Can artists help us see?

Looking at Art:

Edgar Degas said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Do your favorite artists help you to find a new appreciation for nature? Do they present you with points of view you might not have imagined? Creator, composer and inventor are synonyms for the word artist. Perhaps the role of an artist is to help us to see, or feel, what we might not notice, understand or experience without their music, painting, sculpture, writing or instillation. In your opinion, what is the role of an artist?

Work in the studio:

My latest paintings have changed as I consider how to direct the viewer to a strong focal point by selecting colors and values to emphasize those areas that I hope will catch the eye. A new series of portraits includes deliberately out of focus areas and dark values which are designed to attract an observer to the most important aspects of the work. The latest painting, shown here, is a portrait of my grandson, Angelo, who is looking down. I placed a globe in his hand because he represents, for me, the generation that will pick up the ball and inherit a world that will be improved by his presence.

The Next Generation, Watercolor, 12” x 12”