Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Joseph Raffael- Art and Meaning

'Blossoming' Watercolor on paper 60"x90" 2009

What is the meaning of doing art for you?


Art's meaning for me.
This is the way it is for me.
There's no question. No ifs and buts. There is no choice.
I have no say.
There is nothing else to do. It's like breathing.
For me, it is our daily activity of opening-to-and-assisting
the invisible-becoming visible.

This is the life of the quotidian----an expression within
moments in time----a gesture, a knowing, a not-knowing
expressed & becoming part of eternity.

This art coming up and out, through an artist goes into
the world's air as imagery. It moves on and on and on just
as our breath does, in the same way as we breathe in the air
of our ancestors.

The imagery we help come through becomes part of the
imagery of all times' consciousness, like the unending,
unstoppable, unrepeatable flow of the rivers, or of
the powerfilled clouds appearing out of seemingless
nowhere moving across the mind's sky.

We birth that which has never lived before.------3 May 2009

Josephs website is: www.josephraffael.com

12 comments:

Stock Schlueter said...

Kathrine This a great series you are doing. This is well stated and poetic. It strikes a chord that as artists we often think of. The reasons for art are as complex and varied as the artists themselves. It is never just one thing this series is like seeing unspoken facets of our own artistic personalities

RK said...

I like what both men wrote (Joseph and Stock)Love the wonderful images that are coming on to this site-how exciting. really like Joseph's website and of course his beautiful artistic expression!

Jeane Myers said...

another good one katherine

Robyn said...

Joseh's words strike a chord...as do the words of Stock Schlueter.

Katherine said...

Stock thank you. Every artist has spoken a voice I could claim as my own. I love the feeling of Joseph's answer, it reminds me of the Indian Deity that breathes Universes in and out of being. We, in our creativity are Deities creating what would get created no other way but through our expression.

Lovely response Joseph.

Katherine said...

Thank you Rachel. I am loving this project for it's diversity of imagery and words. Soooo when do we have the pleasure of your response?

Katherine said...

And thank you again Jeane.

Katherine said...

Robyn, for me also. The answers I am getting are food for the soul aren't they, speaking as Stock says to the many facets of our artistic beings?

RK said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RK said...

Thank you Katherine, I am slow on the up-take when it comes to writing. I am honored to be invited. xo ~R

DMG said...

Joseph's art and words are extremely powerful to me. I visited his website and fell in love with his work. His subject matter and style are very beautiful, and I. for one, am very thankful he them real for us.

Katherine said...

Alberta/Kathy, as with all of the artists involved in this project, I feel honored that Joseph shared his amazing art and his inner feelings about why he creates. Your response is exactly the one I was hoping for when I initiated this project.