Artist Statement

Richard Feinman

To describe my painting is a visual essence of my inner self.  If I were to rip away my body my soul becomes the reflection and colour of my work.  – Richard Feinman

Surreality
I am compelled by the creative process and the psychology of art; from the sub-consciousness of the artist to manipulation of the viewer in the form and combination of forms of painting, printmaking, writing and video.   My current research explores the process where your brain meets your subconscious resulting in a sometimes ‘invisible’ experience of pure thought and emotion which is then expressed using the visual spectrum. This surreal state of mind which I term ‘Surreality’ (my so-called reality) is the core substance behind my practice. Surreality is the place in our soul where the thought process is created and true perceptions including emotion are derived. It is the underlying realities of people, places, things and emotions that make up our personal existence based upon individual and personal subconscious thoughts – not individual representation or symbolism but true emotion an “absolute reality”. It is cultivated from the subconscious input of memory, feelings, emotion and experience from the past and present.

The term Surreality was first mentioned in 1924 in the “First Manifesto of Surrealism” by Andre Breton in 1924

“…I believe in the future resolution of these two states, seemingly so contradictory, of dream and reality, in a kind of absolute reality, a Surreality, so to speak.” Andre Breton

On Art

I paint subconscious feelings and emotions.  This allows me to create a dialog open to interpretation with my audience where their understanding allows them to develop an individual and personal response.

Like a mirror my work reflects the subconscious guided by my introspection. I work and think on an advanced level of painting using a myriad of different psychological aspects such as the fundamental properties of colour, colour harmonies and shape - all which are apparent, but perceived and felt intrinsically by their relationships between each other.  These relationships seem to create a dialog between the work and communication between the piece and the viewer. Conflicts become relationships; line, shape and colour become friends, and opposite colours become lovers.

My work is not avant-garde, shocking, or pushing the boundaries of art. It does not challenge the issue of “what is art” - I don’t have to come up with a long definition why my work is art. It is ART.

Happy Painting!

Conversations
Conversation:  def. - the communication or exchange of information, ideas thoughts and feelings

Colloquial: def. - conversational exchange or dialogue.

“Conversations” is a body of work that subconscious communication and colloquial exchangebetween the artist, the artwork and his audience are attained. My work provokes an inner dialogue between each component:artist, art, audience each interpreted individually and then reflected upon in the form of conversation.

“It is a state of consciousness. My subconsciou sspeaks through you my creation of pure thought and raw emotion painted in oil on canvas.

I am painting the conversations in my subconscious world - the voices inside my head speak to me in colour, expressed using emotion.

Conversations provoke the awakening of your own subconscious world.”
– Richard Feinman

Each work interacts with its audience through individual aspects designed to enhance and stimulate view erexperience and interaction. Naked sensations expressed within each brushstroke, coloured line, and shape intertwined like a verse in poetry creates a relationship(s) within the painting itself opening doorways to various individual interpretations from its viewers.

The psychology of colour, composition, space and a suggested title are used as tools to guide the audience toward a direction that subconsciously leads them to their personal or individual experience associated with the artwork. This starts to develop a special relationship,understanding, a conversation between the piece and the viewer.

Art is individual:

- Individual to the artist

- The artwork itself is individual (one of a kind)

- Individual to the viewer how they experience the art based upon their own
subconscious interpretations.

I continue my journey to explore these relationships in art. Searching for the approach to and or process on:

Why do we produce art?

Where does creativity begin?

How do we look at art? Interpret it

These questions make up the dialogue or communication between Artist, Art and the Viewer … The Conversations.