John Newlander Fine Art

Borders 2006

http://www.beaverstreetgallery.com/archive

I believe that meaning is created once something can be related to personal experience.  Thus I begin each new project by reflecting upon those issues that affect my experience as a mid-life male.  Of current interest to me is the intersection of place and identity. 

As a resident of Laguna Beach, California, I look at the people who walk on my beaches and wonder if they are “locals” or tourists.  Does it matter?  Is one’s perceived identity simply distorted by the lens through which they are viewed?  Is identity simply a matter of context? 

As a resident of Orange County, California, I look at the borders of my county and wonder if it is different on the other side.  Does it matter?  How much do we define the place where we live versus how much does the place where we live define us?

 I seek to raise questions, not to dictate answers.  While the questions that I raise are not new, I attempt to revisit them in contemporary terms.   Ultimately, I will consider my art successful if the viewer can relate personally to the questions suggested by my imagery.

John Newlander – June, 2006