ARTIST STATEMENT
After creating art with many different mediums and many different surfaces, I find that texture is the one consistent factor that influences my work, either visual or physical. The textured surface determines how I will plan and begin my painting. If the surface is smooth, I will add extra texture to create more interesting mark-making. The rough, scumbled, unpredictable results bring me back to creating artwork over and over again. To me as an artist, this makes the creative life rich. The unpredictability and randomness promises new discoveries and provides a constant renewal.
The visual or physical texture influences my choice of medium, such as pastel on a grit surface, oils over a rough underpainting, or a palette knife for random paint application, acrylics (which are a flat medium) over a textured surface or painting, a subject that has a lot of visual texture.
I also love the challenge and process of 2-dimensional visual and concept problem-solving. I take artistic license to move visual elements around to solve composition or mood or color issues, so that they fit my aesthetic guidelines. I am attracted to strong diagonals, and in many of my paintings this directional energy is evident. I often will "reverse engineer" the painting process; what I see first is what I paint last. Understanding what needs to be painted first can be key to a successful painting foundation. I always strive to create a compelling composition and mood by using line, value, shape, texture, and color harmony.
