Art is all around us, and creativity is sewn alongside the thread of existence. I create because it is instinctive within me to do so. To create is to believe in truth, and my desire to do so is not something I must conjure but something I must refuse. My recent work has been an exploration of this reality as I have attempted to express it through a new-found, rudimentary media: electrical tape. Using tape to create a piece of art has great significance to me because it represents the commonality that everyday things have in relation to art.
My eye is drawn naturally to everyday objects. Objects represent an intrinsic connection to the life I live and compose its significance to a great extent. My approach is not materialistic but metaphorical. I have always noticed my surroundings and have been curious about their makeup and significance, and that curiosity lends itself well in my current work. I have found that everyday objects become significant in some manner to everyone, and our interaction with them builds a subconscious connection to the object, which in turn enhances or detracts from our view of life around us. For instance, take away my favorite coffee cup, and I find for some strange reason that coffee suddenly becomes more than a bland drink and is in fact an experience. Coffee is now a vital part of my daily routine and is enhanced by my favorite cup that contains it.
I also find much spiritual significance in everyday objects. They represent a sort of common grace as they add to the connection I have to the life I live. A chair is no longer a chair when viewed under a lens of faith. Every time I sit in a chair, I am subconsciously exercising faith in that chair’s ability to support me, and I never think about it because almost every chair I have ever sat in has supported me. We are all creatures of faith, even if our faith is in our lack of faith; it is inescapable; therefore, things in our lives—be they physical or metaphysical—are always shaping our beliefs and experiences, and most of them I am willing to bet are subconscious.
Everyday objects point to truth. They are the wide brim of a funnel that ultimately leads to a decision between ultimate truth or relative morality. Documenting the significance of everyday objects in my life is a reminder to me that truth exists and that truth can be found in something as simple as a paper clip.
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