As an artist I am drawn to the natural world, particularly the perception of light and color. My paintings and works on paper attempt to translate these ethereal qualities, such as the visual impact of contrasting colors, shapes and textures, into a two-dimensional meditative experience for the viewer. My fascination with the difference between naturalistic and graphic modes of visual representation allows me to play with the elements I observe, such as the outline of a tree or the ridge of a mountain. I push these concepts until it is hard to determine whether or not my paintings are derived from something specific or if they have transitioned into pure abstraction. The space that exists between what is recognizable and what is abstract is where my work thrives.
When constructing my paintings, combinations of color and form are also an important concern. The forms and nuances I observe in nature, especially elements of repetition, patterning and intense color, help to establish spatial harmony in my compositions and inform my language of mark making. Working with two-dimensional media at an intimate scale is where I feel like I can take full control of what I put on the page. I look for tension within color and form because I am drawn to aesthetics that have a quality of discord. I work through tensions and stresses in my emotional world and translate them into symbolic color and shape relationships on paper. For example, I associate blue with spirituality and I use it in conjunction with orange, its complement, in order to realize its fullest visual potential. Jarring combinations of color are uncomfortable, yet their use in painting creates a heightened perceptual experience. Both in the subject of my art and the processes I employ, I work between the natural and unnatural, the material and immaterial, real and imaginary. |