Greetings!
I am often asked, “How do you paint? Is it from a picture?”
And I would say, “No, not a picture. A feeling. A memory from the recess of my mind made vague by time and altered by perception.”
And then I am asked, “Where does your inspiration come from?”
And I reply, “For me, painting is an intuitive, spiritual practice. I have never thought to put words to it.”
And that got me to thinking, “What is my inspiration?”
I am inspired by nature, and in particular the natural element Water. Water releases a spectrum of emotion in me as deep as the sea’s abyss. It speaks to me in ways I cannot ignore. And, what a great teacher!
Water is the life spring that cleanses, nourishes, and sustains all of life. It always follows the path of least resistance; and over time nothing can stop its power. Its persistent nature can smooth even the most jagged peaks or carve the deepest canyons. Paradoxically, its gentle ease in going with the flow is the source of its strength and power.
It is these unseen elements that surface in my paintings. It is the play of light. It is the scent of loamy, earthy, seaweed pulled from the ocean floor decomposing on wet sand; the sting of salt air on my wind-ruddy cheeks, and the invisible negative ions rising from the deep. It is the vibration of sound; the roar and schuss in the endless tug-of-war tied to the moon.
And when the rhythmic pulse of waves synchronizes with the beat of my heart: That’s when my encaustic painting becomes masterful.
That is the gift, the gift of my art.
Peace All Ways
Shima
