International Artist – August-September 2019

(Barré) #1

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IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF ART
I
’m finally at that point in life when
I don’t mind being thought of as
narrow-minded: “Oh, my gosh, have
you heard what Harley is saying about
art; in particular contemporary art? I’m
guessing it’s just that he’s getting older
and less open-minded. I sure do recall
his wisdom from the past. That’s the
Harley I remember.”
In earlier times, I had nothing but
raves regarding art; heartfelt innovative
works. The world wasn’t quite prepared
for them when they first entered the
art scene. But in time and with grand
efforts of the art communities, they’re
with us and bringing us to a new
aesthetic.
And now, I can finally say,
“I DON’T GET IT!” It’s a secret
I’ve kept from other people; actually
a secret I’ve kept from myself. That’s
right. I believed I understood all that
was being thrown at me visually. Yes,
there were moments of doubt. But no,
I was on the bandwagon.
It’s important that my eventual
turnaround began a number of years
ago, like a friendship that starts to
peter out. You go for a few more years
just because of all that time spent. It
can sometimes take courage and energy
to finally opt out of something that has
been a good part of your life.
There are those who think my
position in the visual arts is horse and
buggy compared to today’s Porsche.
That’s okay and they’re surely fine
people, welcome to have coffee with me
any time. Let me put it another way:
neither of us is more advanced or filled
with more wisdom than the other.
We’re just taking our personal modes of
advancement down different routes. All
legal and allowed.
Young artists of today were born
and raised in different periods from
my youth; more than half a century
apart. If we want to use that same time,
before I went to art college, that would
be in the 1890s. So you can understand
my lingering. I drive a zippy, modern
car but my mind remains “horse and
bu g g y.”
Being Ourselves
The time comes when we finally and
justifiably realize that we are here
on earth to be ourselves as artists
and to appreciate ourselves and find
Harley Brown’s fascinating things no one else will tell you
THE TURNAROUND

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