artist.
No artist is immune from the influence of others. The artists I most admire are J M W Turner for his atmospheric landscapes (but not his figures), Pablo Picasso for the ability to develop many styles and Mark Rothko for his sublimely beautiful abstracts. Rothko's life was full of torture and self doubt but despite this he created deceptively simple but complex images.
The inspiration for my art has come from many sources.
I have been fortunate to have been able to paint and draw from the life model for a number of years. It was while studying life that I really learnt to look at and know the human form. It is for this reason that I wish to thank my tutor, George Callaghan for opening my eyes to enable me to 'see' for the first time. I am also grateful to Kay Saunders and Peter Clossick, tutors at the Open College of the Arts and to all of the students for all of their valued criticism.
A particular interest to me is to paint the relationship between people in the street, at railway stations and in bars and restaurants. This is in distinct contrast with my other great love of painting landscapes and great architecture. My recent travels around Europe and the USA have provided me with many subjects. I wish to return with more than a photograph. A photograph is taken in an instant and forgotten almost as quick. A painting is the culmination of a lifetimes work and these images are etched in the mind.
I strive to capture the spiritual qualities of the subject. The reward for me is not the completed painting. It is the euphoria that I feel once the last brush stroke has been made and the satisfaction of transforming raw canvas into art. The anguish of creating another work will then commence again.
Colin Dorey