If ONLY I had a helicopter

invite-if-only

Being a painter is how I communicate. Walking around this incredible city of Vancouver, my eye is forever wandering. Drinking in the essence of Vancouver, the light, the sounds, the smells, it all goes into a tumble to become my own. Recently, while trying to get a higher perspective the thought “If ONLY I had a helicopter” came to mind. Always having a sense of whimsy, these paintings were then titled and born. Pigments gliding across the surface, each level crucial to the other. Creativity has a rhythm that flows between periods of high, sometimes manic, activity and slow times that can feel like slumps. Each period is necessary and can’t be skipped just like the natural seasons are interdependent and crucial. No one can drive cross-country on a single take of gas. In the same way, there is a constant need to frequently renew the source of inspiration and drive. Often, this requires solitude for periods of time. Creativity is about human expression and communicating deeply. It is impossible to give what I don’t have, and can only take someone as far as I have gone myself. A writer once told me that an artist must scream at the page if they want a whisper to be heard. In the same way, I must feel deeply if I am to communicate. Known to be a notorious procrastinator because I do my best work under pressure. I subconsciously, and sometimes purposefully, delay my work until the last minute simply to experience the rush of the challenge. All I know, as my age gets higher is, there may be some rust on the outside, but the inside still runs like a top. While there are some hidden meanings within the paintings, there is no sudden answer. The requirement is nothing more than your attention… John Ferrie, January, 18th, 2016

— John Ferrie —