These are the paintings of Aron Wiesenfield. I can not even remember where I first stumbled on to Aron's work but we were both included in a group show at North Park University in Chicago curated by Tim Lowly. Then I read his interview in High Fructose magazine which left me wanting to know more about this very poetic figurative painter.

The enigmatic images that he creates seem to occupy a territory some where in-between our dreams and waking life. This is an artist I keep returning because I feel and empathy for the characters in these paintings that seem to have a almost reckless need to reconnect with the natural world even at their own unprepared parole.

As an adolescent I would go into the woods with a sketch book and look for the link back to my wild natural past locked up somewhere under all the layers of polyester, television shows and meaningless school work. So when I spend time with Aron Wiesenfeld paintings that old desire to re-enter the woods begins to knock on my door.

Aron was generous enough to give thoughtful responses to a short list of questions I recently sent to him. Please take the time to let these strangely beautiful paintings haunt your life.

1, Do you have any daily work rituals that you can describe?



I try to start around 11am and work for about 8 hours. The way I spend the day really varies. If I'm beginning something, I spend most of my time looking and considering. If I'm at the end of a piece, it's all work.



2, Do your images come to your mind fully developed or are they revealed as you draw and paint?



Images develop in different ways, but generally I begin a piece with a notion of some kind: a sketch, some writing, or maybe a memory that seems to have potential. It gets altered as I try things and look at things. It's about 50% inspiration, and 50% discovering.



3, Can you say what you would like your paintings to do for the people who come in contact with them?



I paint things that have meaning for me, that's all I can do. After that I hope that some people will feel what I feel.



4, Are there particular sources that you keep returning to for inspiration whether authors, film makers, musicians....

So many. Here's a few:

Anselm Kiefer

Alex Katz

Caspar david Freidrich

Titian

August Sander

Haruki Murakami

Peter Stamm

Charles Simic

The Smiths



5, Do believe in a spiritual dimension or are you more of a materialist?



I think everything not in my direct line of vision is the realm of the spirit. Other words I would use are the unknown, the unconscious, magic, and death.



6, Do you have a story you can share regarding how one of your paintings effected someone?



I did a painting called "Dog" several years ago. A man with cancer saw it when it was being framed. I never spoke to him, but I was told it had a strong meaning for him about what he was going through, so he bought it.



7, Was there a particular time or experience that brought you to the place of launching into art for a profession?



I had the idea that I would be an artist when I was 12, but I could never have guessed what a twisting path it would actually be.

http://www.studiobeerhorst.com/blog/2013/1/24/aron...nfeld-shares-his-thoughts.html