Artist Statement
J.P Hiscock - Artist Statement
As an artist I express through my paintings my belief and feeling that the earth is a living being. My ethos of stewardship for the earth was inspired by my father who was a forester as well as my mother and grandfather who nurtured their own connection to the earth through landscape painting. My stewardship school was our family farm which today would be called an “organic” farm. At that time we didn’t know the meaning of “organic”. To all of us (4 boys and 3 girls) it was the only way to grow food. We spent all our time outdoors, always in bare feet during the summer, rushing through meals to get back out into the freshest of cold air in winter. As a child, being at one with the earth was bliss and at the same time completely normal.
I feel that no matter what I do in this life, regardless of occupation, it is vital that I get back to the ancient tradition of always treating the earth, the place that I live, as a sacred being. The term “Mother Earth” is a great way for me to think of this planet and its spirit because for me the love from a mother is deep, abiding and sacred. It is indeed from her body that I spring.
Expressing my love for the earth is something I feel compelled to do. A bird sings, a beaver builds dams, a wolf howls and I paint. Each is an expression of the earth. When my work portrays what I feel then I have achieved my goal. I hope that these feelings are passed on to people seeing my work.
When I paint I am at one with the subject. At the same time I endeavour to be extremely conscious of my technique and medium. Watercolour is an environmentally friendly medium because it involves no solvents and very little pigment. The paper I use is the 100% acid free cotton type. The mounting technique is also archival (acid free).
My studio is located in my house where I can let my creativity fly free to discover new places within my being.
10-4e Ave. La Peche, Q.C. 819 456 3695
expressionsoftheearth@sympatico.ca
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