Creativity and Joy

Creativity and Joy

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There is something magical about creativity – it brings joy. My wife (she also recently started painting) and I have noticed that when we create a piece of artwork we like, we can’t stop looking at it. We pass by the room where the art is located and we feel the impulse to look at what we created. Each time we look at it, we feel joy. It is extraordinary how the art draws you to it.

I have been asking myself, what is this; this need to connect with our creations. I have concluded that it is about looking at the visible expression of the soul. It is the connection to the creation of our soul that brings joy.

Sometimes, a piece of art can affect other people. They want to look at it. They want to connect with it at an emotional level. That is why I like to do soulful paintings. All the work I have sold so far, is because the person connected to the painting at an emotional level.

In earlier centuries, and even today, portraits often involve not just painting the face of a person, but the whole body, particularly fine clothes. What these paintings convey to me is the grandeur and importance of the person. They tell me nothing about the nature of the person.  

I, on the other hand, prefer to paint only the head and shoulders. I want to see the expression of that person’s emotions: I am not interested in what they are wearing. I want to see the things that I can connect to in the human being, particularly the eyes.

Interesting anecdote: The expression, “it costs an arm and leg” comes from the world of art. If you commissioned a portrait in olden times, it would cost more if you had arms in the painting, and even more if you had a full body portrait with legs.

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