What You Get is What You See

If you look at a thing 999 times, you are perfectly safe; if you look at it for the 1000th time, you are in danger of seeing it for the first time.”   G. K. Chesterton 

“The trick is in learning to really see what we are seeing. We become lazy or complacent. We look a a chair and think, ho hum, there is a chair. Instead, we can look at that chair and see the interesting abstract shapes. We can see how the color and value change as light moves around the form. We can see the pattern of the cast shadow.

When our eyes become sensitive to the world around us, then we no longer have to look for ideas. They are everywhere, and the challenge is simply to choose the ones we like best.

I believe that any object can provide the basis for a painting, from the most romantic to the most utilitarian, from roses to paper bags. The secret is to focus not on what the object is or does but rather on how it looks. Notice its shape, color, texture, and value, it’s abstract visual qualities.

That is not to say that what the object is doesn’t matter. Certainly a painting of flowers has a very different emotional impact from a painting of buildings. However, painting is a visual art, built on the way things look, not what they mean. So when you choose an object to paint, select it first for its visual characteristics.”    Carole Katchen

            DZ Reference Photo                        DZ,  Tan Chair 1                  DZ,  Tan Chair 2 

Wolf Kahn: I believe that art exists to celebrate the visual sense rather than to make a political statement. As a private citizen I am interested in politics, but not as an artist. Art is about spontaneity and enthusiasm: it shouldn’t be too ordered or too rigid. It’s about fluidity and an open interpretation of what the artist “sees.”

Eric Cohler: And this view extends through your personal life as well?

Wolf Kahn: Absolutely. I’m a passionate gardener as well as a collector and teacher. I celebrate life in all its forms. Put simply, I love beauty.