2009, Oil on canvas, 18"w x 24"h
My goal in painting is the pictorial representation of a state of mind, conveyed with sufficient force to evoke an emotional response in the viewer. This state of mind, or rather state of spirit, is usually achieved in the act of making art rather that in the generally accepted myth of “inspiration” being the act preceding art. If I waited until inspiration struck before I began to paint, I’d hardly ever paint. The discovering of the idea I want to convey, and the resolution of barriers to that communication, comes in the doing, not in the thinking. In other words, a solution cannot be found until there is a need for a solution, and there won’t be a need until I’m engaged in the process of creation. Oil paint’s drying time enables the subtle adjustment of color for my goal. My approach to the creative process begins without preliminary sketches, going straight to linear composition on the canvas in black, and then to the application of color, wet on wet, to the forms created in line.
What appeals to me is work that engages my imagination, causing me to wonder what’s being asked of me, and urging me to resolve the questions for myself. My own art expresses the question, in form and color, and is intended to invite the viewers to enjoy their own search for the answer.
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