Artist Statement
My personal view about making art is fairly simple. It is about revelation and
communication. Through the act of
painting I encounter, deeply observe and then express how I see aspects of the
world. Through the completed
painting I hope to share, perhaps impose on the viewer, my vision of the
world. Einstein is reported to
have said that there are two ways to look at the world – that there are no
miracles and that everything is a miracle. I have chosen in my life and in my
work to attempt to see and acknowledge the world as a miraculous place. Some of our miracles are
monumental and earthshaking, while others are quiet, subtle and can be found in
everyday experience. More often than not I find myself depicting aspects of
everyday experience in attempt to reveal their profound nature. This is what
inspires me to paint and this is what I hope viewers will consider as they view
my work.
My primary subject matter has been the landscape; although
still life is a genre I return to frequently. I am intrigued by the phenomenon
of light as it reveals and changes the forms in our world and I am affected by
the ability of light to create a mood. The ideas of the many eastern and
western philosophies that purport that all of nature is animated and has
spiritual dimension have always resonated with me.
Stylistically, I paint in a
representational manner. During
the last few years I have spent the majority of my painting time working
outdoors – en plein air; although I do still work in the studio working from
sketches, photos and paintings made in the field. The craft of painting is important to me, I hope to
continually hone my craft and my understanding of the materials and processes
of painting. To this end working
directly from my subject and attempting to complete a painting in one session
has been valuable. I also enjoy
the multi-sensory experience of working in the landscape, to smell the dry
grasses, feel the warm breezes, listen to the birds’ songs and hope in some way
these experiences make it into my painting.
