Throughout the ages of man's existence art has played a vital role in helping the species to define itself. The urge to render the world around them in an artistic form has created a means by which the viewer can relate his own thought and experience with what has been represented by the artist to develop a deeper emotional response to what the artwork is meant to convey.

Even the most realistically rendered painting will not capture the minute details of the subject. However, through the process of creating this representation the artist will use the ideas of form, color, light and composition to distill the essence of his subject matter into a picture that can convey more than just what is in front of him.

It is this subconscious interplay that makes human art so important to mankind. To create a visual image that can provide a unique response from every viewer through their own experience and thoughts is the seed that allows the human spirit to examine itself. While this may sound somewhat like psychobabble, it is still a very real effect produced on us through the artistic media.

Whether an aesthetically pleasing form which brings on the endorphin rush of pleasure when viewed or a horrific representation of something that evokes fear and revulsion, art is intrinsic to the process of making the spirit deal with the emotions produced by the mind and body. It is designed to touch and teach us about ourselves.

Our journey through mankind's artistic expression has just begun. Make a note to come back often as we continue to expand and explore the interplay between image and emotion through the Gallery of Human Art.