What is Midrealism?
Midrealism is an artistic belief system that Paxton created as a tool to awaken and set in motion the natural creative forces that manifest themselves in dreams and the subconscious mind. While similar to the Surrealist movement of the 1920's in its use of dreams as inspiration, Midrealism steps beyond the boundaries of Surrealism to create a new and present perspective on the association of dreams and the art world.
How is Midrealism different than the 1920's Surrealist movement?
Three brief and simple explanations of how Midrealism differs from the 1920's Surrealist movement are: 1) In the way Midrealism is based on a new theology created by the artist. 2) Midrealism's contradicting definition of dreams and how one reaches the dream world. 3) Midrealism's disassociation of mind-altering substances to enhance the creative process.
While André Breton, the notable founder and speaker of the Surrealist movement, disassociated himself and Surrealism from spiritualism, Midrealism is based on Tenth Dimensional Theology, which believes that each, and every one of us cycle through both a physical and metaphysical reality throughout our lives. Tenth Dimensional Theology is based on a wheel of ten dimensions and covers the life, death, and birth of individuals in our three dimensional world and their relation to the wheel as a whole.
The general view of those that were involved in the Surrealist movement was to try and achieve through their art a resolution of the two opposing states of reality, being the wake world and the dream world. Midrealism takes this concept one step further by believing in the existence of a third metaphysical reality beyond dreams. This creates the view that a Midrealist will try and achieve through his art a resolution of the two opposing states of reality, being the wake world and the metaphysical world. Midrealism believes that the resolution point between the wake world and the metaphysical world is the dream world or middle reality. Therefore all Midreal works of art are inspired from, or connected to the dream world in some way.
While not all the Surrealists used mind-altering substances to enhance the creative process, there were no rules against its use and many members used them freely. Midrealism focuses on attaining its inspiration for its works of art through natural processes that explore the dream world, therefore, disassociating it from mind-altering substances. Because the dream world is such a random and unique reality, by tapping into it naturally you can achieve an uncontaminated and accurate representation of its imagery.
Your work is so detailed. Do you use an airbrush?
No, an airbrush is not used in Paxton's work. Because of the time taken for detail he has had many people ask this question. Paxton's canvases are all done by traditional brushwork. The brushes used for the fine detail can be as small 1/16 of an inch and are usually delicate watercolor brushes. As many as 4 to 8 of these brushes with be used and discarded during the completion of a painting due their delicate construction. Paxton uses these watercolor brushes for his oil paintings because most oil painting brushes are larger and have harder bristles which do not create fine detail as well as the softer watercolor brushes.
Why do you have a blue ear as your logo?
One of the main symbols of Midrealism is a blue ear. When Paxton was very young he would sometimes have scary dreams and to make it easier to try and fall asleep he imagined a doorway that he could create at anytime in the dream and would be able to escape to wherever he wanted to go. This door manifested itself as a blue ear. Paxton does not know exactly why his door was a blue ear but as a young boy it seemed to make perfect sense. So when Paxton created Midrealism the natural symbol to represent his new dream based belief system was the blue ear.
Paxton uses the blue ear in many ways: As a doorway to the dream world depicted in his works of art and shows, as a logo for Midrealism, and most of all he sees it as a symbol of protection as remembered from his childhood. In 1994 Paxton began painting his left ear blue for his opening receptions. Later he would dawn a mannequin's ear he had cut off and painted blue. Most recently he has created a blue latex ear that he is able to slip over his ear during his shows.
Your paintings are so vivid. Do you paint in acrylics?
No. Paxton's paintings are all done in oil paint. Because of the vivid colors many viewers think they must be painted in Acrylic. Traditional use of oil paint is more known to look muted and dirty but Paxton keeps his colors bright and vibrant. Oil paint also takes much longer to dry giving Paxton time to finish full sections of a painting in one sitting while the paint is wet and pliable.
What does the strange moon that shows up in your paintings symbolize?
Paxton first created this moon in a painting back in 1993. He wanted to paint a moon that looked like a broken and gnawed piece of cheese. Over the years the moon has become more refined and now is seen as a distinguishing trademark. The moon can take on many colors and sizes in Paxton's work and can be used as a great composition tool for balancing the random imagery in his paintings.
How do you get the surface of your paintings to look so smooth an photo-like?
Because of the fine detail and use of very small brushes in Paxton's work it is much easier to create his style of painting if the canvas is prepared correctly. By adding several coats of Gesso (an acrylic based ground used to prime canvas) and sanding between each coat, a very smooth almost texture-less surface can be achieved. While painting, Paxton uses fan-like brushes to blend the paint and take away most of the brush strokes. A final coat of a clear glazing medium is then added to the finished painting and lightly worked again with a fan brush.
What's up with the carrots Doc?
The carrots that appear in Paxton's work have a simple explanation. While Paxton was beginning his career in San Francisco, CA in 1992 he found himself living the true life of a starving artist. Because of a lack of income the main thing you would find in the kitchen was cans of beans and bags of carrots. Paxton would sit at his easel and paint while drinking hot tea and eating carrots. It was inevitable that the carrots would find their way onto his canvases. The way they ended up being depicted in his paintings were growing upside-down out of his desert landscapes. Paxton was also mesmerized by Bugs Bunny when he was little and would try and imitate the many ways bugs would eat and prepare his carrots. Going to the extent as to stick them on a coat hanger and roast them in the family fireplace.
Wow! What kind of drugs are you on?
Because of the strange subject matter in Paxton's work this is a question he often gets whispered in his ear at a show. The funny thing is that all of this imaginative work comes from the natural workings of his mind. Paxton has always been very creative and imaginative and has neither needed, nor wanted to experiment or use mind-altering substances. He always felt his mind was strange enough, and intoxicating or altering substances would just contaminate or diminish the altered perception he already possessed. Through Midrealism, Paxton has created a working arena to explore and cultivate the imaginative workings of the natural mind.
How long does it take you to do a painting?
This is a common question and a difficult one to answer. The time of course depends on many things, like: the size of the painting, how detailed, and if it is new subject matter or a carried over theme being done in a different way. In general a 16" x 20" painting could take between 30 to 80 hours where a larger painting could take as long as 400 hours.
What kind of techniques do you use to make your paintings look so detailed and three-dimensional?
First and foremost the fine detail and crispness of line is the main factor that defines the images in one of Paxton's paintings to the point of looking very real and 3 dimensional. Another technique is in how Paxton starts painting the elements furthermost back in the composition of his painting. He will say, paint the sky and land first. After that dries he will paint the moon, rocks, and other secondary foreground elements. Lastly he will paint the main focal images. By doing this each previously painted element is, in a way, overlaid by the one closer to the viewer (moon over sky, rocks over landscape).
Do you paint your references from life or from photos?
Paxton actually paints from both, but because of the long period it takes for him to complete an area he prefers to paint from photos.
Are all your paintings based on dreams?
Most of Paxton's earlier work was completely based on dreams but now that he has created such an elaborate and imaginative world from these dreams he finds it easy to compose new paintings without solely relying on his nighttime adventures. It is like his paintings feed his dreams almost as much as his dreams feed his paintings. Paxton still feels the most invigorated from an idea that has solely come from a dream but also enjoys creating paintings around other experiences while keeping them in the same context as his strictly dream based work.
How do you remember your dreams?
Many people ask this question because they feel they never can remember their dreams. Some people even feel they must not dream at all because of their lack of remembrance. This is not true though, as everyone dreams many times throughout a night. With a little practice anyone can remember his or her dreams. Paxton first started training himself to remember his dreams by disciplining himself to write or record his dream as soon as he awoke. This meant even if it was at 3 o'clock in the morning, he would take the time to quickly write his dream down then go back to sleep. In this way he would sometimes have as many as 5 dream sequences jotted down in his journal by the time he arose for the day. Because of this training it has become very easy for Paxton to remember his dreams and his technique of capturing a dream has evolved into quick sketches catching the main elements of a dream that might be used in a work of art.
When did you first start painting?
Paxton first began drawing at a very early age and honed his skills as a draftsman in pencil and pen until his early collage years. Up until this point he had only painted at light intervals during his early career. While in college he first began using watercolors and slowly got the nerve to experiment with oil paints. Because oils were what Paxton considered the hardest medium to master he was afraid he might fail in that which he wished to succeed at most. Within the first few months of experimenting with oil paint Paxton had found his calling and within a years time he began working on those paintings, which would later give way to the Midrealistic style he has become known for.
Have you always painted/drawn these kind of strange works of art?
Paxton has always had a strange twist on his work even at the early age of 5. The things he drew seemed to always be more of an altered look at reality. The only subject matter that sometimes remained in the norm was his wildlife drawings. As a young boy growing up on a beautiful river in the backwoods of Alabama nature always was there to inspire. At one point Paxton thought he may become a wildlife artist. His love for animals can still be seen in his works just in a strange dreamy type of way.
Why do you call Midrealism "a step beyond madness"?
Paxton calls Midrealism a step beyond madness because he sees madness as the symbol for that point where people tend to stop in their drive to go further, in their questioning of what is set before them, or the extent of their passion. If a person goes beyond what is considered the norm, or chooses to live or act in a way set apart from societies guidelines, he or she is considered to be crazy, inept, or lost. In Paxton's statement madness is looked upon not as a mental impairment but as an implanted barrier setting the limit on how far a mind should go in the eyes of the masses. Midrealism is seen as a tool to breach this barrier, not only to reach the point of the idea of madness but to go beyond to a sound and comfortable state of being. Once you step beyond madness you enter an existence where anything is possible and nothing has worldly limitations.
Who is Sir Ytilaer?
Sir Ytilaer (pronounced eetilair) was created in 1993 by Paxton as a symbol and personification of Midrealism. Later Paxton created the character's outfit so he could have the character appear at his opening receptions and events. Sir Ytilaer has a mind of his own and his main purpose is to shock viewers. He appears in many of Paxton's paintings and has the ability to walk freely into any reality or situation at will.
What kind of childhood did you have?
Paxton's early childhood was filled with incredible experiences and hardships. He always had lots of freedom to roam and be creative and his Mother and father always supported his imaginative mind. Later at the age of 13 his parents became divorced which felt like the end of his world. The many both happy and sad years to follow had the biggest impact and influence on his art. Paxton was pushed to explore elements of himself and the world around him that he may have never seen. By the time he went to college Paxton's art had seemed to have the chance to culminate into a mature form ready to be molded into a powerful style.
What do your paintings mean?
Paxton steers away from giving meaning to his paintings, what you find within the depth of the painting and how it resonates within you is its true meaning. As best described by a quote from Henri Matisse, "The only valid thing in art is the one thing that cannot be explained, to explain away the mystery of a great painting would do irreplaceable harm, for whenever you explain or define something you substitute the explanation or the definition for the image of the thing."
