REVIEWS

      
ARTIST'S STATEMENT

My paintings and drawings are inspired by old structures such as abandoned buildings and weathered boats. Aesthetically, I am attracted to the crookedness and decay of these edifices. The fading wood, peeling paint and broken windows provide each structure with a personality and a history. Utilization of these subjects imparts cultural metaphors relating to time, society, man and nature. They hold within them mysteries and suggestions of the past. They are beaten and worn, yet strong and dignified. Their future is questionable. Nature may take over a vessel and send it to the bottom of the sea. Man may tear down an old beloved house leaving it to be paved over and parked on by Wal-Mart shoppers. I am attempting to open peoples' eyes, to draw their attention to the human side of life and to remind them of the humanity that these 20th Century relics and ruins represent.


Through the warping of space and the subtle nuances of color and light, I am emphasizing the significance of these weathered and decaying structures. I employ Renaissance theories of perspective along with multiple viewpoints in order to establish an ambiguous and skewed, all-encompassing pictorial space. This space captivates and invites the viewer into the painting so he/she can fully experience the place and the subject. The exaggerated monumentality of the building or vessel enhances its personality and defines its dignity. Using brushstrokes of color and light, I describe the movement or stillness of the wind or the water and create dramatic, yet sometimes ambiguous landscapes. By focusing on the tactile qualities of both my subjects and their environment, I want the viewer to feel the solidity and decay of the house or vessel as well as the impact of its surroundings.


The process of creating my work includes various procedures and experiments. I am attracted to certain structures and vessels due to their crooked forms, colors and textures that enhance their personalities. I make several visits to these places to do sketches and take photographs. In my studio, I use these references when I am developing my painting. I experiment with compositions and with variations in the shapes and sizes of my canvases. Laying on thick strokes of paint, creating a rich sensuous surface and playing with color add another aspect to my pieces. They are not only about images and invented space, but they are about paint.


I am a passionate and prolific artist. I am suggesting historical and sociological concepts in regards to my subject matter. By placing these commonly found structures in a unique space and emphasizing specific characteristics, they become icons and metaphors relating to our culture. The abandoned houses and old boats of the 20th Century will continue to decay, but through richly painted canvases, I am seeking to immortalize their profoundness.