Artist’s Statement January 2012
I am a self-taught artist and spent the first part of my life expressing myself mostly through classical music. The same tension between my love for the purity and order of Bach and other Baroque composers and my love for the passion of the Romantics such as Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and, gypsy music is reflected in my artwork.
I paint in various genres, abstract, impressionism, contemporary realism, and mixed media.
I am currently working on a series of close-ups of flowers. I like to use a bold style, with texture for these. Some of these are posted here, some for sale, some already sold.
The abstract works displayed here I would term my “breaking out” paintings, in that I am breaking the mold of my former approach to painting, which was mostly decorative. This work represents my love of experimentation with texture and movement combined with color. I am excited by exploring the interplay these to convey my love of God and His creation, in a genre that does not overly concern itself with representation of specific objects or persons, but more the feelings that come from my inmost self at a particular time, or in response to a setting, thought, music, etc
Unlike many abstract artists, I usually work slowly, over a period of several days or more, on each painting. I generally am working on several concurrently, because of this. I work in layers, and when I complete a stage, I generally need some time to gaze at it off and on, and see how I am being led.
Some of my works are a reflection of a thought, a concept, that then evokes certain feelings, or colors. Others start with a color I’m excited about, or a design or texture, and then I take off from there. But generally, I feel the need for time outs between various stages, to pray for guidance, to meditate more on the leading thought, scripture, or feeling. Then again, sometimes I'm just in a very playful mood and something happens very quickly.
I believe that my art is an invitation to see God, to spend time looking for His glory and His love for each viewer, as I express my love for Him, and His love for all of His creation.
