LETTER FROM JAMES

Mom……
I walked around all of Tel Aviv.
I saw the crime, filth, whores.
I saw sewer rats and junkies sitting on streets shooting up.

And you know what?

I saw a SWARM of rats.

And.... I thought to myself....

This is the end of the world.

How can these people do this to themselves?

Well, they were once like me.

They were casual users.

And you know... I just want to find a path to stop.

You said it before mom.

But I’m saying it now

Now it is TIME to stop

through the black#5,digital art created using Corel Paint

Welcome to my blog , through the black, which is a trilogy and begins here and now. As you enter this blog begin by playing the James Brown video below and simultaneous the Neil Young song below..... Then while listening to the videos, please peruse the posts and images I have created. Feedback is always welcome! Please bear this in mind as you view the work...."the deepness is in the work “James Harmon quote. This is collaboration between my oldest son and I. He has been living in Israel and Russia for 7 months. This is how this trilogy was born. As I began painting "The Red Tide project”, the bacteria that kills life in the Gulf of Mexico, I likened it to "H" that which kills life on land. It took me awhile to realize that this was truly what I was painting.

Neil Young - The Needle And The Damage Done (Lyrics in description)

through the black

This project is about opiate addiction and more specifically addiction to Heroine or as I call it "H".For my final project I chose to make 2 large wall paintings on canvas.I documented here,in this "trilogy blog", the process which went into this creation.It typically takes me at least one year to complete one wall painting of this size and magnitude however that being said,I will work feverishly to try my best to complete these two paintings,"through the black"12' x 7' and "into the rednesss" 7' x 8',mixed media/canvas un primed.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS WORK

Sometimes I really do not know the truth behind my work till after I see it many months after it has been completed. Since I  work from my subconscious and place all my words and feelings there , preparing my subconscious for painting, I then have to clear my mind to allow myself to work in a manner so that the emotion is now free to flow out of me...it sometimes is will take me  a year before I truly understand and  know what I was truthfully saying...For example, I created this art that I thought was about the "Red Tide" and then all of a sudden like an epiphany, after reading Ed's comment about Aids...only then did I know what I was really painting...and  from that moment at 3am,everything changed for me ...The Truth sometimes, often times..... is very difficult to discern in  my work.

I am trying to show you my process through this blog.It documents some of my thinking and the images which I created and which led to the final paintings:through the black and into the redness

To clarify this is not about me personally.... I have never been addicted or used opiates, ever.... however,that being said.......someone close to me has.

"TO BE ME AGAIN" to quote Christie Rhodes from the book LIVE THROUGH THIS ,edited by Sabrina Chapadjiev, says it all!

TO BE ME AGAIN

TO BE ME AGAIN

TO BE ME AGAIN

This body of art is dedicated to those who suffer and are so misunderstood and fight each day for one day free from “H”

“I grew up with a brother addicted to heroin for ten years. I noticed, as a child, he was very intelligent, and that ended up costing him valuable social experiences. It was no surprise “H” become an appealing option for him after being rejected by his peers for most of his school years. However, once he was in college he found his place in the world and ended up getting clean and earning a Master’s of Fine Arts degree. Thus, I have the unique experience of witnessing someone close to me fall victim to substance abuse, and I understand the challenges these individuals face on a daily basis. Through my understanding, I think I can contribute to the research focused on substance-abuse related prevention and treatment strategies. Moreover, I think the focal of substance abuse treatment should get at what age the individual started using, and why they started using. I do not think any person grows up wanting to use/abuse substances, something traumatic happens in their lives that causes using substances to become more attractive.” 

Danny Harmon

 THIS IS THE ATTITUDE WE MUST EMBRACE IF WE ARE TRULY TO HELP SOMEONE SUFFERING TO RECOVER.Please continue....

The Painted Sketches

A word about the art work presented here which I created for this art series.It all began with the painted sketches here.They are 22"x 30"on canvas with mixed media.Next came the digital artwork you see  and lastly came the wall painting 12' x 7'.

and i woke up

scars

the battle

am i connected?

the high

HEROIN -IN -THE -HEARTLAND

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heroin-in-the-heartland-60-minutes/

The Digital Art:through the black

through the black #4,digital art program

through the black #3,digital program

through the black # 2,digital image using Paint

through the black #1,digital image using Paint