NAPA title

Alan Edwards

Bebington, Wirral, United Kingdom

When you look at my paintings I would like you to be aware of three things. The work itself, the artist who made it and you the viewer. It is not important to know who I am in respect of personality and character. Only to be aware that any artist who makes a piece of work will in some way put something of him/herself into the work, which to some extent they are unaware of and cannot control. I believe this is true of all art however controlled it may seem. You the viewer will bring (depending on the particular viewer) a host of things to the painting. On one level simple likes and dislikes, on another, perhaps a deep understanding and appreciation on what is being perceived.
The work itself is in its entirety a physical object and nothing more. Yet works of art have the power to affect some people very deeply. Some people will see things in a work of art and others will not even if they are looking at the same piece of work. What are we to make of this? How much is in the painting and how much is brought to the painting by the viewer?
When you look at my paintings be aware that there are elements in them that I have not seen and also be aware of yourself standing in front of the painting. You have also brought something to the painting.


I know that there is a thing called art.
I know that art is something that is made.
I know that not everything that is made is art.
People who make art are generally called artists.
Not everyone is an artist.
Not all artists make art.
There is good art and bad art.
Therefore art must be concerned with value.
Values are not facts.
A value does not equate to a state of affairs in the world.
Therefore art is subjective.
But the work of art seems to point to something beyond itself.
Something that is beyond the physical properties of the art work.


The viewer may perceive:

a pleasing likeness of the natural world
sound use of formal aspects and procedures symbolism, expressionism etc
the something else.

The something else is something that is sensed and felt and lies outside of the artwork. It cannot be consciously added by the artist.

alan.edwards420@ntlworld.com

Works Exhibited

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