Murray's story
Do you approach everyday events that present themselves, as Possibilities to explore or as obstacles to be overcome ?
During a workshop in Niagara Falls, I was explaining the process of using grisaille (value under painting) was by no mean the end of decision making when starting a painting - it suggested some of the possibilities. Often, my painting gets more simplified, as I 'confirm' that elements put in as possibilities, aren't needed in the composition as supporting players.
I don't view my canvas or life, as a series of obstacles to overcome.
A gentleman approaches and introduces himself as being from the Brain Injury Center in a neighboring city, saying he has an artist that would like to come over to say hello, if that wouldn't disturb us. I say it would be fine and continue with the workshop discussion. 10 minutes later, I glanced in the direction he walked, and notice a very elaborate process of a hydralic lift, moving a wheelchair down from a large van and thought, what an effort was being made to enable this person to simply come over to say hello.
Murray was a gentleman who was 60 and through various means of communication (his speech was affected by his brain injury), had been a director of an art gallery and an artist for many years. He still paints and goes to a small town near him to paint portaits of residents of a nursing home. The caretakers with Murray told us that because of his brain injury, he only completes half a face but, thinks he's done the whole portrait.
Murray laughed and said "Modern Art"...
Murray thinks of the Possibilities and not the obstacles...
