A Conversation with James Gortner
As we celebrate 4 years of Silence Is Accurate (SIA), I’ve been reading the interviews I conducted and wrote about the incredible visual artists who were at the beginning of this journey. As they continue to change the world with their works, it’s interesting to look back to what seems a lifetime ago and revisit their projects.
“Art cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed.” — James Gortner
Mana Contemporary is an awe dropping 1.5 million square feet warehouse of creativity. It hosts studios of talents such as James Gortner.
James has a tranquil enigmatic aura which spills into his stories and teachings.
He warned me that he tends to ramble while talking about his work, however what he may think is rambling, is actually the unfolding of the careful thought process behind each and every detail of his work. Revealing the incredible amount of passion he puts into each of his paintings.
The back storage area of his studio keeps dozens of his paintings which each have a captivating journey.
During our conversation, James gave a quick lesson on tarot cards, explained his process as well as the trust needed when letting other artists, such as Kara Walker, work on his paintings…
BEGINNINGS
