‘The soul of the commonest object... seems to us radiant.’ James Joyce
There is a moment when we experience something and the world stops. We see a red leaf, hear a phrase of music, smell a glass of wine, taste a small piece of cheese or feel the texture of a sweater and we are absorbed by the present and into a state of appreciation and gratitude.
My challenge, which I believe is the challenge of most artists, is how to convey to another human being the appreciation—and often the rapture—of what I have seen or heard. All of us had the experience of seeing something in our mind’s eye and wanting to express it to someone else. In that transition between my own experience and yours, in what I present to you, lies the opportunity for frustration and sometimes despair, as well as satisfaction and sometimes joy.
If I am able to move you by showing you beauty in a common, everyday object, I will be very pleased.
Thank you for coming and seeing.
John Wood
