The Temple of Chaos
Aug 03, 2020
As an artist, I find that inspiration can and does come from anywhere. Nature is my primary source of inspiration - what artist doesn't want to capture the perfect sunrise or a beautiful garden on canvas? But there are many other places from which I draw inspiration. A friend's stories, photos found on Instagram or Pinterest, and my imagination are all fertile ground for artistic vision.
My favorite art model is someone I’ve been painting for over two decades. We’ve become good friends over the years and one of the things I admire most about her is her free-spirited sense of adventure. Her stories about attending the Burning Man festival especially ignited my imagination. I did some Googling about the event myself and was blown away by the festival's unique and creative energy. The burning effigy from which the festival takes its name is an especially compelling image.
A few months later, I was planning my next piece in a series of large-scale paintings of women in imaginary settings. I had a vision of a woman in a regal robe - but against what background should I put her? I’ve always been inspired by the churches and cathedrals of Europe (aren’t we all!) and decided that the imposing feel of the cathedral’s nave would be just the backdrop for my regal woman. I didn’t want to copy an existing cathedral though - where’s the fun in that when my imagination could supply something equally grand? To create my own dreamy impression of a cathedral, I squinted at interior photos of old European churches until all the details faded away and I could only see the contrast of light and dark playing through the lofty halls. I began by adding random strokes of paint to my canvas with wild abandon - a process I like to call "intentional chaos" - then continued painting in the details of the building with more precision. As the background neared completion, I ordered a royal blue robe online, scheduled a session with my model friend, and painted her striding proudly through the foreground of the cathedral. But something was still missing. That was when I remembered her stories about her trips to the dusty Nevada desert. I had just the thing to add to my cathedral - in the background looms a figure inspired by those burning desert effigies - my interpretation of a Burning Man.
Original painting and archival prints available under New Works.