Brian Boner  Phoenix, AZ

"Brian, I really like your work. I commissioned a painting by you several years ago and haven't had the chance to follow up. it was a gift I gave to a friend for Christmas. The subject matter were various elements of importance in her life, however, before she knew it was her gift it hung with several other works of art in her friends living room. It was her friends home where we celebrated Christmas. I conspired with her friend to have it there... she didn't know that I even knew her friend, never mind that I knew how to contact her.When we arrived her friend excused herself for several moments. As we sat in the living room she noticed your painting. When she noticed your painting her memories were so invoked that began to cry. She verbalized what she was thinking. She wondered where her friend got the painting, she said that painting was meant for her, she said it didn't matter what it took, she said she will steal it if necessary, she said she would empty her life savings to buy it from her friend. Needless to say she was overwhelmed when it came to gift giving time & it was given to her that she again contain her emotions... the tears were either of joy & sorrow or maybe some of both. Thank you very much for capturing the memories if her."

"it looks very stinning and beautiful.."

"if you are thinking about the past and that`s how you shaping your future You are missing what is all around you now..."

"to Kourtney, yes they do look the same in that they're from the same artist, they even feel the same.... yet completely different memories are evoked... and therein lies the beauty for the viewer. I think its not about the images themselves but the journey through time for the viewer. I would enjoy viewing other pictures like this in anticipation of remembering what was forgotten. I agree with Vaughn that the caption was not needed... to me it was self explanatory.... and I also agree with Kourtey in that it did take a minute or five to piece together... but what a wonderful five minutes it was, and I wouldn't begrudge anyone that time of 'seeing'. At first glance... they're beautiful paintings... then the memories come flooding back and the journey begins.I say keep the letters, and the numbers... to put in a boat or flippers would be to reduce your painting to more of a 'brocher'. I get the numbers and letters (well my interpretation anyway) its all about learning and growth and the environmental variables that shape each individual and make their memories. It seems strange to think that viewers would not take the time to think 'well what is this'... the purpose of viewing would be purely aesthetic?We each have our own history of reinforcement, and therein lies the challange for the artist... whether they intend for there to be an association between painting and viewer, or paint for themselves, each viewer will have their own interpretation and will take from it what they will.I would like to say 'I get these', and even if I don't.... I will never know because I'll take from it what I will. Thanks for the pleasure Brian."

"As a heavily traveled art critique, I have to say that I didn??t need your description of the 2 paintings. I immediately saw myself in both of these paintings and was thrown into my own past memories of swimming and manipulating playground apparatuses as a boy. If I was given the task of writing the description for these pieces it would have mirrored your own report. Thanks for the FREE trip down memory lane. I??m surprised that you aren??t artist of the month."

"Your work is so beautiful. I've seen the paintings of the children before. So enthralling. I cannot conjure up the words to describe the feelings evoked by these paintings. Fantastic, Brian!"

"Shane was so impressed he forwarded this on to me. Your paintings are awesome!"

"Hey Brian!Great work!"

"It is a good picture. But seeing your 2nd picture not many of your paintings would make it. I thinik you are a pronound artist looking at the one but when you see the other picture it shows that your pictures are almost identical. Only seeing 2 of your pictures I really can't say that your pictures will never become famous. If they are all looking like this I would say no. The 2 pictures looking at them are fabulous. I am just saying that I being a professor at an art school would not want some one whos pictures look the same. Channel your energy and talent to look at something in a different way. I get the child and memory thing but if I were not to read a caption this would be confusing. While making a masterpiece you have to think of a way to make it all blend with out words saying. The picture I see is a boy swimming or going to swim. When I first looked at it I didn't know where the letters came in. I could imagine things but never really understand. The picture with all the things going on would take a minute or five for me to understand. When I look at students portfolio a look at them and say if they have talent or are just amatures. Instead of putting letters in you could have put a boat in or swimming flippers or somthing to do with the catagory. Most viewers do not take the time to think well what is this, Ah he is remember. If the fish were somthing else it would take the image of water out and the picture maybe let people get something about memory get in their thoughts.I don't mean to be rude, and don't take this in a bad mannor, think of it as a inspiring way, to prove me wrong and show me that viewers get this."

"Excellent!"