Emotional Connection Through Art
In order to connect with your audience, you must communicate an emotional truth. But, it's harder than it sounds. Emotional truth is being completely honest about yourself, who you are, and what you feel. You are displaying a portion of yourself naked, exposed for possible judgment.It takes courage.
My painting above is an example of how I've tried to do just that. I wanted to explore my own feelings, questions, and thoughts about death and the afterlife. A beloved pet of mine died a few months ago and a deep part of me just wants to know he's okay.
I've poured through near death experience stories, read theological debates, read the counter arguments of atheists, and combed the Bible. There are no definitive answers.
So, I decided to "paint these questions out" on a piece of wood. On the surface, this is a piece about a woman and a cat enjoying the celestial radiance of the moon in all its splendor. Underneath, it is my plea for emotional resolution and a manifestation of my hope.
This painting is about a lot of things. It is about my desire to have friends and family who will share the journey on the other side; to join those who have gone ahead before me. It is about the unknown. It is about who God is.
Hopefully, I've connected with you and the risk of exposing my inner self is worth it. Hopefully, it will inspire you to share your own emotional truth. May you find your voice and make work that matters.
Thanks for reading!
-Dave, Grand Poobah of all Scofflaws
