Artist Statement

A spark of an image captures itself in my mind’s eye.

With pencil or charcoal or chalk I find shapes in space, and then commit to one dominant color. From this shape the narrative unfolds through the juxtaposition of color next to color, shape next to light, line capturing and releasing mass until the physical image superimposes on to the mind’s eye image. The hand guides the brush at the same moment the mind begins to form it.

The action of painting large is very physical and dynamic,  decisions are made quickly.

I work on the large stretched canvas with acrylic paint, powered pigments, crushed pastel, colored pencil and crayon, rust, dirt and ashes.

My intention is to present a narrative through engagement with color and materials, not story telling. However through years of painting I found dealing solely with colored composition was empty, lonely and dry. Including  figures made the commitment to the colored shapes much more enjoyable, interesting and honest. There was no longer any excuse for ambiguity - it had to be right because it had to make sense in relation to the world we experience, could experience.