Neil Sherman
Grand Marais, MN
Artist Statement

            Being out in nature is one of my greatest passions.  Possibly greater than painting, but painting landscapes has taken me to another level in my experience with the great outdoors.  I remember thinking about all of the outdoor adventures I’d had and how awesome all of those experiences were; I also remember wondering what more could there be to nature than navigating her remote waterways in summer, tromping through her blankets of snow in winter and sleeping out under her stars at night.  I found the answer in painting.  I can now wander down forest paths and record her secret niches; I can stand at water’s edge and capture the waves lapping at the shores.  Painting has become an extension of my experiencing the outdoors.  I will always pass through her splendor wide eyed and wondering, yet too I shall be able to squint way down and really see what makes nature so beautiful.

 I believe that great paintings are based on empathy.  The greater the ability of the artist to identify and relate to the circumstances that pose in front of him or her, the closer the artist comes to capturing the truth about that person, place or thing.  I also think that great paintings reveal emotion before technique.

 I know that painting out in nature is not easy and so a disciplined work ethic is required.  You must be able to maintain enthusiasm when you run up against a wall knowing that struggle is part of the process.  It is when you surmount the wall that the great prize is revealed to you:  knowledge and experience.  Without empathy, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience, great painting doesn’t exist.

 The idea of capturing a particular moment and finding the greater truths in nature are what move me to paint.

for Neil Sherman

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