James Courtenay James
My blogs
| Industry | Arts |
|---|---|
| Occupation | artist |
| Location | Chattanooga, TN, United States |
| Introduction | If a novel is the epic depiction of life, then my paintings are short stories focused on the small details in the lives of individuals. I do not wish to mimic the indiscriminate eye of the camera. Mine is a process of selective realism - highlighting a detail here, softening an edge or shadow there – gently allowing the discovery of something beyond the surface reality. What that reality is, is for you to decide. My narrative portraits are intended as starting points that encourage the viewer to explore their own thoughts and memories without the heavy hand of the artist dictating meaning. I seek to fool the eye in order to pluck at the heart and mind. Presenting a three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional canvas is a goal only in so far as it is necessary to bring the viewer into the story. Therefore, I have reached back to the traditional techniques of earlier centuries to create work that expresses both energy and emotion through surface treatment and brushwork and an engaging narrative through realistic content. |