Etherealism

A close relative of Etherealism is Surrealism, but it is not Surrealism itself (it is not always removed from reality enough to be surrealistic – some subjects are left in a natural state without surrealistic interpretation): It does not consistently aim to present an entirely unreal, otherworldly or impossible, dream-like state of experiencing reality and does not strive to always deviate from being entirely representational of something that exists in nature in its actual form. At times Etherealism can appear as the recreation of an existing photograph (though a single photographic reference is seldom used) or an impression from the real world, in real time, altogether while at other times it can be fantastical and imaginative, clearly depicting a fictitious subject entirely (possibly incorporating Surrealistic looking subjects), but done so, mostly, in a strictly representational manner. Surrealism is therefore incorporated into Etherealism at times, but does not fully represent it.

Etherealism is also not entirely Realism, but rather a broader spectrum of Representationalism. This is evident in anything from photo realistic depictions to a more expressive representation as found in the post-impressionistic works of Paul Cèzanne or the Impressionism of Claude Monet: It is not attempting to be entirely realistic only, nor surrealistic or necessarily Impressionist either, though it could be, while it is also not attempting to be boxed into anything expressive or impressionistic in its own right.

This is where it gets tricky: Etherealism can also be expressed in an abstract form. It can accommodate mark making, textures, patterns, visual effects or colors to create an artwork without any recognizable subject in sight. It can be textured and expressive, emotive or spiritual, representational or not specific to nature or not even indirectly referring to nature at all.

My subjects are varied, but are often derived from nature and nature lends itself to this style. Etherealism is about mystery, light, subjective and emotive responses to art and a particular way of combining or infusing the real, natural world with imagined effects, symbols or meanings. It is about all that, much more than it will ever be about perfecting a specific style, though it does not eliminate the possibility thereof.

The above-mentioned proposes a lot to unpack as per the definition of a term like “Etherealism”: that which is real and not real at the same time. It would essentially encompass a collision and intertwining of a Modernist desire for precision, the inexplicable, the meta-physical and stylistic precision (the artist genius striving for excellence, individualism and innovation) with a Post Modern flair for the non-Absolute, the non-definable, existential ambiguities and ultimately the marginalized or even the totally abject.

This would suggest a surpassing of normative reality, a fresh construct of reality as the artist wills or envisions it. The artist searching for meaning through art making, the journey of the artist to draw from any other genre, style, historic or contemporary influence to generate new and original meaning is central, more than style, more than context. The overall desire of the artist becomes central in the process.

The deeper motivation of this Etherealist artist is a seeking of a deeper reality that surpasses the confines of style and medium. In fact, the medium is of no consequence at all any longer, which makes it so that Etherealism can take on any form it desires at any given moment in time. It embraces Realism, Surrealism, Expressionism, Impressionism, the Classical and the Neo-Classical, even entirely Abstract work all at once to form its own way of being, seeing, decoding, and deconstructing, reconstructing and connecting or translating meaning and reverie back to the viewer. Stylistically and in terms of artistic process, Etherealism therefore, ultimately becomes the freedom to create without confines, while standing firm in its journey towards exceptionalism in method, skill and message. It seeks to contradict the Post Modern tendency that minimizes artistic skill and yet embraces the Post Modern notion that art can speak for freedom and should stimulate intellectually also.

Etherealism emphasizes skillful creation, conveying powerful messages of aesthetic and/or academic relevance. Perhaps Etherealism is whispering to the soul to make, own, desire, possess and embrace the sheer joys, the depths and the wrestling of accomplishing an impactful and excellent journey to the center of the creative self, via art making.

Confines are removed and art becomes about a dance with the subject. Etherealism aims to capture the spirit of the subject, a quest to convert the artistic creation itself into a living entity of light, expression, dreams and reality as much as it could be the abstract expression of the light itself, the fire that enables us to see with our eyes, feel with our soul and beyond. Etherealism is a sacred way of creating as if in a boundless, spiritual, emotive dance with light and subject itself.