Capturing all we see or feel and then, take it to our interior is the first step to reach the philosophical concept of what the painter wants to express in his canvas.

The materialization of the work is the least important in its achievement, as the master is supposed to master his profession.

The essential thing is to clearly have the concept of what we want to paint in mind, that is, having it already painted in the mind.

I do not try, in this discourse, to develop a philosophical thesis on concepts and painting, but I would anyway like to clarify, if I can, my thoughts about that passage of the philosophical treatise of painting to the theology of artistic creation.

My starting point is - I have already expressed it in several of my thoughts- that the sole creator that exists is God. He created everything our senses can perceive. We, artists, use the perceived feelings to create works of art, but always based on something that already exists, which has already been created; that is why us, artists, and in order to use language correctly, we only recreate. You can argue that we can give life to something new from something that has already been created and that we capture…, and I would agree… we can, and in fact we call it that way, create; and I would also accept that, but always under the acceptance of the following premises:

1st  That the only creator is God
2nd That the artist has been given a gift with which we are born and that we can and must develop it.
3rd That the great work of art is only achieved when the artist buries himself in his work as an instrument and lets himself as such be led.

Only with devotion and work… having a clear philosophical concept of painting, which depends on the theological concept of creation, only in this way I shall repeat, will the only existing path to be able to realize those works of arts that will mark the life of the artist be walked.

I am convinced that these works of art, scattered all through the world we admire, have been realized by exceptional artists and that in the process of creation, conscious or unconsciously, they have let themselves be led by what I catalogue as “instruments”, which others may qualify as inspiration. But I personally believe, as many other artists do, that inspiration comes with work, it is intrinsic to the process of the work, so it does not come from and unknown place of our mind, but it is there, in the process of the work of art, always accompanying work, it just has to be discovered.

I want to end today these thoughts in this line, but there will be more occasions in which I will reflect about the fears, the strength of the instinct and the demons all artists we are surrounded by.

Jorge Rando, Hamburg, July 2009