I consider myself a traditional artist. In the past I concentrated on cold, barren, windswept landscapes - the kind that were popular with The Group of Seven. But the artistic process, as rewarding as it is for me, can be very emotionally draining. And when I have completed a painting and it 'speaks' to me, the emotion of the piece comes through and can affect me deeply. So for the last few years I have been painting scenes involving children at play. For me, it is a way to revisit my childhood and to convey the message that all of us should stop our busy lives, even if it is only briefly, and reflect how we all were when we were young. When we were children we didn't have mortgages, or taxes, or all the daily stress that life piles on us. Can we stop for a minute to think what life was like growing up in a tiny port village? What fun we had with simple things like a jump rope? How we could sit and listen while ice on the frozen lake would crack under pressure? I cannot yet bring myself to that youthful state of mind, but perhaps with my art I can hope to do so one day, and can inspire others to do the same. Feel free to visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArtByDavidDossett
David Dossett joined Fine Art America on August 31st, 2013.
