Saturday, October 31, 2009

Why Am I An Artist.....Here is the Very Short Version.

My name is Daniel Quinonez. I was born in East Los Angeles November 29th 1966 to a single mother. I was raised in Anaheim California. My mother married when I was 7 and I became Daniel Barringer. My life was a challenge for better words. I learned the whole spectrum of emotions in those formative years. I experienced all highs and all lows at a very young age. The experiences molded me into a very creative person for the single purpose to entertain myself to escape the tragedy we call life. Looking back it was a balance for me. I had an equal portion of these emotions I experienced. So in a very ironic twist it was healthy that I had gone through all of the bad and good at the same time. When I was old enough to make a decision to stay in that drama or leave…I left at 17 and joined the Marine Corps. That entity became my mother and father for 5 years. A whole new set of challenges were before me. The main challenge was to figure out how to become a man. That voyage continues to this day. Fatherhood, responsibility, respect, disappointment, regret, love, relationship, persistence, consistency all are but a small example of experiences which have molded me and continue to do so daily. Through all of that my art was there to hold me when I needed. Creating was an outlet for me to see within. I would tap into that here and there and not often enough. Later in life as recent as 2002 I figured out that the gift I had to create pieces of work that can open life for another was special to me. Creating works of art that made people happy is a part of me fulfilled. I needed that. I started to develop a hunger inside of me to create all the time. I started to let go of the restraints I had put on myself to let go of the pain inside through this channel. Creating art was a vehicle to love others and in turn I could heal. Today I create to live. No matter the drama that unfolds in my life daily I have my art to let the pain and discomfort of life and transform those emotions into beauty and love. I have a gift God-given to create pieces of art work that can reveal the love of another. Art reveals love in a person. It can connect with an individual like nothing else. One piece might totally be disgusting to one person and the next person that sees it is filled with random beautiful exciting emotions. When I see that I am excited to create another piece. I have learned when I think I need to throw away a piece…..I hold on to it and later change or add and adjust that piece…reveal it and then someone comes to it and claims it for themselves. It might sit in my house for a couple of years…and then someone finds it and BAM! Just like that it becomes THEIR masterpiece. It is a wonderful feeling, emotion, unexplainable thing I feel. My life has created who I am today. An Artist. Daniel Quinonez. Artist.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Yeah! I really want that Art on my wall!

I had a very wondeful experience this past Sunday. I was a part of an Art walk on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore. Although you would not know there was an Art walk because of the amount of regular foot traffic. Every weekend this street is flooded with people locals and non-locals. It is like Santa Monica Pier. There is so much foot traffic. Everyone is there to either eat lunch or window shop. I new this going into this day. I figured if at the very least I would connect with interested people and give out my business card. I did not expect to sell anything unless I sold it at swap meet prices. Meaning negotiate to just sell it all. I don't think so. I watched the expressions of the people looking at my stuff. I do not work with a traditional medium let alone the way I paint....the colors are very bold and my style is different. I had so many people that were generous with their compliments but kept their wallet in their back pocket. I had one guy walk by with his wife looked me dead in the eyes as he was talking to his wife and said ..."yeah! I really want that Art on my wall" wow. How bold he was. Sarcasm you can cut with a knife. That is what you get in a public forum where it is not a controlled environment. It was not exclusively for Art..It was like I was a street vendor in the middle of Manhattan NY. I got lost in all the hustle and bustle. I had a great positive experience out of the whole day that made it all worth while. Several cars would drive by and they would have their car windows open and would loudly comment....wow! That's cool! Walker by's saying the same thing. If I took anything away from this it was a measuring point of where my work stands in the public eye. The average Joe does not buy Art. I understand it. But The average Joe doesnt care to look at it either...but I had everyone turning their heads. I am pleased.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Blank Art

Is there such thing as blank art? Art without feeling emotion or character. Art hat does not have a purpose or reason? It really upsets me when I talk with an artist and they tell me the reason they painted that 4k painting is because he felt like painting it. No reason. No feeling into it. He just wanted to paint that color and finish something because he needed to produce a piece for a show. He is a very talented artist. Very gifted. Yet when he just decides to just put a blotch on the canvas he sells it for shitloads of money. I guess he has a name that he earned and when you get to that point people just want your name written on the bottom right hand side on top of shit on a canvas. Wow! How comforting for the rest of us.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

What Inspires Your Art?

Can an artist paint just to paint and still be painting with passion? The first question is... Does that artist love painting and creating his work passionately? If that is the case then yes. I know quite a few people that are very talented and just paint to paint. When I ask them why they created a certain piece they tell me nothing specifically inspired them to create that piece they were just compelled to paint. Yet when you look at the piece it has so much drama and vibrant colors that tell a story of some emotion let loose. Although the artists might not have painted with a purpose reason or rhyme.. they painted with alot of passion and they surely displayed their love for it. There are artists that have so much anguish and pain from their life experiences that they use their art as a release. They display their pain for the world to understand their triunph and overcoming that pain and challenge. There are others that are genuinely just happy to be alive and feel positive energy and create pieces that reflect what they feel. Creating a piece of art is a very soulful experience almost "sacred" becuase it is very spiritual. I think revealing ones inner passion and soul is very special. It is very thought provoking for the viewer. When I go to galleries or museums and watch the people looking at the art they are very intensely into the piece they are enjoying. They are deeply in thought trying to connect with the artist. Or they are letting the piece connect with them. I truly belive that there is energy left in these paintings from the artist's soul. I have wanted to be a creator of art all my life for the world to enjoy. I have always wanted to be known as an artist. There are circumstances in which a true artist is called to take on this profession or "life" if you will. Some choose to be artists and are very gifted and have a good career at it. But for some reason those artists are very loose about their creative moment. I feel as if they are so lax about their gift. I hope I am wrong. I want every artists to be very passionate or like to think they all paint from their soul. I would love to think that my favorites were just as passionate and respectful of their gift. Their gift touches the masses in a very special way. I want to hope that they will paint with a sense of urgency that their positive input in their art to our world... will make some kind of cosmic or spritual awakening for the good of mankind. We are spiralling towards a dismal future for our children. I see that but I want to not worry so much. I do not want to waste precious moments away from my wonderful family in thought contemplating the worst instead creating pieces of work that they can all enjoy and love like I do. I want to enjoy other artists who create pieces that capture my imagination and thought. I love seeing others passion for what they are creating. I have a point here I just dont remember because I am so involved with my love for the passion of the creative process. That is where the Piece or work becomes a masterpiece.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Passion Emotion Feeling Pain love Exitement.......Art

Why can't we feel these things when we look at art? Why can't everyone feel these emotions when they look at art. I want to feel these emotions when I look at Art. I want to reach people that way. It is a very soulful act to paint. You have to be driven by something inside you. You have to feel deep within the recesses of your innermost thoughts and feel it in your gut. Gut check? yes that is it. Why cant the colours match the feeling you have at that moment. Why cant the artist say I feel BLACK or RED! Or Blue.....Instead their first feeling is blue and they say to themselves....but...that does not look right there...I better soften it up. That is where the piece begins to lose it's life.And then the artist feels intimidated by the extra texture he initially wanted to add. Then the piece loses it character. Again I say even though those 14-15th century artists were told and forced to paint royalty and probably they hated it yet they always found a way to convey to the audience that feeling they had when they painted that piece. You could see hints of despair in the faces of the subjects. the despair was not from the subject it was from the painter....saying...look at this fat piece of crap Queen. She sits around all day and orders her subjects to do this and that...and I have to depict her as this REGAL person. But regal is not pale. Regal is not lifeless. Regal is not having eyes that you look into and see a dead soul. A soul full of boredom no passion. The artists really captured what they felt. Why can we as artists paint with more love and emotion. Passion and Pain. Happiness and anger. Where are those true creative juices we have inside? Why are we intimidated by the status quo. Somewhere along the way we were taught to be cold. I was lifeless before. I thought I was no one. I thought I had no purpose. I looked in the mirror to only comb my hair.....I could not look at my own eyes and see what is in my soul. I can look now and see a person trying to get out...the person that needs to create. I am able to heal more....and the more I paint my soul strengthens. I GET to create masterpieces. I call them masterpieces because they are mine. Societies masterpiece is defined by their acceptance. What fits in their little mold. I hope to find a gallery or open a gallery to celebrate our passion for creating personal masterpieces to inspire others. There are so many lonely artists out there because they do not create. The produce.

I Wish I Could Paint Like You

Wow. What a week so far. There are so many opportunities for artists out there. So many opportunities to open peoples eyes to creating inspiration. Everyday I am networking to make my life breathing art 24-7. I want to be that "working artist" I know it will be a rough road. I don't know why but it is my destiny to create and leave a legacy with my work. Yet I still feel weak in the area of confidence for my abilities. It is funny I am having more and more people like my work and that is very humbling. I thought my work was only good enough for my hobby. Maybe it still is but Something inside me drives me to push and claw my way out of obscurity. I want my work to touch more people as it already has touched a small number. Yes of course I love what I do If I did not I would not do it. My confidence level needs to grow. I look at other artists work and it seems to come easy to them. They are so refined and that finished product they put out is so amazing. I often wonder if they put their heart into it because they are so talented. I wonder if they take advantage of their talent and expect it to be greatness. I have to restrain myself from saying that awful envious phrase"i wish i could paint like you" In reality I do not. I have people loving supporting people that do not want me to change the integrity of my style. I recently had a gallery comment they would not have my work on their walls. In a very sarcastic tone. Very deliberate. Like he was making sure that dagger delves deep into my soul where the inspiration comes from. What is that all about. I have recieved so many e-mails this week from galleries very politely replying to my submissions...thanks but at this time there is not a market for you in our gallery. I can accept that. And they always ad...keep looking and good luck with your........hey. I can take that. I know and I spoke on it in previous blogs...there are the assholes in this industry. the pretentious self loathing fools that believe their shit does not stink. I realize that and I have accepted that. I had a nice long talk with myself before I embarked on this journey of mine that I will be criticized as all artists are , visual, music, written...any art has a ying and yang to their work. They have a following of both sides. negative/positive. Without the positive you have no support. without the negative you have no drive or incentive. Incentive to prove them wrong. Incentive to validate your goals and the love of what you do. I really don't need that pat on the back but I do want to see the smiles and tears of the people I touch. I love to make people happy and see them appreciate the love I want to offer themt hrough my art. Yes a part of me wants to live through my art but that is not my focus. But a man has to eat. So I guess I dont want to paint like you. At least not in the physical sense. I do not want to steel your ideas or mimic your technique. I dont even want to be organized like you, I dont want to have that perfect composition either. I dont even want to have it come easy to me. I want to continue to create the way I create, it comes from my heart, it is a fight and a chore to do what I do. It takes all of my mind and heart. It takes all of my energy and yes I have to be in the mood. I have to be inspired. I have to be painting with purpose. yes my love for what I do transcends just painting and creating to just paint and create. It is meaningful and I have a reason I create. everyday I am so thankful and humbled by the gift I have been given to arrange colors and turn a very simple subject into a story to be told. "I wish I Could Paint More Like Me"

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Where Have You Been All My Life?

Loneliness is a very interesting friend. It never leaves your side. It always finds you when you dont really need it. You can never pin point why your lonely. You might be surrounded by loving people, have your optimum health, status and position in life to be envied. Everything will be clicking on all cylindes and still, there is loneliness. You sit there in a self pitty party every evening or quiet moment. Your in denial when your secret almost is found out by someone watching you unknowingly. You cannot look in the mirror to just look in the mirror or you will see what everyone sees but is afraid to mention. One day all that status, position, and sometimes health is either comprimised and or lest just say....it changes. Dramatically. Then you realize where the loneliness stems from. If you are lucky you make an attitude adjustment before it is too late. Then you realize where the heck have you been all my life? I have not been alone all this time. Our wonderful creator was always with me through my gifts. Through my family. Through my surroundings. Through strangers that need to be helped loved and brought out of the same bullshit lonneliness. I am awake. I am so glad I am awake. My art is my fullfillment. The love I get from strangers enjoying what I do. That is the payoff. The sad part is the days are going by so fast. The time is clicking like a sprint. The clock seems to have a fast hand that does not have mercy on our age. It doesnt. We have to create today. Think about it quickly and act on it. cancer has no value on "wait a minute" heart disease is not going to take a break from its mission. That high blood pressure is ready anytime. Everyday create. Love. Cherish. I am speaking not only to every artist and non artist that reads this but also to myself. Now I am realizing that in order to make something happen in your life you have to will it to happen. effort is involved. Alot of effort. Sacrifice is involved. A well planned out sacrifice of our time. Corporately I sacrificed precious moments of my loving family's time owed to them and traded it for status and position. My children lacked and desperately needed their time of mine. My marriage was stricken with the same. We find ourselves being selfish or caught up in societies little bad plan. Work, make money, spend, owe, make more to pay debt, work more to move up make more money to spend, sleep less to work more to spend more to stay at work. All the time having no time to enjoy what you bought in the first place and less time to spend it with the ones you love. Work all year to have 5 days. Do we really enjoy what we do for a living? And why is it called "a living" Do we really enjoy what we do "till Death?"  When yo are working to pay your debt it is not called living. It shouldbe called a waste of time. I talked to a friend recently and she is fnally doing somethin she loves. She is a caregiver. She loves helping people. her only drawback is getting too attached because in essence she is preparing them for death. Elderly, terminal patients and I am sure in some cases there are patients in need of care untill they get better....but they need love in anycase. They need proper care. The rewards must be tremendous. I personally applaud the medical profession. My mother was a 35 year veteran of the nursing profession. She loved every moment of it until they ran her out of the hospital because they said she was too old. Forgive me....but that is fucked up. She enjoyed it. She loved helping people and she was devestated. But she overcame. She is my hero. She had been running marathons since a car wreck that should have crippled her in 1983. She still runs to this day at 70. Well....more like power walking. I bet those people that said to her she was too old cannot walk a mile in her shoes. My point in all this rant? If you are an artist..paint, sculpt, draw, sing.....do whatever it is God gave you to enjoy this life and inspire others to do the same. Make the positive wheel spin. Make it the top 5 of things to do aside from your family and loved ones. if you are a non artistic take the same advice. Find a way to inspire people to love cherish hope and be comforting to strangers in need when the opportunity presents itself. you will know in your heart when it s time.What I find really hysterical is that there are some artists that feel they are all together and they are so talented and wonderfully gifted but yet they are so desperate. they cannot find happiness in their work. they cannot find fullfilment in what they PRODUCE. And that is essentially the problem right there they are producing pieces of work instead of CREATING masterpieces. Their souls is being cheated of releasing love. they do not connect with their innerself. Creating pieces of artwork is for everyone to enjoy and be inspired. Or creating pieces to inspire the artists themsekves to be reminded of their gift. The gift that brings them love and joy. Lonely is the artist that does not create.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Excited with a Tad Anxiety.

I am so excited for what the future holds. A new chapter in my life has opened. So many people are interested in what I do. I want the whole world to see and experience my passion for Art. With that comes opening myself up to criticisms as well. One thing is when you become open in a public forum not everyone is happy dappy. There are people out there with their own opinions. There are people out there with special feelings. People are unhappy expecially right now in these days of uncertainty. I am there for the people that want to be inspired and want to feel good about what I and my peers create. I want to reach those people and interact with them. IF my future is limited to tonight and I say my goodbyes at dinner tonight to my beautiful family. Put my head down to sleep and relax into my last breath...then I made my mark in peoples hearts as an artist already. I am content. I wanted that my whole life and I have recently acheived that. It was the most fullfilling experience. If I am priveledged enough to see tomorrow and have the opportunity to touch more people and feel that feeling of warmth and comfort you feel when people are connected to you through Art then.....I look forward to that moment...For it is only a moment and I will treasure that moment. Right now is guaranteed as we live it. We are guaranteed the second we live in. Anything after that we are inspired to acheive something special or feel thankful we can get past that point in time. As for relating these deep thoughts of life.....Art is but another way to express my love for all the wonderful people I know, have met, have yet to meet and those who see me from afar with love in their hearts for knowing me and for what I do. For those that I have wronged I can only pray to the God i believe in to show them some love through me and hopefully one day they can smile with me in this lifetime. Create 2 Inspire. Create to Inspire Love in our hearts. Create to Inspire Peace through the Arts. Create to Inspire living every moment.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Creative Addiction

We all have a dream in life to reach some goal we internally set for ourselves. We all either dream about it daily or work towards it in some sort of way. Some people want to be fireman and they spend hours in school and classes training to get accepted into an academy. Some people want to be policeman and do the same. Some people want to get into the medical field and sacrifice their personal time for that dream to be a reality. People have dreams for careers that take them almost a lifetime to reach the standards and goals they want to reach. Some people have service as a dream. Helping people and not worrying about the income earning. They dream of the satisfaction of the well being of others. We all have expectations for our lives. We all want something. I want to create pieces of work to make people happy and inspired. I want to make people forget about the drama in their lives when they look at my art. I love to create and see people enjoy the fruits of my labor. Does this make sense. Some artists are into themselves and getting their emotion and passion out on their medium to fulfill something internal. The public is never to see it. Some artists are shown and their work inspires others and they would rather it be for themselves. Some artists want to express to the world who they are and be very open. They want to inspire and show everyone the love they have in their art. I get a true satisfaction when people are happy to see my work. I get deep feelings when I see someone gazing upon my pieces for a period of time. The other night I had my firts showing in a local Art event. It was amazing to me when I saw people stand and talk about my art. it was a wonderful feeling. Creating the pieces take alot of emotion energy and feeling. I want the people seeing my art to feel what I feel. It is very addicting to create. Create for any reason. Creating for others to see feel and enjoy.