It is art season. That means I am working and you can follow along as the work evolves from Phoenix 20 to 21 through my soft edit flickr page. Check it out and join the conversation there, I am a strong supporter of those that help me understand through a critical evaluation.

Environment

Where we are, is a necessity of what we see through my work. The art created is tied strongly to place even in title. Phoenix 21. “Phoenix” is my home, these are the streets I am becoming most familiar with as I walk them. I am getting to know the city in the most intimate manner, by walking them nearly everyday. “21″ designates the number of images that will comprise the whole final set. It follows from 20 which was the first year of this exploration in Phoenix the number acts as both a limit for the amount of work as well as an annual marker for years in which work was produced in a particular city.

As a straight photographer there is only what I can observe available to me. I am deeply curious how working in a sister city will affect the work, as I am starting the Tempe 20 in December. Environment is the lowest and easiest of the logical levels to change but its influence forms the foundation of what is possible.

Behaviors

I walk. While I walk, I hold internal dialogues about the nature of my existence both literally and abstractly. I look. Finding what I can from the city that day along the particular path and time that I am there. The marks are made by others or by time and what I find is because it is what I am looking for.

Capabilities

What I do is severely controlled by what I am capable of doing. But in the big bad world of art where there are no rules, where do I start? There is little more intimidating than a blank canvas. I consider my work rule based art. Every work that I produce comes from a predetermined set of criteria from what colors and textures I photograph to where and when I photograph and even include the very name and number of the entire catalog. In this level nothing is left to chance and it all holds a purpose. My canvas is always ghosted with what I’ve created previously.

Purpose is created by rules that inform the evolution of the work.

Beliefs

I believe nothing beyond the moment. I trust that what I create is a document of my self. An image of color, texture and the choice of how the elements within the frame communicate, hold more information about who I am, what I am feeling and thinking at that moment than all my words from my whole history combined. In fact it is my whole history each snap of the shutter evolves me, teaches me something, tells me something. I hope, I do. I think that our human experiences are not so dissimilar or unique. I hope that you catch a glimpse of it, that it is able to communicate some part of who you are to you.

Identity

Mine or yours? It is all me. It is my life to observe beauty and to speak honestly.

Art

Isn’t about the objects the intent or even what it means to me. It is about what speaks to you, what makes sense and has more to do with you than me. Trust yourself. If you choose to create, create things that support your values, appreciate the things created by others that support your values, that is what art is to this artist and honestly the only way art will be defined.

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