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.
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