Gene Tempelmeyer
Einstein’s elegant equation e=mc2 implies that all we see and touch is made of energy. I begin to paint by looking at the world around me and trying to see the energy that lies behind the physical world. As a person of faith who has worked as a pastor for over three decades, I suspect that the energy in Einstein’s equation has something to do with God.
As I slather paint onto canvas I try to infuse the painting with vibrant colour in an effort to describe the energy and divinity I see. In my own work I find this energy is usually described better with a palette knife than with a brush.
Two subjects constantly draw me to explore this divine energy. One is Toronto: the city where I live. In the diversity of people and cultures, in the constant contrast of old and new, nature and architecture, human and machine, I find a fascinating collection of colours and forms to work with.
The second subject that fascinates me is quite different but nearly as close to hand. The rocky lakeshores of Georgian Bay, the Muskoka region and the Kawarthas, seem to me equally infused with energy. There is an apparent permanence to the rock formations, forest and lake, but in the shimmering reflections of rock and forest on water; in the nuances of colour in stone, the constant movement of all that is real is revealed.
I do not have a formal art education. Growing up in a family rich with artists exposed me not only to frequent visits to galleries and museums but also to the sensuality of painting: the smell of oil and turpentine, the feel of oil paint flowing onto canvas, and the sight of rich, pure colour on a palette. The discovery that people enjoy my paintings and want to hang them in their homes and offices came as an unexpected benefit.
To me painting is a deeply spiritual act that keeps me connected to the world, to other people, to my own identity and, ultimately, to God.