Flying deeper

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I read somewhere that "life is like a balloon. If we want to fly higher, we must learn to let go of things and toss out of the basket whatever it is that won't let us soar." Well, in my growth as an artist, I have come to the point where I feel I have to get rid of what is superfluous, what is hindering my ascent. For a long time I have had the desire to move away from figurative representation, from some kind of superficial reflection of surface-level reality. There is no beaten path before me, but I feel inside that I must strive more to capture all the emotion, the drama, and the catharsis. I want to make sure that when someone enters an exhibition space with paintings hanging on the wall and looks around, it is my work that captures their attention with its powerful atmosphere. It attracts and evokes emotions that make the visitor think. The loneliness of the artist is thus eliminated, and the "loose ends" allow the receptive public to become part of the creative process. Because I believe that art is not for its own sake, but only makes sense with the artist.

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Andrew Manaylo