It is probably the teacher in me that is the compulsion behind me wanting to write these essays. Old habits die hard, as they say. I feel the need to write for a number of reasons. Besides wanting to impart some of my collected knowledge, I think it is important to examine areas that we all tend to take for granted. No-one has a monopoly on knowledge and after giving my six pennyworth, I would like to hear other opinions on the subject matter here, or indeed anything that you consider is relevant, especially in the field of ideas relating to art. Feel free to email me at alan@alanreedart.com or use the 'email comment' page in the menu.

Reality An artist’s goal must be to  attempt a personal reflection of the world, not to mimic it, but to bring out and amplify some truths that are instantly recognised.
These truths through time have always been elusive, and they are often clouded by our own beliefs, prejudices and how our senses perceive the world.

But you may ask what is real? Mathematicians and physicists now openly discus ‘the eleven dimensions’ . These may seem very strange and unbelievable to an ordinary person, but dimensions are very real to a scientific  view of the universe. Recent research seems to show that an understanding of other dimensions is the key to a better understanding of how our universe came into being.

One important way to investigate reality may be  to investigate ourselves, for what world exists outside ourselves? When all senses are removed, what is there? The answer is the imagination.

Imagination is what makes us human and frees us from what we perceive. The power of the mind was well known to the ancient mystics. Gods and goddesses, trolls, elves and goblins and all manner of other entities have existed, and have been believed to be real, in the minds of men. 

Beauty And what of 'beauty'? There are many definitions of beauty for they mean different things to different people. Depending on your point of view 'beauty' might be a sunset, a mountain, a woman's face, a crystal, a vintage car, a sleek yacht or an old man's face.

It might be patterned, an image of symmetry and perfection or a celebration of imperfection. Beauty is just so subjective. As they say, it is 'in the mind of the beholder'.

And this is the link with my former discourse on reality. Beauty appears to be a construct of imagination. The mind invents, alters and contrasts what it perceives to make sense of it. It attempts a construct of reality, with each individual producing a different picture.So what of my art? I truly hope that you will find some beauty in my art, some joy and some grace. Whether you like it or hate it is of no importance. That you stayed a while and reflected on it is enough for me.

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