::Artwork as social dialogue::

Creativity creates the cultural identity of our communities. History consistently shows us that creativity and invention are one of the highest marks of any civilization. 

Creativity has the capacity to celebrate, define and communicate our unique and diverse identities, yet, at the same time, creativity can also be utilized to inspire and unify our human-ness, to be a channel through which we can all feel our interconnectedness.

In its best moments, art helps humanity understand itself.  With this knowledge at the forefront of the mind, the process of creation becomes an act of service in connection to something larger than oneself.  My artwork is an attempt to reframe reality as an essential question or theme, manifested as an enveloping experience of symbolic physical space. In this corporal way, the intention of the art is meant to transport, empower, and otherwise aid people in questioning established reality. My hope is that the art becomes a conduit for us to connect with ourselves, with others, and offers an opportunity to discuss the larger issues we face as human beings shaping the future.  

::Why Intention?::

Art is what makes human creative-expression one of our defining and redeeming qualities as a species.

Art with Intention directly relates to the purpose the art attempts to fulfill.  It is a function of how art invites other people to question, understand, relate to and  fall in love with the artwork based on shared human ideas and experiences. Without knowing the intension of the artist, some art can feel like it has no teeth, no compass, no motivating force.  

Understanding how the creator is attempting to define or question reality,  educate, confound, delight, or bring people together, is a way to fully understand creativity and enter into a dialogue with it.

Intention occupies the part of all creativity that has expressed the soul of civilizations for centuries. There is a reason why there are thousands of museums which showcase the creativity and invention of humanity, from paleolithic times until today: 

What we create forms who we are.

Understanding and expressing intention is at the root of art that elevates. Knowing an artwork's intension is what grounds the artwork. It is a part of what gives art its legitimacy and power, expands consciousness,and gives back to the human experience from which it originates.

::The Time Capsule Test::

The below excerpt is taken from one of my favorite interviews I did in April, 2013 for Ignitechannel.com.

To read the entire interview about art, Burning Man, artistic process and inspiration, follow me....

"It is interesting to note that when anyone is asked to come up with objects to put into a time capsule that would represent the best our civilization has to offer, they invariably turn to art, music, philosophy, film, literature, architecture and the creative inventions in science. No one ever says: I want to put in the time capsule Facebook stock options, atomic weapons, DVDs of Real Housewives episodes, and wads of cash, because we know instinctively that these are not the highest symbols of our civilization!

It is essential here for me to point out the obvious: Throughout the entire course of our human history, we have relied on creativity to celebrate and define our identity. NASA has even sent music recordings such as Beethoven into outer space as examples of our advanced civilization, in effect serving as Earth’s time and space-traveling ambassador. Creativity's legitimacy is that powerful. It shapes our world, both on a daily basis and throughout time, weaving across all cultures. Therefore, it’s important to approach creativity with this in mind. This time capsule way of looking at art is an ingenious way of measuring the strength of human creativity and to teach it to others. If someone put forth a time capsule and asked you to fill it with the best examples of humanity, what would you fill it with?

Today, if you want to know about past cultures, we turn to examine their artwork, architecture, literature, performance, film, music, and ways of dressing as a representative expression of their values, dreams, belief systems, and evidence of the fabric of their daily lives. A stroll through any museum, gallery, performance space, or town square proves this. They serve as our living time capsules."