Walter Askin - Preaching to the Choir
Watercolor painting by Walter Askin.
Artist Statement: Growing up in a rented house in Pasadena I had delighted in drawing small figures and boats in the rose-patterned wallpaper. One day my mother noticed my designs while talking to a salesman at the front door. That such a wonderful, kindly and generous person became so angry upon spying my drawings drew me into a state of awe and I have, since that very early age, been addicted to artistic expression and committed to a life in art. Today, at 90, my work is involved with ideas that focus upon delectation, delight, sublimation, sensuosity, joy, exultation and mystery. I find these realms to be energizing and life-giving and hope my work now melodic and harmonic in nature will arouse similar interests and peaceful connections in contemporary culture.
The real joy is in making a better, more calm, more serene, more alive, more playful, more focused, more directed, more life filled existence - perhaps even dipping into the realm of visionary - for the time we're here.
Artist Statement: Growing up in a rented house in Pasadena I had delighted in drawing small figures and boats in the rose-patterned wallpaper. One day my mother noticed my designs while talking to a salesman at the front door. That such a wonderful, kindly and generous person became so angry upon spying my drawings drew me into a state of awe and I have, since that very early age, been addicted to artistic expression and committed to a life in art. Today, at 90, my work is involved with ideas that focus upon delectation, delight, sublimation, sensuosity, joy, exultation and mystery. I find these realms to be energizing and life-giving and hope my work now melodic and harmonic in nature will arouse similar interests and peaceful connections in contemporary culture.
The real joy is in making a better, more calm, more serene, more alive, more playful, more focused, more directed, more life filled existence - perhaps even dipping into the realm of visionary - for the time we're here.