Painting as a Devotional Act and "Asters in a Field"
Painting as a Devotional Act
I have always thought of painting as a devotional act.
Ever since the beginning, from the first time I picked up a brush, I have felt a special energy come over me when I am painting.
There is a resonance to that state of being that isn't quite like anything else.
The best way I can describe it is that I feel more "me" than at any other time.
I feel like my natural self.
This is especially true when I am painting in nature, as the presence of the elements produces a state of balance in me that influences the painting itself.
In my latest time-lapse video I show the creation of my new painting "Asters in a Field" while sharing my thoughts on the creative process, beauty, and painting as a devotional act.
Click here to watch
Painting as a Devotinoal Act | Timelapse Video with Narration
Asters in a Field
I have to admit, I am pleasantly surprised by the emerging saturation of color in my new paintings. As Bob Dylan once said:
"An artist has got to be careful never really to arrive at a place where he thinks he’s AT somewhere. You always have to realize that you’re constantly in a state of becoming. And, as long as you can stay in that realm you’ll sort of be alright.”
I don't know how it ever became 'the norm' for artists to think that they had to express themselves one specific way, and stick to that forever.
You'd be surprised how common it is for artists to put so much pressure on themselves to unify their work into one lane, to find their voice, and to 'arrive.'
I hope that this new painting of asters pictured against a field of goldenrod and autumn leaves is a colorful reminder that like nature itself, we are always in a state of becoming.
"Asters in a Field"
2024, Oil on Linen
11 x 14 inches, unframed
Please see the Available Originals page for current availability.
Paint Like The Wind
I thought I'd share the following photo with you as well.
The most artfully beautiful cloud passed overhead while I was working, that looked exactly like the movement and flow I wanted to capture in my painting.
Monet used to say: "I want to paint the way a bird sings."
I'd like to say: "I want to paint the way spirit shapes the clouds."
I love these magic moments, when nature seems so alive, like someone is waving at me and saying: "Hey! I see you! ... This is what you're going for, right?... Nice! Keep up the good work!"
A New Addition to our Family
For a long time my fiancé Kira has wanted a cat, and she would imagine having one curled up on her chest at night.
Then, one sunny day in July, we were driving down the highway on I-95 and this 5-week old kitten ran right in front of our car!
She was battered and bruised and clearly had been through a lot.
We decided to adopt her, name her "Asha" (meaning 'wish' or 'hope'), and ever since she has been an incredibly precious addition to our family.
As Will Ferrell once said:
"I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!"
A More Beautiful World
I hope you are having a beautiful and safe autumn wherever you are in the world.
It certainly seems like the world is a bit 'on edge' right now and everything feels pretty uncertain. We are living through intense times.
But I personally believe that with uncertainty comes possibility. You have to warm up the clay if you want to mold it into a new form.
If we use it in the right way, all this fire can transform each one of us in a positive way: in our personal lives, and on the planet.
Each one of us can use the tremendous energy of this time to make ourselves into whatever we wish to be.
My personal striving: to make my life as beautiful as possible. Because at the very least, who doesn't want a more beautiful world?
Sincerely,
Dustin