William Emboden

Words From The Artist: William Emboden

Eight layers of paint, Eight failures; but the day will come when this canvas lives and speaks. The necessity of recognizing failure causes many hopeful artists to relinquish their brushes and canvases; often too soon, yet in many instances the failure piece is allowed to represent an artist when he knows that it has no life of its own.

A finished canvas must speak and communicate. Cleverness is failure, and it is much of the failure of the contemporary art world. Don’t seek that which is new or novel for it will not last the moment beyond its creation. Follow that which instinct which is both cerebral and visceral. There should be times in your life when you feel that you must release emotions and thought as paint on canvas. Allow each work to speak that secret language that belonged to you and now lives a life of its own on canvas.

Art is always waiting to be born, and the artist must be prepared for the event. A notebook filled with ideas is a good beginning, but only a beginning. What is it that you need to say in pigments? It should be a part of your life finding itself on canvas.

Art is the poetry that needs no translation or words. It should perplex and leave one with questions or it is too facile. The art must be separable from verbal expression. The need for explanation means that the work is already moribund.

Art may be born of anger, fear or a variety of emotions such as love and sorrow. Yet behind all of these there must be an intellectual basis. The desire to create something that exists

William Emboden began his advanced studies at Purdue University where he was a pupil of the Italian artist Rudy Pozatti. His paintings won first place in his first juried show. At Indiana University he continued his art studies, including stage designs, with Cesare Mario Cristini. Under his guidance Emboden was recognized as Outstanding Artist at the annual Faculty & Student Exhibition. After finishing his MA he went onto UCLA and studied with Kate T. Steinitz (a colleague of Kurt Schwitters) and Carlo Pedretti. At this time he exhibited a number of his collages and was a founding member of the Fluxus movement. After receiving his PhD from UCLA, and having taught Leonardo Studies, Emboden completed his book LEONARDO da VINCI on PLANTS and GARDENS (Diascorides Press) and it was followed by THE VISUAL ART OF JEAN COCTEAU (Abrams Publishing) which was published in five different countries. This was followed by JEAN COCTEAU AND THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK (Santa Susana Press). He has over two hundred and fifty publications to his credit including his book on Alexandra Nechita: DOVE IN HAND and his book JAMES FRANCIS GILL (San Angelo Press) recounting the careers of two foremost 20th Century American artists.

Emboden’s artistry is a celebration of THE WORD. His strongest influences have been Kurt Schwitters, 19th and 20th Century French poets, Middle Eastern calligraphy and Japanese haiku. He is a poet himself and each of his paintings is a manifestation of his poetry. He has had many exhibitions – international and local. His most recent play AN EVENING WITH COCTEAU AND COLETTE