From The Soul Of An Artist

by Mark Cottman


When I paint I feel the power of the Creator through my body, focusing the energy to my hand


The wonders of nature, a baby’s smile, the sweet contours of a woman are but a few images I carry in my mind


I thank the Creator for this gift


For letting me free fall into the missing pieces of my life and fill them with the wonder of colors and feelings


My emotions run rampant as part of me is poured into every canvas I touch


The drama of life is played out so vividly during the painting process


The joy of mixing the colors and applying them with buttery ease


The demand from my visions to be a better artist and human being


The challenge of working through an image until it takes form


The surprise of the completed work, knowing that it is much more than what I imagined


I stand back absorbing the finished fruit


Trying to hear what my subconscious is whispering


I have no choice but to paint what is true in my heart


Like a dream, the truth is not only in the image but also what it symbolizes