My imagination is the source for all of my work
I employ a variety of techniques in order to translate my vision onto canvas. Sometimes I simply start painting and continue until an image appears that I feel is meaningful. This technique can be more challenging than it might seem, as it requires letting go of any attempt to paint with an end result in mind. Whatever approach I may take for a given piece, I always try to avoid replicating or directly representing any specific thing from nature; I rather aim to create an expression of my mind’s eye and the deeper, underlying emotions attached to that. My goal is to create organic images which invite the viewer to take an active role in the creative process—to see in the painting the familiar places and emotions that are meaningful to them. One frequent source of joy for me in discussing a work with a viewer is to learn what the viewer sees, which is often something very specific and personal to them. Other techniques I use are collaging and serial reinterpretations of images. My collages may include ripped/cut up pieces of paintings, printed paper, and natural objects such as leaves or bark. I combine these together and rearrange in a manner not dissimilar to the pure painting process described above—without an end result in view but rather for a composition that reflects an imaginative place and feeling. |