Creations in Time A Conversation with David Guenter, Artist and Architect.
Each artist derives unique inspiration that enables them to see the world differently. They can take something ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. Their work is often beautiful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and even controversial, but it is always extraordinary. Artists are the ones who push us to think outside of our comfort zone, challenge societal norms, and make the world a more vibrant place, no matter what their medium.
For example, Vincent van Gogh, born in the Netherlands in 1853 and didn’t start painting until he was 27 years old. But when he did, he developed a unique style that was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. Van Gogh’s paintings are full of bright colors and bold brushstrokes, and they often depict rural scenes or simple objects like sunflowers or chairs. Though he only sold one painting in his life, the 900 works that he completed while alive are a monument to his capacity to see the world differently. His work is considered some of the most important of the 19th century and has
fundamentally changed the way we see light, color and perspective.
Where do artists derive their inspiration? What inspires each artist to see the world differently and how? I am learning that inspiration for an artist is like a fingerprint, it's unique to the artist. In my first conversation of this series, I was not disappointed with the answer. I had the pleasure of being introduced to David Guenter, an Architect at SHAPE Architecture in Vancouver BC. He is an accomplished artist and a remarkably intelligent and erudite conversationalist. His artworks are mature, and have a wink to youth, with a curated soft palate of colors and textures often blended with industrial-inspired elements.
His artwork is sophisticated and steeped in a time. It is romantic, thought-provoking, nostalgic and modern; it explores the depth of human emotions and relationships, but it is always fixated on a desire to be rooted in time and season. It is this fixation that gives him the heart of an artist and draws his heart and soul into each piece.
In my conversation with David, I asked where he derives his inspiration. He replied that his inspiration and creative process involves studying the time in which a piece is created. For David, his inspiration is derived from time itself, the seasons that pass, the waxing and waning of time, and its effect of time on our lives. He creates works that are a product of the world in which he lives, as well as a reflection of his own experiences and the time in which they are happening. Whether it’s painting, sculpting, or photography, David has found a way to express this passage of time through his work. Art has been used to document history, tell stories, and open up conversations. David’s art has done all of this, as well as inspiring others to find their creative voice. His work speaks to viewers and helps them explore their ideas and beliefs and the nostalgia of their placement in time. It was such an inspiring conversation and a reminder of the power of art in our lives and how it can be used to express ideas that are hard to articulate with words. The Architect in David is adept to process and decipher the din of voices that are all stakeholders in an architectural creation and filtering and distilling those into an orthographic representation of lines and arcs that thoughtfully intersect, this skill is interpreted in his works that depict balance and harmony.
The creative process for an artist is about finding inspiration –whether it’s from nature, history, or the time in which an artistic creation in conceived. David has a unique perspective and then expresses it honestly, it captures and communicates his unique view of the world. Art can help us understand and explore our ideas, thoughts, and emotions in ways we might not have imagined before. That is the power of art – it supplies us the space to calmly explore our emotions, thoughts, and ideas. David Guenter’s work inhabits that space of calmness, peacefulness and honesty.
Check out David's work when you have a chance! His artwork is truly captivating and thought-provoking.
We hope you find inspiration in his work and in your creative process.
"Eternity is in love with creations of Time." - William Blake
