PASSAGES

My paintings are visually abstract but reference nature, contemporary culture and a sense of time and memory. The paintings are created with layers of poured paint that are then edited down to an essential form or specific interaction. I combine very fluid movements of paint with hard-edged shapes and flat intense backgrounds, constantly shifting the viewer’s eye until shape becomes negative and space becomes shape. My interests lie with the juxtaposition of boundaries that subvert perception.

The pours are multiple colors and different viscosities. The colors are derived from personal experience, what I see, what I react to. Sometimes they reference nature’s colors; algae and moss, a storm coming in, burnt ground, the leaves changing. Other times, the colors are chosen as a visual response to the urban environment, contemporary fashion, billboards and advertisements. Color is a very strong focus of my work. I try to approach color as a means of discovery. This means that sometimes the colors picked are subtle and quiet, and other times very bold and assertive.

The pours are one component of creating the painting. The other major aspect is the editing of the pour. When the pour is finished, taken as far as it can go, when it feels complete, I then look to see what is essential for creating a specific mood or visual response. I use vintage ceramic and metal platters as stencils to edit the background and create different shapes. I place the platters down on the areas that I want to save, trace around them and then paint out everything else. The platters relate to plants, nature, and biomorphic forms. Recently, I have also included construction materials, every day household objects and the flow of the paint and drips to dictate the separation of forms and background.

The pours relate to epic, romantic land/sky scapes, similar to Turner or the Baroque Period. The border acts as an ornate frame and the background refers to wall paper. The “wall paper” ranges from Victorian pattern to Sci-fi retro images. I am interested in juxtaposing the “idea” of romantic landscape with a more contemporary setting, exploring concepts of beauty, perception and cultural relationships.