ARTIST STATEMENT

These paintings are composed using various themes from Nature:  prairie skies, views across the lake, foggy groves, etc.  For each of these I design a basic structure and then do variations on this using differing colors and placements of design elements.  This gives the paintings a similar, symbolical or iconic quality.  The variations are based on how these “Nature symbols” change with the seasons, times of the day, cloud patterns, etc.

Once the theme and structure of a painting is determined, I do color swatches to experiment with color relationships.  I then do small paintings (studies) to see if these colors and shapes work together in harmony.  If one or more colors seem to need an adjustment, I let the painting dry and overpaint the changes as needed.  I then judge if the painting is convincing, interesting and harmonious.  If it is especially pleasing, I might decide to make a larger version of the study but usually again make color, value, intensity, hue or other changes.  I never know if a painting is really “working’ until all the colors are painted, as each color affects the appearance of every other color.

I draw the structure of the paintings on canvas with pencil.  The paints I use are oil paints of various brands and I then mix them with a cold wax medium.  This gives the paint a soft matte finish when dry and also gives the colors a semi-transparency and good workability.  I experiment with various whites including iridescent white.  I do not use masking tape; all is painted freehand using the pencil lines as guidelines.  A slight unevenness where the colors meet makes for a less mechanical feeling.

I often quietly play music as I paint including jazz piano, classical, Gregorian chants, guitar, ancient church music and others.  I think of the paintings in musical terms such as tone, sound, color, harmony, rhythms, notes and silences.  The painting work itself is often meditative and hours pass by quickly.  The work is going best when it is progressing effortlessly but intensely.

Like certain types of music, my paintings are themes and variations.  When I first heard the music of Eric Satie and Phillip Glass, I was very taken with it.  To me, their music relates closely to what I observe in Nature—slight and subtle differences in limitless variations within the larger themes.  There is a quality to this that can be calming, fascinating and beautiful.  Our home faces west and each evening we are treated to a sunset.  Some are similar but no two are alike and, therefore, always a surprise and a delight.

I have always liked minimalist art, architecture and Shaker design (“Hands to work and hearts to God.)..  I think my paintings aren’t minimalist but there is minimalism in their genes.   I love the saying, “Less is more”.  A Zen garden takes a certain patience and an aesthetic involvement to enter into it.  Otherwise it’s just rocks and gravel.  And so it is with paintings.