James-purprua

American colorist-painter who translates music onto canvas.

One night in 1998 I had a dream, and in this dream was flooded with blue; the air, the sky, the mountains... For five years I had this blue stuck in my head, and one day in 2003, without having any art training, I went into an art supply store to buy the materials necessary with the intention of re-creating this blue. My first painting was therefore called, "Blue Dream". And it was during the creation of my first painting that I learned I had the ability to transcribe onto the canvas images inspired by music (a process known as synesthesia), with the first being Ravel's "Bolero." Since then I have created nearly 300 works, some based on music, some inspired by my travels and some competely imagined. While my work is varied, from the abstract to figurative to landscapes and a mix thereof, the common thread is always a game of color and how they speak to each other on the canvas and tell their own story. Since the beginning I have had expos in the USA and Europe and have been a permanent resident of 59 Rivoli in Paris, open to the public and where we receive about 4000 visitors per week, for the past 9 years. My goal is to create in a way that elevates people and inspires them in many ways, particularly to think creatively. My site is www.JamesMPurpura.com