Early Works

I remember that making art was first and foremost, simply fun. It also fulfilled a desire to hold onto an image, moment, express a feeling or thought to others… this is me, this is what I feel, this is important.

I think that from an early age, making art was the activity that mattered the most to me, except for skiing and mountain climbing.

I was in an eight grade art show and one of my 1964 abstracts was stolen. It was similar to the abstracts I created from the rubber rollers used when making linoleum cut prints. (Please see the first few paintings in this gallery) Having a work stolen at a young age has always been a meaningful compliment mixed with anger. I learned early on that most of the art that is important to me is that which expresses a combination of feelings, like words and body language, color and form.

My art was technically the strongest in black and white photography. My father had a dark room with all the equipment for creative control. I printed as many photographs as I had time for. Art is a part of my personality. Over time it has reflected life’s changes, priorities, experiences. It reflects what I feel is important in the world. It also has a lot to do with the accidental, chance nature of life. This is especially true with photography… which is about seeing what is there and quickly taking action. I rarely staged a photograph.

Paul Cahan Dec. 2014

Please click on images thumbnails for larger view: