Question:

-You have said that you search for Klimt, have you satisfied that urge and perhaps moved beyond? Also, what is it about him that pulls you in that direction?

KOM Reply:

I am leaning away from my In Search of Klimt series.  Time to paint some departures I think. My quest for the energy of Klimt has not tired though.  As with most artists who paint figurative work, I find beauty is coupled with soul searching in the painting and sculpting women.   Klimt will not be put aside entirely, who could tire of the of The Kiss? It evokes passion and tenderness at the same time. 

It isn't just Klimt that I search for though, no, it is all who seek to speak with clay; oils on canvas; drawings in the sand even. It is seeking the expressions of others that embrace their inner relationship with the adventure of creativity that I relate to. There is an intensity I feel in my being and want to release, as I ponder someone else who has succeeded an artistic performance of any kind.  How they achieved that endeavor, be it Klimt, Leonardo da Vinci or even a 5 year old child who creates expression from the heart, is the dynamic that is most astounding.  I feel there is value in every single gesture of creativity, knowing there is something to be learned from it, if I take the time to notice.  Creativity is elusive if we don't continually notice it when it is right before out eyes.

Considering Gustav Klimt again; he eluded to erotica with his work, which is something I am doing with my Primal Series.   I am fortunate to be represented by Monkdogz Urban Art in New York, and thus I confer with the them, specifically Bob Hogge, about what direction I should take with my work.  Bob stresses that the artist should push to feel more, do more, dance the dance, that they know is inside them and to "take 'risks' of failure with pleasure".  Never considering the notion that there is a place of arrival.  It is a growth process that will not end.

My website is outdated, but I keep it because the text is a journey of discovery, that goes past colors that meet my brush. It is the abandonment of self and yet the paradoxical journey to find self.  I am planning for an entirely new website to show my current work, rather than deleting the existing one, because of that journey expressed.  

Question:

-Is there any other artist that have strongly influenced your work or your mindset?

KOM Reply:

I am a self taught artist, so as I mentioned, I take it all in, even people's work that I don't especially like for one reason or another.  Art should bring the viewer into a sphere of wonder, which is what made da Vinci such an extraordinary role model, not just artists, but for all who long to know themselves, the world around them and beyond.  He asked questions of himself, just like a child would do.  He fed his curiosity by doing research on whatever met his fancy and felt captivated by the simple, because it revealed the nakedness of the complex, so that it might be understood.

 

 Question:

-In experiencing  a few forms of synesthesia, I find your cosmopolitan series very exciting, your colors and marks are musical and atmospheric, for many such successful colors come with great difficulty and some with natural ease. How is this process for you?

KOM Reply:

I painted in sepia tones for a long time... no color really.  Some of those works are on my back pages within my website. One day a friend came by and talked to me about color and that I should try to use them again.  I had never been all that great with color, but yes, I decided that I was pretty bored with browns and beiges.  I  began to read about color a bit and experiment.  It was fun.  Later I came across a quote by Matisse, who said to FEEL the color.  Now, whenever I paint, before I begin, I actually ask Matisse to help me FEEL the colors. I do! Not as a ritual but as an honest request for some wild, cosmic wisdom.  It is kind of funny because I am not all that fond of Matisse's work, but as I wrote above, I try to find value in all artistic expression.  Ahh my Matisse, he gave me the treasure of a full array of new sensations to the eye.  Colors began to surface everywhere for me after that.  I look for as many colors as I can possibly find in anything and everything.  I squeeze out their glory from every single tube of oil paint I have, onto my pallet. When I paint I try to fit ALL their brilliance somewhere, even if it is just a trace.  Layers of colors onto previous ones, oft times create a patina effect, which has become my style that is found throughout all my different series. I guess you could say I fell in love with color. 

 

Question:

-In looking at the gallery, you have several categories listed, which style/era/subject are you drawn to the most?

KOM Reply:

I have no plans of doing realism anymore.  I feel that a lot of that is mere rendering.  If I wanted that I might as well settle for a photograph.  I use my painting, "Flight"  from my "Passion Series" a lot, as kind of my online logo.  I plan to use the 'dance' from that series, along with the intrigue of some sculptures of mine, that I recently recovered and blend that effort with my "Primal Series".  Like Bob Hogge says though... I am allowing myself risks with that.  I succumb to the dance that gives direction..  I succumb to that and the whispers of Matisse, da Vinci and of course Gustav Klimt. 

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