I came to a massive realisation tonight (30th June 2022).

I spent my childhood and art classes and everyone around me taught me that realistic art = TALENT.

The ability to recreate a painting and make it look like a photo means you’re an artist. Accuracy means artistic ability.

My abstract, expressive, intuitive style intentionally tries to steer away from realism. Don’t ever tell me to draw within the lines because I won’t!!!

But many a time, people have told me that my work isn’t real art. That I am not a real artist. Especially in the Jewish orthodox world where there is little appreciation for art as it is, people would tell me that my work was nice but not genuine fine art.

But tonight, as I gazed at yet another artist’s perfectly drawn landscape painting of Jerusalem, I realised something.

Those accurate artists are often not creating a new visual. Their job is to copy, colour for colour, shape for shape, whatever is in front of them. Yes of course it requires skill and they are incredibly talented. But my artistic style is also a valid and important method by which to create art and deserves credit.

For my paintings to work, I need to create from imagination. I do not use source images and photos to base my work on. My paintings are an amalgamation of ideas, images, thoughts and philosophy.

I don’t know why it took me so long to appreciate and respect my own art and my artistic journey.

But I am finally there.