Art, Intuition and Amos Ferguson (original) (raw)

I paint by faith, not by sight," said Mr. Amos Ferguson, the late Bahamian artist. In sentiments consistent with form he said further: "To paint, the Lord gives you a vision, a sight that you go by," he once told a reporter. "But don't forget you have to see and check that Bible and don't forget God. And the more you keep up with your Bible, and get the understanding, the better you paint." 1 Here then is a painter who takes inspiration and directives not from any existential force or phenomena, but from divinely wrought intuition, as a sight to go by…to get the understanding. This is a theme, not uncommon amongst "intuitionist" artists, whose discussion of their art asserts, ironically, both an uncommon assurance and a submission to a power beyond the artist himself and his audience.