My first involvement with the Fine Arts Center was through the Bemis School of Art. In grade school I use to leave class three hours early on Wednesday afternoons so that I could take art classes at Bemis. It was the highlight of my week.
The portrait of Elsie Palmer had a strong impact on me the first time I gazed upon it. This portrait made me realize that art has a powerful communicative power that has no bounds. I've grown up studying John Singer Sargent and here before me is a painting by the master with a direct and intimate connection to my community. Not to mention it is a knock out piece of painting.
In Sweden, I participated in an exhibition that focused on recognizing and connecting with a refugee community through art. The artwork that I created focused on a small tight knit family, When the family head saw my artwork, which also was a gift to him, he said, "Today when I came here, I was so sad. You changed my day with your art. Thank you."
I will always cherish this memory.
My work with Eric Bransby has transformed how I see the function of art in society. As a mural painter, art has a social obligation to recognize the history and people that make our community such a wonderful place to live. As Eric would say, "Not all art has to be gloom and doom. Art can and should attempt to pick people up and affirm that there is a lot of good in this world."
Art is more than just pretty pictures. Art is a visual communication tool, and in a world that is increasingly dominated by visual media its integral role in society cannot be dismissed.
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