ImageSorry for the delay in posting. There have been lots of distractions.

My work was recently reviewed as not original, but merely decorative. I was saddened but not surprised by this assessment. This, of course, got me wondering about art. Is art merely about what is original? Is art about what is fashionable? Where does beauty, skill and style fit in? The Metropolitan Museum of Art is filled with “art” that is, strictly speaking, merely decorative or done for religious purposes. Neither of which is “new”. I am not even sure that creativity was all that important as well, with most of the works in this museum. Within each period, there were conventions and styles that the artist worked within. There were visionaries that would break conventions but breaking the conventions was not the goal in and of itself.

These days, contemporary art seems to be obsessed with novelty. This novelty is not without merit, but is that all that matters? So much of the new art I see seems less concerned with style, technique, ability and vision in the pursuit of the new. Even aesthetic questions of beauty seem largely irrelevant. What saddens me is that by this yardstick, the Mona Lisa is just a portrait and Vincent Van Gogh is merely a landscape painter.

I have no illusions of wanting to be “new”. I only want to put forward work that is original. I am not the only one putting found objects together. Indeed, found art seems to be very popular today. My goal is to have a clarity of vision that when I put a piece together, it is unique. That a Foundling stands by itself as a work of art and as a body of work, my Foundlings stand together in an exploration of material transcending its own humble origins.

I am much more interested in following my vision rather then what is in fashion. Indeed, as an artist, I don’t have any other choice. In the end, I have to have the strength of my convictions and follow the path I am on. Wherever it leads.

And I should mention this piece, Jasper. If a piece is particularly inspired by an artist, I name it after him. In this case, Jasper Johns. I am always moved by his work.