Jeanjoel Spatafora

My father was an Italian painter and my mother a famous Creole cabaret dancer in Italy. Needless to say I was raised in a very creative environment.

We traveled all over the world and it opened my eyes to the notion that we are all connected. I was also exposed to various religions and philosophies but it’s when I learned Transcendental Meditation that the connection became a visceral one.

T.M. showed me all the level of mental activity; from the chaotic, energetic waves of the surface of the ocean to the stillness quality of a lake where I can finally see through into the depth of my mind.

It is from within this depth that I paint. What I see and feel are in a flux  so I try to take a “snapshot” and express it on canvas. I see that all space is full and I try to convey that by having my subjects ebb and flow into each other.

I apply colors intuitively by putting “on hold” everything I’ve learned about its theory. Painting is an act of self discovery, much like if you want to know the sound of your voice, you must speak. I work with acrylic paint because I can create textures immediately. Because the paint dries fast, I’m able to express all aspects of my mind as it moves from one state to another.

Painting is like a communion of self, object and the act of perceiving.