Virtuoso.
I was lucky to see two musical performances last week. One was at the SF Symphony. The other presented by SF Performances.
The SF Symphony performance had three different chamber selections, one performed by a string quartet. As expected, it was well performed, but I was unmoved. I may have been in the minority since I am not a classical music expert and the majority of audience members showed their enthusiastic appreciation at the end. I know it was well played, but for me, not inspired. I respect technical proficiency. I wish I had more of it when I’m painting. I am always searching it out. I study shading, line, tone, design, color theory, mark making, grounds, perspective, proportion, composition and on and on. All of it is very important in creating a pleasing painting. And I practice, practice, practice. You have to have a lot of technical knowledge and experience in order to transcend it.
But how do you learn to transcend it?
Two nights later I went to see a guest artist performance at the Herbst Theatre — a pianist and violinist. The violinist was in the forefront with the pianist playing support. The violinist was amazing technically — and transcendently. She played with poetry not just prose. She extended out over the written notes creating a connection that was more than an appreciation of her ability. At the end, when she came out to play an encore, she spoke (in a very quiet voice) about power. Her encore piece would be about the power of love. It was a piece her mother had taught her. I was moved.
I’m not sure how to express the difference between the two experiences. I was aware of each performer. I was sure the music was being played “correctly.” The pieces were by different composers and it was a quartet versus a duet. So it is hard to make certain comparisons. All I know is how different these two experiences felt.
Artist expression is hard to measure. I think that’s why I’m attracted to Abstract Expressionism. The artist has to reach beyond getting it “right” and invite the viewer to share in the experience. The artist is saying, “I see this and I want you to see it too.” There is a lot of risk involved because so many people rely on experts or historians or curators or marketing experts to tell us what is right.
I’ve been working on a new series for a few months now. There have been lots of interruptions so I’ve had time to ponder. So far they look different from what I’ve been doing, but not so much that they couldn’t be considered in the same family which seems to matter to me right now. The notes, the technical abilities, my “alphabet” are all there, but I’m trying to reach further out toward the edges. I’m trying to visualize what isn’t visual at the same time as inviting the viewer to see something familiar but something they’ve never seen before.
I’m practicing transcendence — hoping there is someone out there who can hear me.