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Blank canvases have always been a fascination to me, and the whole idea of where ideas come from. At one moment something isn’t, then suddenly, it is!  Though I don’t know where they come from (that’s still a mystery to me), as an artist, I honor their source with a deep sense of gratitude.

Moods of Ophelia, and all the works that comprise this exhibition, began with a simple gift of inspiration passed on to me by a fellow artist. That gift resulted in an oil sketch—Ophelia-First Emergence—the intention of which was to be the start of a single painting. But as happens now and then, I found myself enjoying the beauty of the sketch just the way it was, so I called it finished and went on to use it as reference for a “finished” painting, Ophelia-Reborn.

But it didn’t stop there. I became intrigued with the three dominant shapes of the image that had emerged and decided to pursue further variations of that theme. The inspirations that ensued from that first gift of an idea have since become the basis for many paintings and drawings, and have inspired works of sculpture, poetry, music and video as well.

I trust you will experience some of my fascination as you catch glimpses of the path I traveled in producing the art works for this exhibition. I trust too, that in so doing you will share with me in the mystery of inspiration, and perhaps leave with a renewed awareness of your own sources of inspiration and your responses to them.  (For a virtual exhibition tour, click here.)

-- Don Haggerty

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All Images Copyright © 1998/12 Don Haggerty

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Ophelia--First Emergence
Oil on canvas  24" x 36"

Ophelia--Portals
Oil on canvas  24" x 36"
 

Ophelia--Cartograph
Oil on canvas  24" x 36"
 

Ophelia--Islands
Oil on canvas  24" x 36"