José Parlá paints from his heart on the walls of the streets and canvas, and it’s coming through in his works for the Concord City Place that was endowed to the City of Toronto. But the interview above is a fascinating look into the mind of an artist who uses his medium to tell a story. These painting comprise stories told in his own calligraphic style, using his own experiences to create depth and meaning to what started out as a simple thought and then came to life. To know that he takes his roots and his passion seriously, read an excerpt from his artist statement: “I wanted to create works that retained their roots. My new paintings could not abandon their environment. I then embarked on a journey to search out in detail the dialogue of decaying walls, the marks on them, and what it all meant to me. This would lead the paintings to become memory documents.” Those are some powerful words that anyone who’s interested in creativity will understand. – found through Arrested Motion post
