Ocean Face

by Shane
(Seattle WA)

Ocean Face

I was raised in a very strict, oppressive, authoritative, religious environment. All of my parents circle of associations were equally religious. I am being polite and downplaying just how religious my parents and what my upbringing was like.

So, as one can imagine, a 13 year old boy being raised in an environment that did not encourage social evolution. That only encouraged religiosity, and discouraged everything that was counter culture of their perceived world view. I had aspirations of becoming a fantasy artist and I had absolutely nobody encouraging my artistic endeavors.

At this juncture in my life I had embarked on a creative trek to become creatively unique. I was drawing everything that I could think of that could be considered as fantasy art surrealism. I had discovered Salvador Dali then and his work had a huge impact over my own. I was just drawing everything that I considered to be cool.

So, a woman friend of my parents, told me that I needed to change my style. If I didn't amend my artistic style I would never become successful as an artist. According to her narrow world view, everything that contradicted that perception would never be successful.

So I am actually very proud of this drawing because I discovered at the tender age of 13, that my art could invoke an emotional response in people. My art had elicited an emotional response in her. I understood that people interact with their environment with emotions first. If something is interjected into their world that causes disruption or makes them feel insecure, they respond.

And, my art was the CATALYST of her unnerving. I DID THAT TO HER! (if I could utilize curse words right now I would) My art had morphed into something that it previously never incorporated. Not only was it a vehicle of refuge for me, to get away and escape from my oppressive environment, I could then strike back at tormentors and oppressors. My art had become my salvation and I knew then I would be an artist for the rest of my life.

And I did strike back back at my environment. My pad and pencils became an awesome behemoth of agitation and disruption everywhere that my parents took me. Wherever I went, I was looking for new, ingenious and creative ways to cause disharmony. I was determined to never become a cohesive extension of my environment but to be the cause disruption and anarchy.

They could not stop me from drawing, because I would just find a pen, pencil, and paper somewhere else. They soon became educated that it was far better to leave me to my own state of affairs and how I wanted my person-hood to be.

They were socially oblivious entities and I was determined to coexist in a world view that did not ostracize my fellow man, or their world view and their existence. My art reflected my intentions and my peers who had a desire to become inclusive in their parents world view soon realized that I was a lost sheep in need of redemption. My art was my great liberator and the redemption I had achieved wasn't the kind of salvation they had imagined.

Art is a kind of philosophy and it was through one illustration that I had created that offered me a way of living. My art did not reflect dissension or ostracize anybody who did not share my perceptions, instead it was inclusive of everybody that was different. Art offers insight to ideas that may elude comprehension because of our own ignorances through no fault of our own. Mankind fears that which we do not understand, and fear is the engine that drives hate. Art breaks down boundaries that separate mankind and offers a vehicle to gain education and understanding of our fellow men and knowledge is liberation.

That is what this one illustration means to me.

***Note from Kerry:
Shane, your art obviously brings you great joy. You should be proud of what you have been able to achieve, despite all obstacles.