January/February/March

2009

Honest Questions

Recently I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation on aesthetics to a group of university students. I always enjoy the challenge of those moments, and the energy that I receive from those in attendance. This particular talk focused on my direct experience with the subject of aesthetics as applied to my personal approach to making art. I touched on the ideas of universal vs. enculturated aesthetics and discussed how postmodern thinking has affected our current thoughts on the subject. However, I quickly shifted the focus of the discussion as I took stock of the glazed eyes and subtle yawns. The importance of taking time to focus on the simple things in life, and making an effort to examine personal reactions to experiences with nature were now the meat of the presentation. In short, I started talking about living beautifully. You know, stopping to smell the roses, watching the sunlight filter through the leaves of an old sycamore tree. I was talking real life meditation, and sounding so Zen-like when...WHAM! A hand went up. Then, an honest question flowed with absolute innocence and sincerity from one of the students. When it hit my ears, I must admit, I was momentarily stumped. The questions was something along the line of – "So, how do you find time to live like that in this super busy contemporary society without feeling like you're being left behind? How do you do it?" There it was...an honest question.

Well, for a split second I considered the mature-sounding, all-knowing, highly evolved answer of "Oh my child, it is only through years of dedication and clear thinking that one can develop the ability to live in tune with the internal wisdom which eventually reveals the true essence of life." I've got to admit, though the temptation to skirt that question was real, it was fleeting. Now, I was confronted with a question that I grapple with nearly every day, and have struggled to find an answer that I am comfortable living with. So I did my best to respond to the question with complete honesty.

My response was something like this: "That's a fantastic question, and too bad for you that I'm the guy that has to try and put some sort of answer to it. Frankly, I'm under-qualified. The truth is, I'm not sure if it's possible to live "slowly and simply" in our "hyper-drive" society without feeling a bit like you're being left behind. Maybe it's better to ask why feeling out of sync or left behind causes such personal anxiety. You see, I think that there are a cultural constructs that condition us to feel badly if we sense that we aren't staying "current" or seeming to be "getting ahead." Is it possible that if we reframe the question, and come to realize that life isn't a race, we'll be more comfortable with taking time to live in and see the beauty of each moment? We'll all eventually cross the finish line of life. Often life's richest experiences are enjoyed outside the realm of speed and efficiency, so maybe it's all right to feel a bit out of place. The important thing to remember is that each moment is precious, and we don't get to rewind, so find ways to live intentionally. Do the hard work of carving out time to slow down and really see the world in which you live."

In the days since I met with those students, I've continued to wonder about "how are our thoughts on simplicity and beauty shaped by cultural constructs?" and "what toll has "efficiency" taken on our ability to experience the fullness of life?" Additionally, I'm wondering, "Can art-making and intentional creativity re-humanize our individual and corporeal experience of living?' I would love to hear your thoughts and insights on any or all of these questions. So, if you feel so inclined, send me an email.

In the studio I'm continuing with the development of a body of work that utilizes the vessel image as a foundational form. My interest in this image has been ongoing since my travels to Southeast Asia during the early 1990's. The vessel form appeals to me on a variety of levels ranging from the aesthetic to the metaphorical.

This photograph shows a few pieces that are currently in process. The general shapes of these sculptures have been created out of foam and clay and will be enhanced with additional surface carvings and embellishments. Some will be fitted with inlaid glass. The finished pieces will be cast in bronze, aluminum or resin.

Continual Creativity

The barrage of negative global economic news that we've been soaking in for the past few months makes it pretty difficult to be positive about anything. However, in the midst of all the gloom there is a hopeful note. Creativity is flourishing, and it will continue to flourish. The economics of certain projects may have changed as budgets have withered, but the innate, honest drive to proclaim truth and beauty through creativity has not been shuttered.

Artists throughout history have maintained the ability to practice their trade and enhance culture in both "fat" and "lean" times. You should know that during this particular "lean" time, music is still being made, plays are still being crafted, books are still being written, and visual works are still taking shape. It may be a while until we actually experience many of these creative works due to the impact that the financial downturn is having on the budgets of music venues, theaters, galleries and museums, but take heart – we are simply in a financial and budgetary "winter."

I'm not being cavalier when I say that, and I do understand that a great many people will feel deep pains during this time, however, it is important to remember that "spring" flows forth from the darkness of every winter season. I encourage you to remember that creativity exists even in the midst of these difficult days. Seek out the inspiration that imagination offers. Read a book, contemplate a painting, really listen to a piece of music, or memorize a poem. Above all, rest in knowing that creativity that is gathering just beneath the surface of the bleak, frozen, winter soil. Spring will one day be here again!

an Artist as Wino

It really is the people who make this particular wine community great. Sure, it helps to have amazing fruit, rich soil and a temperate climate, but for me, it's the company that you keep that makes a bottle of wine truly memorable. Recently I've been involved with a couple of wine projects that I thought that you might appreciate hearing about. Hope you have a chance to enjoy the end product. Cheers!

If you hadn't yet tasted or purchased the 2005 Artisan Blend from Foundry Vineyards, which featured two Broel art labels, you missed out. The entire lot is gone! SOLD OUT! However, they are still offering posters bearing the label images, and they have the new 2006 Artisan Blend available that features a label image by Deborah Butterfield. To learn more about FV wines and to plan a tasting, visit their website at www.foundryvineyards.com

Here is a wonderful opportunity to collect wine bearing a Broel image on the label. My friends Denise and Brett Isenhower (owners/winemakers) commissioned me to create a painting for some of their new wine labels. The image will be featured initially on their 2009 wine club offering that will be released in the spring of this year.

They are fantastic people who consistently craft high quality wines that reflect the richness and complexity of the Walla Walla terroir. For more information about their wine visit their website at www.isenhowercellars.com.

"I see little of more importance to the future of our country and of civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."

- John F. Kennedy

"'Think simple' as my old master used to say - meaning reduce the whole of its parts into the simplest terms, getting back to first principles."

- Frank Lloyd Wright

"While I recognize the necessity for a basis of observed reality...true art lies in a reality that is felt."

- Odilon Redon