Patrick McClellan
About | Patrick McClellan
In today’s tech world a painting cannot compete with TV, computers, video games and smart phones. (And if you think only kids are glued to their smart phones, look again.) But I believe that a painting’s saving grace is this….it is one of the few quiet places left within the culture. Another quiet place is my studio in Sheridan, Montana. And if you are in the area, you are invited to stop in and see the creek and garden, see whatever paintings are around, and just sit and visit. No TV, no video games and no internet.
I paint because my visual experience (and therefore my life) is richer when I am painting. When I make a mark on the canvas and then look back at the subject, I see something that seemingly was not there before. By painting, I start a “conversation” or “investigation” that involves me more deeply with the subject than if I was just a casual observer. If I was not making marks on a canvas I would not see as much. I would see just what we are supposed to see, what everyone sees – the expected, the names of things, trees, sky, house, the quick and the obvious. I would miss the myriad warm colors back in the shadow. I would miss the reflected light and the brightest spot of color where the light transitions to shadow. It is surprisingly easy to miss most of what is there.
The activity of painting for me is about being immersed, directly involved, and spending the time to see the wonder that is there to be seen. And, if I am fortunate, to get it down on canvas and pass it on to those who also have time to visit a quiet place.
