James Rose

Whether I have painted a forest, the harbor, the beach, or the subway, I have looked for elemental qualities that harmoniously work together to build a whole. What I call “elements” are units and pieces that are woven through the fabric of what I see. They are representations of people, urban infrastructure, plants, rocks, clouds, and water.

I find the aesthetic in seeing the subject, and discover balance in how the elements exist together. The subject is always scenic and taken from my own experience. I live in NYC and spend many of my days in nature around the city.

Water is the most fascinating element to me. It conceptually represents life to me. It is in us, and around us. It sustains us. And it is beautiful. I find water in my paintings more and more. I recall an interview with a Native American elder, describing how his culture believes there is a great source of water under our Earth, that we were born from it, and in the next age it will rise up and consume us and we will become one with it again. Our connection to water is undeniable. Water heals and refreshes. When I enter the water everything in my consciousness changes.

For years I painted people moving through the subway system, and in a way that is like painting a river. If I paint a forest, it is also filled with trees, who are also drinking thousands of gallons of water. But I have recently cut out the go betweens (or at least given them a supporting role) and focused on the water itself.

When my focus on water began, I looked mostly at its surface and the way it reflected light, but now I am trying more to also show what is in the water. I am attempting to layer the paint to show this and also use color to give this illusion. I see the rocks at the bottom of the stream, and their golden hue through the clear currents. It is very important that I get the visual representation right, but I also do not want to lose my own personality in the painting or any thing that may happen accidentally that is also important or impactful. I want a playful quality to exist in my work. I want to transcend representation and make a connection between what I see, how I feel, and what I believe.

Will water become the perpetuous element of my paintings? There is a good chance. According to astrologists we are entering the Age of Aquarius. My home city of New York spends billions on protecting its financial center from rising waters. I will be here to paint its sublime beauty