Sex is in everything. It’s why we are here — it’s what we do. Yet, it’s not a suitable subject in social settings. It is not allowed in school — well, not in the classroom. It is feared by some, angers others, and is desired by most. Frequently, words related to genitalia cause a sharp intake of breath, or perhaps someone coughs and excuses themselves from the room.
Is it our Puritan heritage that keeps sex in the dark? Personally, as an artist, I prefer the light as did Georgia O’Keeffe. She was no stranger to sex. Try and find a painting she’s done that doesn’t elude to it in some way. For other examples, view Picasso’s The Dream, or the Japanese artform, Shunga. Sex has inspired painters throughout the ages.
Viewing an artist’s interpretation of passion awakens my creativity. I love the intimacy and the mood the Masters have laid on canvas. Their paintings invite me to step into the scene to touch and taste its interior. Lost in the painter’s imagery, time disappears as I follow the lines of the brush strokes. My aroused senses spark my imagination, and I feast on possibilities. My soul is nourished. That’s why I spend an occasional erotic afternoon immersed in art.
Art is the sex of the imagination ~George Nathan (1882-1958)