I like to paint. It’s a source of comfort and joy for me. I enjoy the colors, the blending, and even the smell of the paint. I don’t make fantastic art that sells or has people lining up to see it, but I like to make it. And, I know all the work and thought that goes into it – along with the blood, sweat, and tears! It takes patience and forethought and a desire to capture a truth into something visual.
This man, D-Westry, has come up with a type of painting that is pretty remarkable. I don’t know what happens behind the scenes, but on stage, he is an entertainer. He’s removed the ecstasy and agony of creating art, and has somehow drilled it down into a minute and a half!
As a guest on “Anderson’s Viewers Got Tale,” D-Westry from Columbus, Georgia, USA, walks on stage to an easel with a black canvas and a table with paint and brushes. He is greeted by the host and judges Anderson Cooper, Sharon Osbourne, and Carrie Ann Inaba. He introduces himself: “I’m a speed painter, and I’m going to do a painting in a minute and a half or less,” and without further ado, the time clicks on and the man loads up brushes with paint.
He’s armed with a brush in each hand as he immediately gets to work. He’s only using white paint, and his brush strokes are short and incoherent. He’s not drawing lines and the way he applies the paint doesn’t give way to much of an image. It’s only seconds in, and the judges are bewildered. They have no idea where this is going and if this man is just putting them on. It’s hard to decipher what on earth he’s painting! “What do you think it is? I can’t tell…” the judges are whispering amongst themselves, their eyes locked on the artist.
D continues to fiercely paint, the expression on his face fixed and concentrated. His hands move quickly as more and more paint gets applied to the canvas. The judges tilt their heads to try and get a better view. Still, it’s a mystery!
The clock is counting down and D is getting more and more into his art. He’s on one knee making sure to get the right angle and positioning on his piece. At 0:40 seconds it’s still unrecognizable, but he has added a colour! He’s now using red-orange paint to add dimension and contrast.
The judges are mystified, and so is the audience. There are only 30 seconds left and no one can make out what D is painting. Sharon says, “Come on guys, we can figure this out…” and then the timer is done and the painting is flipped over and revealed. There is method to the madness, and the pay off is worth it! This man is pretty darn incredible.
Click below to see the lead up to the final painting. You want to watch all of this!
