Statement
Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. - Mary Oliver
I am drawn to abstract painting because it is the most challenging, holds the most
mystery for me, and in the end, the most magic. My paintings are not "about"
something, or "art objects" per se, as much as they are an opportunity to perhaps set in
motion the imagination and trigger an emotional response. In the simplest of terms, the
work is a celebration of pure color and texture.
I believe that through focused intensive engagement while making a painting, it is
possible to imbibe it somehow with a residue of spirit, an intangible essence that gives
the work a sense of presence. This can be felt by a sensitive viewer and moves the
work toward the realm of art, as opposed to decoration or craft. It's a prospect worth
pursuing with each and every painting.
My process is one of applying paint liberally, carving and digging back into it, and
building up layers. Through this process of application and excavation I would say that I
“find” a painting as much as “make” it. The whole time I am utterly engaged and letting
my intuition be the primary driving force, although I am also using my training and
experience to make hundreds and hundreds of decisions along the way as well.
Openness and freedom are the key.
I know the work is done when I stand back and it hits me all at once as being resolved
visually and having a strong sense of presence about it. In the end, I hope the work
conveys something that is not so much experienced with the mind, as felt with the
body.... in an intimate, visceral, and contemplative way.
