5.12.2011

Why do art? Why paint? Why Photograph?


I was going to write a whole BS manifesto about why I do art but I knew you'd see right 
thru me.  And you'd know.
The instant that
you saw
The Paintings that I did it because it was fun.
Fun.
Fun. 
Fun.


I did it because I didn't want to hand in another in an endless stream of precious
Photos in another endless stream coffee shop gallery.

I did it because I wanted to feel the oily, viscous
nature of the paint sliding across the 
canvas with that
glintzy bit of pressure,
of traction and 
of de-traction that happens.


Because painting is active.
All that matters is how you make the lines.
And I like to paint outside the lines.


And I painted a big
pink 
donut 
with 
sprinkles 
because it makes me 
happy to look at it.
It reminds me of the 
fiction we create 
each time we 
have an
experience.


And most of the time
I
just 
Painted to see
How all the pretty colors looked on the canvas.


But mostly
I painted them
because I could.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Insane and brilliant.

Frank Grygier said...

I would trade the Ziess in for a Kolinsky.

Nikhil Ramkarran said...

Kirk I swear, I want to be you when I grow up. I don't think I've ever come across another person who seems to squeeze so much juice out of living :)

Seriously, I think it is inherently human to be artistic. Whether it is in the creation or consumption of art, it was one of the first things that separates us from our forebears (if you swing that way, as I do :)

If you get to do it as a living, fantastic! I am jealous. If you have to to feed your children via a soulless profession (lawyerin') like I do it can save your soul.

John said...

And people wonder why I bake bread.

Swoop57 said...

Thank You!

almostinfamous said...

this post took me along the lines of this ee cummings quote that is sort of a talisman for me:

“Why do you paint?
For exactly the same reason I breathe.
That’s not an answer.
There isn’t any answer.
How long hasn’t there been any answer?
As long as I can remember.
And how long have you written?
As long as I can remember.
I mean poetry.
So do I.
Tell me, doesn’t your painting interfere with your writing?
Quite contrary: they love each other dearly ...”

Cedric said...

"the fiction we create each time we have an experience." Love it.

It must be nice to know that you have another creative outlet to fall back on, you know, if ever you started to suck at photography ;)

Totally enjoyed this post. Thanks.

Marino Mannarini said...

i got your point. Better, i felt it, down the back of my eyes to the guts.

reg said...

Love it Kirk.

diforbes said...

I didn't you could paint. You can. And well.
BTW, reading two of your books - checked out from the library - on lighting and commercial photography.

fotoplek@yahoo.ca said...

i thought art as in painting,was practiced by folks who couldn't afford good cameras!
Go man go..i sketch.