Writings  

Money and Morals

Why do we charge so much as artists for a painting or artwork? Because, artwork is free to view in most cases, for those who are poor. Those who can afford the artwork are those in need of moral lessons the most, most of the time. So, we charge them for them. Therefore, the artists remain poor and benefit from riches from time to time and the wealthy remain rich and benefit from us from time to time. Both are satisfied in the end if dedicated to each other. We to their morality, them to our survival as artists.

And I don't mean to say that as artists we have it all figured out, there is much left to be done in our realm. In the moral realm. But with an immaterial view one can accomplish much. So, trust in us to investigate what is right and what is wrong. Our job is this:  in the light we receive our orders and with the light we try to create what we and others will perceive as good for everyone. Beauty is this.

We put in the time outside of our day jobs to communicate loss and gain, beauty, enrichment, and enlightenment. So much in this world goes unsaid until an artist says it. So many work and work and work without the time to create or the desire to. As artists, we are dedicated, devoted to, and disciplined in making the time to create. Our hours should not go unmeasured. Our cause of expression should not go unmeasured. We reflect the culture and its needs.

I have been struck by the disgruntlement of friend's desires to purchase my artwork that is out of their budget and too costly for them, as have many of my artist friends. I have traded artwork with artist friends to satisfy our needs. I have given away artwork to those in need. I have donated artwork to auctions with good causes. I have sold artwork directly. I have sold artwork through my dealers. I am not satisfied, yet.

It takes time and rightfully so. As Paul Simon once said in a song of his, "Proof is the bottom line for everyone." You must, as an artist, prove to community the art's worth. The proof at times goes unnoticed for a very long time, but have faith. If it is a worthy cause you may go to your grave unnoticed, I don't know. It happens. Resurgence happens. Acknowledgment of a cause happens in one's lifetime, from time to time.

My solution to this is to keep working. With or without monetary gain from the cause, from my painting, from my writing. Just keep going and it will come eventually, I feel. It's a positive outlook, naturally. And if we go to our graves underwhelmed by monetary gain so be it. I do have faith that one day, before or after death, that my cause will go understood. I have this belief that when the time is right it will come to those who deserve it most. Perhaps the same could be said for those who cannot afford the artwork of others, or their own. That one day, if they love it dearly enough, they will be able to receive what they want and might need, as well. 

The question should not be, "Who was the most skilled artist of their times?" Or, of any times, but one of, "Does the piece of artwork skillfully render the message clearly?" It shouldn't be about a flourishing of skill so much as it should be about sufficiency of technique, that is, "Does the artwork I am looking at have what it takes to communicate effectively and sufficiently, on some levels of feeling, and thinking?"

Because, as we know of there are the rudimentary forms present in this world as we know it, and the lavishly produced at this time. It is a matter of tone to me.

-Damon Freed

The Spiritual in Art

First, what I know, is that the spirit has nothing to do with religion. It is not confounded by it, not encased within it, nor does it belong to art. It has been long associated with these things, but, one can look at it this way. It travels in and out of things, and, at times - it wanes. Living the spiritual life is a hard way to live. It belongs to life, the spirit does, but also to the soul. To all things alive, and to some objects imbued with its life. We call its process sublimation, and perhaps, even transmutation of materials. Lovingly, we communicate with it. Caringly, we also, communicate with it. As a people, we have a way of harnessing it. We, as humans know what it is. But it is hard to locate if unaware. It is not unattached the way you might think of it as a separate entity from ourselves, at least not most of the time. It permeates our materials when we are invested and positive, most of the time. I would like to say that it is dark at times, as well. Or it can be.

Depending on the persons. It travels, to my knowledge, most aptly through nature's materials. The nighttime is frightening at times. Its presence we recognize, it frightens us. We know it holds a power to keep us safe, but we must listen and recognize it. There are some people whom it frightens more than others, but as artists we are taught to harness its presence.

At other times let it go.

Just create.

Do not fear what you don't understand,

and it may guide you.

Positive and negative go hand in hand.

It is the essence of objects made by hand. It is the vessel

by which we experience and understand. Our mediums are referred to as such.

They are called mediums for this reason. In one ear and out the other at times, or at least that's what I know. Hocus pocus is what many have referred to it as! Or, you know, like hippy shit!

You must understand its potential to regulate it. At times it guides us. And at other times it guides others. This is what I mean, it comes, and it goes within ourselves as it exits our being's creations. It travels like I said. In and out of things and people, we are born with it, and at times - others are as well...

From the beginning of time it must have been with us people and with gods. We know this to be true, but it is such a difficulty knowing this at times. People speak of it. They know it to be true. But we must try to see it without looking. In the mind's eye as they say. As they say. So, behave and inspiration will be with you. I think this is a good way to put, it. Have the power to speak of it... and it will bless you!

Thank you!

Toward the Indefinable, 2003-Present

In my first two years of graduate school I was making paintings that illustrated the spatial effects of two distinct environments. I was combining into each work what I believed to be an extraction and simulation of the far reaching space experienced in Kansas, near where I grew up in Missouri, and the imposing space found in New York City; the two foremost experiences that could potentially describe my history of spatial observation. The idea was delineated quite literally using opposing visual techniques. It wasn't until my third year of graduate school that I became increasingly dissatisfied with these works that emphasized observation and the external world. I began to thoroughly question ideas of nature. Was it something more strictly tangible, seen in the landscape or cityscape, or rather something internal at its core, more psychological in my perception and less apparent in surface? I needed a means of working that would shake off the obvious references to the objective world. I wanted to deal more directly with what I realized to be a deeply human content rooted both in fact and visual phenomenon, the material quality of painting itself, as well as with personal emotion. My newly discovered understanding of nature was predominantly metaphysical in presence. (Not to be confused with belief in a divine force.) My attention in all areas of life shifted. I moved away from the current academic and art gallery trends and theories that had more to do with observation. I reviewed the history of nonobjective painting and artist's writings, philosophy, poetry, and cinema that involved emotion and the expression of the intangible functioning of thought to a greater degree. My thoughts were foremost directed toward furthering my awareness of the unseen content of life, what I believe to be the most compelling force within us, yet the most challenging subject. Painting that has left the boldest impression on my memory has often been emotive or nonobjective in content, more mysterious and elusive in retinal appearance, but never a mere shocking display of optical trickery and illusion. I have always felt a freedom with nonobjective painting that has allowed me to experience art and life more intimately, more exclusively within my mind and not the creator's. These works have encouraged me to seek a deeper understanding of the nature of myself, therefore of the world. This has to do with the paintings' lack of specificity directed toward the concrete world and rather toward a specificity of formlessness inherent to abstract emotion and introspective questioning, a psychological content. This too is a factual content, yet more elusive than that which may be observed in the tangible world. Meaning in my work now originates out of the expressive quality and movement of shape and color, and by the manner in which the shape and color is pronounced and situated within the rectilinear formats. Both shape and color possess the unknown factor, the mystery, where I believe the meaning to be concentrated. I am trying to bring this new form into the world, one that is guided by personal and universal content and is specifically recognized as such. I hope the form is unique both in its personality and look, and that it carries with it the indefinable content of life, discovery, and mystery.