Critique

These paintings self-demonstrate an expansion of my consciousness that is beginning to accommodate holistic thought. It has entailed an awakening technique exemplified in Betty Edwards' 1979 book DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN: The right hemisphere is activated sufficiently for the whole mind to recognize and moderate continuous "chatter" coming from the left hemisphere. Talking to ourselves constantly, if not to others, tends to dominate consciousness habitually with fluid torrents of verbalization. In short, we humans are hooked on language itself without realizing it.

Transcending that inner torment amounts to personal maturity; the very essence of Platonic education. It has been called "individuation" by Jung and "self-actualization" by Maslow.

Northop's mid-century masterpiece, THE MEETING OF EAST AND WEST, was premised on a growing human ability to think both "intellectually" and "aesthetically" that would release the species from the confusion of too much talk. In fact when both our inner and outer conversations are quieted down, we can all see things at a more instructively universal level. The simply obvious appears at high abstract--beyond words--as the fabled forest emerges from foggy trees. By showing how it happens, the paintings advance John Dewey's reconstruction of human philosophy.

Jim McCord
From Big John's Lodge
Springfield, Missouri December 29,1991

Along Route 66

More will be added to the Route 66 Series
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