Artwork of Rabih Dow
Artist Statement
Painting on glass evolved from being an integral part of an art concept I developed in 1990s to becoming my preferred art medium. Although I lost my eye-sight completely in 1982, my visual memory remains vivid. Ironically, it is the conceptual themes I struggle with painting more so than the landscapes both remembered and imagined. Early on, what drew me to art was how to visually communicate what I "see"/experience as a person who is blind. I have worked in rehabilitation for newly blinded adults for over thirty years and been privileged to observe many men and women trying to comprehend and learn to cope with traumatic losses including blindness. Along with the natural wonder that surrounds us, this personal and professional exploration has influenced my perception and expression in art. Increasingly, perspective and color have become central subjects of my work, and other dimensions of personal experiences are a growing part of my paintings. I see art more and more as an ongoing conversation about thoughts and emotions. A print of Magritte's "Ceci N'est Pas Un Pipe" hangs on the wall in my office. Ultimately, even a "pipe" is about a perception of a thought. Although thoughts transcend the five senses, capturing them through visual art is an exciting challenge hard to resist.
