Inside My Art... Lately, by Jean Bourque

It's funny to me...when I think about it. Often times people will say have you been doing any art lately? I'll say; "not much" almost every time I am asked. But yet; when I get around other artists, I discover what I think is "not much" is actually quite a bit. To be honest; I rarely have a day go by when I don't at least draw. If nothing else; I draw. I draw a lot. I love materials; I use pens, marker, pastels, pencils and even crayons. I do not believe in limiting my materials by "age" appropriateness. I do what I love whenever I can and that means when I can't paint; I draw. So what have I done lately? I know; not any previews here...makes you wonder doesn't it? (it is intentional)

I actually have been painting a group of irreverent spaces, often empty; much like a barren landscape. Why empty spaces...? Did I tell you there are interior spaces? These rooms are interior spaces with perspective and some with an odd angle to blow the entire shot out of its "perspective" realm. It's like illusions of interior landscapes.... with and without drapes over the windows of the world. Where they came from; I could not tell you. However; I tend to feel as though they are a real positive thing. For sure a departure from the many stylistic venues I have travelled; no longer bright psychedelics, and not like my blue period, or the pastel era or even my splattered, covered and smothered times. No; these paintings feel fresh, free, minimalistic, in your face, right on target, and yet there is a slight tension in each.

This past week; I drew a lot and painted little since I was extremely busy. It does seem if I have a blank spot in my schedule; that I am committed to filling every moment of my life with "something" to do. The drawings; have taken an interesting turn as well. Suddenly; I am finding people in all my drawings. It's all about people. I did work on one painting and in that painting which I thought would be about spaces....

*

PEOPLE started popping up!

*

This is a good thing. Since people are everywhere... it makes sense they show up. After all one cannot have barren landscapes forever. With art just like with so many other things in life....one thing leads to another. To look at my work from 1995 is to look at work created by a different artist than the artist Jean Bourque is today.

*

I will be hanging a new art show at Palmetto GBA on Thursday August 23rd in Technology Circle at the Carolina Research Park; Columbia, SC. Palmetto GBA is a division of Blue Cross Blue Shield.

yours;

Jean Bourque

About the painting: The door above is "The Mondrian Door" and it was sold and hung in front of John Delgado's office until 2006 when it retired from Columbia, SC and was moved to the Mountains.