Stewart Beckett

Invention forges the way in Art as it does in many aspects of life. Some artists choose to ride the crest of this wave battling convention to achieve greatness. But once this crest has passed and the new becomes the old and invention is surpassed what then? Do we not have a responsibility to keep alive that which enabled us to get to the next thing? Information is hard won and once lost can sometimes take generations to re-attain if at all. My Art practice is not based on the new or the invention, instead I focus my attentions on the now and how we got here. With what has been learned, trying to use that information to keep it alive. So often in our modern society we pass our own understanding of things over to someone or something else to figure out or make sense of. I have always had an inquisitive mind and the need to understand how certain things are done. My current exploration is into the world of painting more specifically oil painting. Looking at how such beauty and skill can be attained and passed on to another human being. I believe that we need more balance in our society yes, we need progress but not at the expense of what we already know. I am not advocating that any one area of art is better or worse than another. If you look at the ebb and flow of art history, there are always times of invention and re-invention. I see my art practice as an unfashionable knowledge bearer holding on to skill and information to pass it on to the next generation that seeks it.