ARTIST'S STATEMENT

DrainedEye is a Philadelphia-based artist working from a sense of calling—engaging what comes after inner conflict without claiming arrival. The work does not present itself as resolved or definitive, but as an ongoing commitment to presence, discernment, and forward motion. Painting becomes a way of staying awake to the journey itself.

Rooted in higher vision, the practice approaches spirituality as embodied and lived rather than symbolic. Color, energy, and layered forms act as a visual shorthand, allowing meaning to surface without being forced or explained. The intention is not to center struggle, but to move beyond it—honoring the responsibility of using one’s voice in a way that elevates both the work and the space it enters.

Joy is central to this practice. The paintings are created as points of recognition, where something internal is reflected back and the viewer feels seen without being reduced to pain or conflict. Seeing and being seen is treated as a beginning—a quiet acknowledgment of shared humanity and shared potential.

Each piece reveals its role through the act of making. A painting may function as a mirror, a signal, a record, a tool, or a transmission, depending on what the process calls for. Meaning is not prescribed in advance; it emerges through attention, discipline, and trust in the work itself.

The practice also extends into select wearable pieces. These are guided first by aesthetic instinct—forms, colors, and symbols that resonate on sight alone. Over time, for those who choose to stay with them, a deeper language begins to reveal itself. The wearables are offered as points of recognition rather than explanation, allowing meaning to unfold gradually and personally. For those who identify with the work, they become a subtle way of carrying its spirit forward—moving through the world as lived expression rather than statement.

This philosophy extends beyond the canvas through the DrainedEye Vortex, a mobile gallery that introduces the work in motion. The Vortex operates as the tip of the spear—placing the work into lived environments and first encounters, often without context, allowing recognition to occur before explanation.

DrainedEye.com is the most considered expression of the practice. It serves as a private viewing room for deeper engagement, where the work is given time, clarity, and space to resonate. For those who arrive with intention, it offers an invitation to look closely, return often, and participate in the shared responsibility of seeing more clearly.

ABOUT DRAINEDEYE

DrainedEye is an independently owned and operated artist gallery/brand.  The concept for DrainedEye was born in 2017.  The website took an additional 3 years to manifest.  

My name is Jason Sanders. Online I go by DrainedEye.  I'm an artist and apparently a late bloomer.  I was 40 years old before I started taking my dream of being a professional artist seriously.  I am self taught.  I've always been creative, but operated under the assumption that I had to apply my ability to other things in order to be successful. 

This outlook led me to trying lots of different jobs through my 20's and into my 30's.  None of them were especially creative, but I was paying bills and living independently.  I got married and had 2 daughters. 

But by 2009, I was experiencing a creative calling.  I started experimenting with videography and photography.  It became clear that it was possible to parlay my creativity into a career, which felt amazing!  But then I had a series of setbacks with my health.  Also I was beginning to feel stagnant artistically.  Coordinating output with multiple partners and compromising my artistic vision began weighing on me.

By 2016 I began to have the audacity to wonder, what would happen if I followed my own artistic vision?  The only problem was that I didn't quite have an artistic vision yet.  But the pull was so strong that I just began to create, visually.  It had been years and progress was frustratingly slow at first.  But with effort comes progress and eventually I found myself increasingly able and excited to execute artistic ideas the way that I had envisioned them.

It was like I was emerging from a cocoon.  My former life was gone.  I was divorced and now had time to pursue art as my passion.  Those following years of growth were tough, but rewarding.  I started introducing myself as an artist. My confidence was growing.  But the biggest gifts were yet to come!  Increased confidence and skill led to increased output and it seemed, at least looking back, that, suddenly, an artistic purpose revealed itself to me.  At last, I had my artistic vision!  I became aware of my power to connect people to their emotions.  I finally understood how important it was for me to be an artist and how I could contribute to a better world.  For more details about the values that inform my work, please see my Artist's Statement above.

Thank you for your interest in my work and for exploring DrainedEye.com.  I believe with great art comes great responsibility.  I take my work seriously, and I love it because it is fun!  Whether you are drawn to my more comedic and whimsical pieces, or my more personal and deeply spiritual works, the fact that you are here means we share a bond.  We understand that life is too short for boring walls, or boring clothes.  You and I know that an image has the power to heal, inspire, and change.  Thank you for your support and the love and energy you bring to the world.