
Statement
In my painting practice, certain mark-making habits give rise to familiar imagery. Flora and organic forms take shape from swirling strokes, with bursts of color interspersed in staccato rhythms and drizzled, vine-like drips. The landscape emerges from horizontal striations and brushstrokes that evoke memory.
But the imagery is more surprise than plan. My focus is primarily revolves around “letting paint be paint”—paint that swirls, bleeds, melds, and breathes. Paint that humbles, dances in and out like an imp, and eternally serves as a symbiotic host to color.
Its personality is immense. Conveying imagery that is sometimes calm and at other times chaotic, it awakens our awareness of the simple joy of seeing, contemplating, and connecting.
Its subtle nature calms, while its bold, ‘life of the party’ facet is quietly vibrant. The spectrums spun through the kaleidoscope of the mind, as expressed by the artist's hand, challenge our ability to find order in chaos and structure in randomness.
For me, it has lifted the fog, presented challenges that require ever-evolving solutions, and highlighted the importance of relinquishing control. Paint arrives on its own terms and simply asks that we steer gently, consciously, and remain in the moment.
My penchant for bold color is likely a throwback to my upbringing in New England where prolonged periods of gray can leave one in a state of near-hibernation, waiting for signs of spring and the "smelling salts" of daffodils.
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