Jean Oppermann
Drawing is the way an artist thinks on paper.
Drawing is the alphabet of art, without it there is no structure for the story.
I believe in the discipline of drawing. I also believe drawing can be pure expression. Much like a dancer who spends years training the body to become an instrument of the spirit. Artists who devote themselves to the practice of drawing can become strong enough to soar.
In the words of Alice Neel, "Drawing is the discipline of art." I believe in the craft and trust the immediate expression that only drawing can convey. My fascination is with the human condition as shown in the everyday movement, weight, tension and ease of the body. All the art I make, drawing, painting, or collage is an exploration of what it means to inhabit the body.
My constant and continuing inspiration is the human form. The challenge is to portray the truth of humanity in only a few strokes. Elegant or awkward I work to show what it means to be a person inhabiting a body.
The task is life long, endlessly fascinating, always challenging.
