present global art gallery sheila isham artist statement

The work of the past five decades has been formed both by the influences of a variety
of cultures and by inner imperatives that go beyond art. Living, studying, and painting
in Western Europe, Russia, Hong Kong, India, and Haiti have each in their own way
changed the understanding of aesthetics, the creative process, and even the forces of
nature. Becoming immersed in those cultures, it was possible to draw on new rhythms,
colors, and symbols, in the context of a universal human condition and its spiritual
aspirations.

For instance, studying calligraphy with a Chinese master in Hong Kong opened up a
whole world with its own techniques, aesthetic values, philosophy, and deep connection
to nature. That experience resulted in series of abstract paintings for which the
traditions of Chinese art were just the original impetus. The effort to integrate other
cultures with Western painting was often a challenge, but an enormously exciting and
rewarding one.

Through fluctuating cultural influences and tragic circumstances, including a studio fire,
and hardest of all the loss of a daughter, there has been a real sense of continuity. First,
from the beginning there was no contradiction between abstraction and figurative–they
are intertwined and interrelated. Since one comes out of the other, it has been possible
to move between these two ways of seeing the world. Second, there has always been
the feeling that nature is the greatest teacher. Nature has been present in its many
forms–as cosmic energy, as this world’s earthy life, and as specific plants and animals.

Third, the most basic continuity, behind all the changes in art and events, came with the
recognition that some deeply rooted and unchanging source of energy and truth
remained constant. With this came the awareness that by following the creative
process, with all its mysteries, one could overcome all sorts of conflicts and could
surmount barriers that otherwise would have been overwhelming. The intention is for
this work to allow the viewer that sense of peace while experiencing their own inner
nature.

-John Mendelsohn