Visions Of Paradise Lost


Bio

My name is Sam, & I am a visual artist with a focus in painting. I see music and poetry as a visionary experience trapped in a moment of time. Exploring the connection between music and lyrics has been at the forefront when I engage in breaking down personal experiences, so I can explore how tone. analogies, and self-expression influence each other and create new meanings in the world. While pursuing my MFA at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and completing my BFA at the School of The Art Institute Chicago (SAIC), I have always had a strong connection to music. Its influence can be seen in my artwork for the music industry as I unite song lyrics, and sound into my art practice directly influencing my subject matter while also allowing the story to direct the mood. This process of using writing and music has also influenced a new body of paintings!

Artist Statement

This new series of paintings is inspired by the writings from Paradise Lost, John Milton’s epic poem about the fall of love. I have always been inspired by John Milton's poetry because it resonates with my own curiosity about human nature, free will, and morality.

In my paintings, I use expressive analogies, paint strokes, and colors to represent visions inspired by the poetic descriptions in Paradise Lost. I used a balance of cool and warm colors to evoke the mood of heaven and hell. The balance of good and bad and how these emotions explore chaos and order. 

I also incorporated in my art making elements from  music to paint from that was also inspired by Milton’s Poem, such as Handel’s Messiah or Holst’s the Planets. My choice of materials reflects interest in contrast and texture. I work with oils on canvas, but also add layers of expression while using my own expressive brush strokes to create rhythm and movement in my compositions while exploring order and structure.

My goal with these paintings is to invite viewers to experience a dialogue between a personal vision of mine that relates to a classical story about love and betrayal. I hope you will enjoy this new series of paintings of my personal visions from Paradise Lost. I hope you can appreciate the connections between forms of expression and reflecting on classical interpretations of human nature, love, and betrayal between two soulmates. Enjoy and feel free to follow as I post more work from this series.