DREAMS, HALLUCINATIONS
My Version
The artwork you are about to see was inspired by a letter my father (Arthur Storts) wrote many years ago. He titled this letter
Dreams, Hallucinations
There are so many ways to write this artist statement. Just like there were so many ways to create artwork that not only tells this particular story, but also honors the individual that inspired it. Dad was a lot of things to a lot of people and I could go on for pages.
He passed away 20 years ago on October 11, 2004. However, my goal here is to focus on one day, and one story. A story that has stuck with me from the first moment I heard it.
Like many of his generation Arthur didn’t talk or share much about his experiences during the war until later in his life. It’s understandable because a great number of these events are horrific and unimaginable. He was a Bataan Death March survivor and P.O.W. from 1942 to 1945. I can tell you from personal experience that the things that were done to him and that he witnessed, affected him for the rest of his life. He once told me, “I still have dreams and nightmares. There are some things, I think man was not meant to deal with. They hang with you forever. I will say that I held everything in for many years, and I think that talking about it helps a great deal.” I also know that dad and many like him had an incredible amount of guilt after the war ended. He wondered why he lived, when so many he respected and befriended, did not make it home.
The seed for this project was planted long ago and I’ve wanted to do something with this idea for years. After 20 years of teaching high school art, I have stepped away from the classroom and transitioned into my studio full time. This has allowed to fully commit to this project and this exhibition is how I’ve spent most of the first year and a half of retirement. The creative process was emotional and at times laborious. It was a roller coaster ride that was fueled by love and admiration. I hope you will agree with me that “Dreams, Hallucinations” is a unique and heartwarming story that deserves to be shared. I also hope you enjoy my version and
artistic interpretation.
Thank you for reading this.
Bobby Storts
Dreams, Hallucinations
There are so many ways to write this artist statement. Just like there were so many ways to create artwork that not only tells this particular story, but also honors the individual that inspired it. Dad was a lot of things to a lot of people and I could go on for pages.
He passed away 20 years ago on October 11, 2004. However, my goal here is to focus on one day, and one story. A story that has stuck with me from the first moment I heard it.
Like many of his generation Arthur didn’t talk or share much about his experiences during the war until later in his life. It’s understandable because a great number of these events are horrific and unimaginable. He was a Bataan Death March survivor and P.O.W. from 1942 to 1945. I can tell you from personal experience that the things that were done to him and that he witnessed, affected him for the rest of his life. He once told me, “I still have dreams and nightmares. There are some things, I think man was not meant to deal with. They hang with you forever. I will say that I held everything in for many years, and I think that talking about it helps a great deal.” I also know that dad and many like him had an incredible amount of guilt after the war ended. He wondered why he lived, when so many he respected and befriended, did not make it home.
The seed for this project was planted long ago and I’ve wanted to do something with this idea for years. After 20 years of teaching high school art, I have stepped away from the classroom and transitioned into my studio full time. This has allowed to fully commit to this project and this exhibition is how I’ve spent most of the first year and a half of retirement. The creative process was emotional and at times laborious. It was a roller coaster ride that was fueled by love and admiration. I hope you will agree with me that “Dreams, Hallucinations” is a unique and heartwarming story that deserves to be shared. I also hope you enjoy my version and
artistic interpretation.
Thank you for reading this.
Bobby Storts