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FIGURAL PAINTINGS
Spiritual-Religious Art
ARTIST'S PERSONAL
STATEMENT
There is no agreed-upon aesthetic or
belief which guides artists. Today, there are many reasons and ways to paint, as
evidenced by many active styles.. If I were to mention painters with whom I
resonate and feel indebted to, I would mention the Icon painters of the 14th
Century. . . not that I paint traditional Icons, but I believe that the spirit
of the Ikon lives in my work.. This side of my work places it in the Symbolist
mystic, spiritual tradition of painting. Secondly, I would refer to the esoteric
Taoist painters who displayed such wisdom and feeling for their medium and for
life and nature.
These two traditions
represent Near East and Far East.
In the West, the enduring
watercolors of Cotman, Turner and Sargent also inspire me. They have an
East/West quality. These painters evolved the watercolor medium considerably,
recognizing the unique features and translated them into emotional philosophic
statements in art. The ancient Iconographers primarily used egg tempera with
water. The whole universe was symbolized and animated in their technical
wisdom.
The spirituality of painting, as
it refers to nature of Light, Color and Darkness is what initially inspires me
to work, allowing me to present work based on something universal – something
that can be true for all painters.
Making paintings or seeing paintings
has several levels. This can be a contemplative practice, one that balances,
purifies and strengthens the soul. Color holds many mysteries. To be able to
study and learn its mysteries is a privilege. To know that one is merely one
amongst many on this continuous journey or artistic stream, is an honor.
Art is only superficially a personal pursuit. Ultimately, art is founded on
lasting social issues and values. Without the contribution of countless people,
my art would not exist across the spectrum of
time.
– Leszek
Forczek |
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STONE TO SOUL
by Leszek Forczek
Cover Painting for Michael Tamura's "You
Are the Answer"
www.michaeltamura.com
"Stone To Soul"
(Private Collection of Michael Tamura)
About The Cover
Painting
Inspired by You Are The Answer, renowned artist, Leszek Forczek, created this soul-stirring
watercolor painting for its cover. About this original work Michael Tamura
writes:
"'Stone To Soul' evolved as a
true spiritual adventure. Michael's remarkable book is a rich source of
inspiration and imagery for artists devoted to spiritual themes. His description
of spiritual process found in Chapter 3, 'Making Space for Spirit' seemed to
describe my own creative process in painting. And for a central image for the
painting, what caught my attention was in the chapter, 'Building the Temple of
the Soul': "When I behold Michelangelo's David, Dying Slave or Pieta, I see
Divinity shining through its various human disguises. Under his passionate care
and profound vision, all the solidity, rigidity, density and immobility of stone
could not contain and limit the Divine splendor. For our part, we can choose to
let our life remain simply a block of stone – our infinite, eternal and immortal
spirit encased in the seeming limitations of our material existence – or, like
Michelangelo, we can choose to resurrect Divinity from our illusions of a
limited and mortal life."
About the symbolism in the
painting, Leszek writes:
"Three symbols form a triangular
arrangement in the painting: above, the sun and the moon stand across from one
another; and below is the sign of the earth, the cross of light. The three unite
into the cosmic symbol of Mercury, seen on a book cover at the base of the
painting symbolizing the mysteries of the evolution of the soul. On the left of
the cross, two masculine figures struggle from the captivity of earth and stone.
To the right of the cross sweeps a veiled, warmth-filled figure, archetype of
the soul, commonly referred to as the "Sophia." Sophia is a term synonymous with
wisdom, but in ancient times Sophia also meant creative cosmic Beauty at the
foundation of worldly wisdom. Her warmth of color and freedom from bodily
entanglements stand in dramatic contrast to the heavy figures, which are bound
to stone. All three figures suggest the human metamorphosis from Stone to Soul,
from captivity to freedom…"
The union of both natural and esoteric
dimensions of color is at the heart of this popular artist's engaging, elegant
and thoughtful paintings. The images are characterized by their mysterious and
meaningful sense of movement, space and luminosity.
Art Cards /
Prints
Illuminism Aquarelle Studio, Sebastopol, CA
707.824.2238 or fax: 707.824.2239
orStar of Peace Publishing, Parker, CO
(303) 805-1554
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