Photography Statement
I am an abstract hardedge painter who draws inspiration from the Romantic Illuminist Landscape painters; from Kazimir Melavich and Piet Mondrian and from Cubism and Minimalism. I discover a painting’s individuality through spatial relationships and the marriage of geometry, color and emotion. Each painting is multi-layered and projects fictional spaces with uncomplicated shapes – squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, checkerboards and lines – onto the two-dimensional canvas plane. The crisp lines and precise angles in my compositions establish a sense of order and structure, reflecting the inherent beauty and elegance in mathematical principles. Each composition is painstakingly edited and arranged until I discover a composition that is curious, balanced, rhythmic and dynamic.
Color plays a pivotal role in my artistic expression. I mix specific colors for each painting; envisioning harmonic and, at times, clashing tonalities; thus evoking a diversity of emotions and establishing a visual dialogue within the composition. Through color, I aim to ignite a sensory experience that transcends the boundaries of the canvas.
Below the surface of my work is a profound and focused process. Each shape, whether large or small, is meticulously taped off and that particular area is painted with subtle and controlled brushstrokes; usually with two to six layers of paint. Afterwards, I remove the tape and wait for that area to dry before I tape the next section. I repeat this process until the painting is complete. In one sense I construct a painting.
In addition, I am motivated by a mixture of themes when I title a painting. For instance, 5 Blue Square is ordinary and mundane; Leaves of Grass B is literary, Puzzle Palace and Encrypted point to coded messages that may or may not be decoded. Communion has religious overtones while Time Crossing points to celestial cycles. In this way, a conceptual idea quietly ripples through the painting.
While my work may appear rigid at first glance, it is the emotional undercurrent that breathes life into each piece. The combined influences that merge and drift at varying depths reveal a buried reality within each painting. I believe that art has the power to transcend the limitations of language and communicate directly with our mind and emotions.
In conclusion, in my practice as an abstract hardedge painter, I seek to bridge the gap between the tangible and the intangible, the rational and the emotional. Through the harmonious interplay of geometry and emotion, my work invites viewers to transcend the confines of their everyday lives and immerse themselves in a world of pure abstraction. It is my hope that my paintings spark contemplation, curiosity, and a renewed appreciation for the power of art to connect us on a deeper level.