The idea for the project came about at a friends exhibition, wandering around I watched different people viewing the paintings on display, obvious emotions were present in facial expressions and body language, what inner depths of emotion have these images tapped into? for each and every viewer their life path has given them an individually unique perspective on the artwork. Comments were flowing freely and emotions were set alight by the vivid imagery. How to hear about these intensely personal emotions?, how to catch a glimpse of that fleeting moment when the artist strikes a chord with the viewer?

I set about a course to try and find out, I chose a selection of my abstract works and placed them on my website, devoid of titles and resting upon a plain white background. A call was sent out to a variety of websites and writers associations worldwide, asking for submissions in the form of poems, very short fiction,or other forms of written expression, the results were fabulous. The section had over 1300 page views in the first 4 days of the call going out. A steady flow of submissions ensued and the morning ritual of checking email each day became a joy to behold. In wonder I read through the various writings as the arrived, the interpretations of the images were surprising and uplifting, I felt close to these people as scattered across the globe as they were, a certain kinship and sharing on a deeply personal level.

The writings and accompanying notes and comments reminded me of the duality of the artist's progress through life. On one hand the artwork is created from within, with a deep sense of ones self, in colour, form and style. On the other hand I had no control over how other people looked at my work, if I had titled the works I would have influenced the viewer , coaching them to an outcome I had chosen as the work progressed. The resulting ebook is a selection of the combination of people who have shared a moment, a personal exchange which is now being shared with you.

My sincere thanks to all of the contributors for participating in this project, I look forward to future projects and the inspiration gained by these many talented people.

Geoff Bramley
Feb 2006