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As
I have matured artistically, I find that my imagery and what is important in my painting has changed. Early on I was fascinated
by the figure. The light and shadows, the nuances of the flesh tones captured my attention. For a number of years I worked
almost exclusively with the figure. The figure began in a simple background then evolved into a figure placed in an environment.
From that point the figure was placed within an abstract composition. I realized I was becoming more interested in the construction
of the composition and application of paint not just the image. This realization prompted me to look at other ways
to make my statement. Firmly grounded in representation I started exploring the effects of light and reflection on transparent
and metal objects. I always recall a painting in the North Carolina Museum of Art attributed to the Rembrandt School it was
called Portrait of a Young Man. What I found fascinating about this work
was the gold necklace. It appeared to have been painted by an abstract expressionist and not a Dutch realist. From there I
looked at Chuck Close and Janet Fish and how they used paint, color and “marks of color" in their paintings. One of my consistent strengths has been
drawing. When I begin the construction of a painting I
spend a great deal of time on the drawing. Planning the composition, determining the scale and the creation of the under
painting are all an important activity in the creation of a new piece. As I begin the process of applying color I try to keep
my marks simple letting them be as succinct as possible. I recall the impressionists and their color theory as I experiment
with complimentary and analogous hues to create the impact I wish a particular area of color to project. I have found that
the transparency of glass and reflective quality of metal have a level of distortion that allow for a great deal expressionist
brush work within a representational format. I tend to load my pictures with a variety of objects that provide contrasting
surfaces and textures. As
with all artists, I continue to explore while investigating the elements of light and glass. Scale, color, and a variety of
patterns have evolved and reoccurred in my work over the last several years I am continuing to refine my interpretation of
space and the effects of light on that space.
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