JAMES VAN FOSSAN

      Magnum Opus

JAMES VAN FOSSAN, Colorado, 1964:
"What my work to-date represents is my study of the language and craft of oil painting. Words, like paintings, are used to express our hearts to others. However, a painting can say so much more, and is understood as though it were a universal language. I paint in a realistic manner simply because I feel my primary goal is to represent truth, reality, and to tell the story. I desire to paint and to speak clearly so that the more important matter of what I am trying to say comes through. Like any great craft, the time and detail fostered into a work of realism commands attention and invites the viewer to understand, or at least to consider, the painting. To share my philosophies and thoughts with others in such a beautiful and historical art form is a privilege I am determined to honor as I continue to work with all of my heart and mind on this life-long mission."