Beauty, at least in my experience, has much to do with resonance. A connection that exists between ourselves and something else; a fit. I look at resonance in this video from two experiences — one resonant but superficial and the other deep and radiant.
Blog Posts
Video: Subjective and Objective Beauty, part 3 – Philosophy
Philosophically where we experience beauty has shifted dramatically over time. Most of us don’t read a lot of philosophy yet their seed ideas affect us all. This is part 3 in my recent mini series exploring subjective and objective beauty.
Video: Subjective and Objective Beauty, part 2
This is a continuation of the ideas from my last video. In part 2 this week, we examine objective and subjective beauty through a discussion of Shakespeare, geometry, and personal taste. Moving towards part 3, we’re getting deeper into the idea of a universal, objective beauty.
Video: Subjective and Objective Beauty, part 1
In the Search For Beauty video series I shot last summer, I introduced the series by comparing subjective beauty and objective beauty. I decided not to include the piece, since it seemed to skim over too many ideas too quickly. This video–as well as the few that will follow–are an in-depth exploration of subjective and objective beauty. Is beauty something that we project onto the world around us, or are certain elements of our world intrinsically beautiful? I hope to move closer to that answer.
Video: The Right & Left Brain In Art: Writing and Architecture
My new video for this week. Continuing last week’s idea, we look at the roots of two types of creativity: The logical left brain and irrational right brain. This time, we move on from painting and look at examples of those two poles in writing and architecture.
Artists I Like #1: Fedor Zakharov
46″ x 54″, oil on canvas
I am perpetually inspired by the work of other artists I encounter. This is the first in my “Artists I Like” series; a chance for me to put a spotlight on the works that have influenced me. Let’s begin with the work of Russian/Ukrainian painter Fedor Zakharov.
In painting representational art you play two things off one another. The representation and the marks that create that representation. You can hide all the marks and enhance the illusion but suck life out of the expression. Or you can so emphasize the marks the illusion gets lost. I am most attracted to a harmony between the two, where we are completely aware of the illusion and at the same time marvel at the freshness and boldness of the calligraphy that created it. Continue reading
The Search For Beauty 3.0
On May 1 two years ago I posted that I had finished a draft of my book The Search for Beauty. My wife and I went to our favorite restaurant and I ordered a glass of champagne. I posted a picture of that glass.
I sent the draft to my editor. Compared to the vision of what I felt beauty is and how it affects us, her response was underwhelming. I realized I had to go deeper.
In all things creative, we have process, and we have product. A creative life can guarantee process. Not necessarily a product, at least one living up to our vision. Since finishing that draft I’ve rewritten it twice but something just wasn’t matching my vision. I realized to give expression to beauty words alone for me may not be enough. I have filmed a video series on beauty, and given a couple of talks. I’ve read, made notes and continued to paint and draw. I’ve been busy and now I feel the threads of all this process reforming into a book as much about images as text and crafted and designed to be beautiful in itself. Continue reading
The Search for Beauty 