Artists

Anthony Liggins

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a citizen and artist of the world. I may hang my hat in the southern United States, but my art is informed and revealed by the images, colors, and flavors of the world around me. I like taking people on a journey, captured in a moment of time when their eyes connect with the painting. I am just a messenger here to motivate and stimulate through technique, color and imagination.

With that thought in mind and if you look really close, you will see the message that is up for interpretation- color moves people. I try to convey that through my artwork. Different color combinations set a tone. We all want to be surrounded by positive energy. I try to send that energy through my body of work. There is an alpha and omega in the body of work.

Art should be uplifting and should challenge the thought process, but should be a peaceful process as well. Sometimes it is the things not seen but felt that are the most important, such as when you walk into a room and the art on the wall speaks to you. That is what I am striving for; the internal relationship that is established when the painting talks to you.

My art has evolved over the last few years from bright geometric images into vivid abstracts. My latest bodies of work feature canvasses drenched in the colors of sunsets and moon glows, emitting dreamlike images. My multi-layered painting technique allows light to expose the undertones in the work, producing the effect of optical illusions. Found objects such as aged bamboo, stones, metal and other talismans are incorporated into some of the pieces, adding further dimension. These paintings reflect my continued study of the famous Chinese philosopher and painter, Gao Xing Jian and Eastern philosophies such as Japanese Wabi Sabi and Zen.

Sacred Language is an unspoken dialogue between the audience and the art; the art in the form of visual but also in other forms such as dance and music. It is a journey through the emotion, the passion, the present, and the creative experience that takes place in one's mind. Sacred Language is a place where silence is golden and knowledge deepens through enlightenment. The paintings possess three dimensional objects, shadow boxes, plexiglass, ebony wood and deep layers. A reflection of ancient beauty is seen within the earth-tone colors that contain burnt oranges and natural browns; appearing to be rustic and old when actually new. The art exudes passion, which can only be felt if one has experienced inner spirituality. Sacred Language is a desire to be that changes with each individual's perception, speaking in everlasting words to the soul.