As we head into a New Year, I have been giving some thought as to why original art makes such a difference to my environment...

We are increasingly exposed to advanced technology, but nothing compares to visiting face to face with someone you love. Personal interaction goes far beyond the words exchanged. There is a shared experience.

A photograph helps you recall memories and can even show some of a person's personality.

But it can't replicate or replace being with the person.
Nothing replaces the real person.

The same applies to art.

No print, digital image, or art book will ever replace the experience of seeing an original piece of art. Prints and books do have their place. But no matter how well produced a print or book image is, it is not the original.
You will know the experience if you have visited a gallery or museum and have been profoundly moved by a painting. You find yourself moving forward, stepping back, trying to decipher what it is about the 'original' that speaks to you.

So, what is the difference between the original and a copy?

There are the subtle nuances in color, texture, and light quality, but it goes beyond that. Transparent layering of pigment, semi-transparent, and opaque paints each reflect light and color differently, adding richness to the painting.. But it goes beyond that. An original reveals brushstrokes and imperfections of the paint. This cannot be replicated in a print. Ultimately, original art has an advantage that reaches way beyond any of these tangible or identifiable differences.

An original creation emanates something from within that is sensed or experienced.

Not by the five senses, but within you. Felt by your spirit.

Somehow, through the hands of labor and through the labor of love, an artist imbues within their artistic creation

a portion of themselves, their spirit.

This may sound a little implausible. But I believe that there is some sort of life-force, though intangible, that

permeates and emanates from original art.

I am not the only one who thinks this. I've met many other people over the years with similar ideas (both artists and collectors). Some have pointed out that the spirit that is instilled within a work of art by the artist can be good or bad, depending upon the essence of the artist. Think about it, if the artist is angry, the artwork emanates angry feelings. If the artist is happy, the art will emanate joy.

Just as a photo of a person can reveal sadness or joy, a print can also reveal something about the art. But, the spirit of the piece isn't in a print, just as the person's spirit is not in a photo. It is merely a likeness - a replica.

I prefer to surround myself with original works that speak to me because I feel something. They enrich my life in a way that no print ever can. They bring a life force into my home that no print ever will.

Collectors understand this. For this reason, original art will always be collected. Thank you for allowing me to Share my art -

and share my spirit!

Please feel free to contact us about any of the original artwork you see on the websites, or if you would

like a special painting created by commission just for you!