Artist Statement

I’m not a painter…

In spite of the fact that you are viewing many of my works, which are primarily created using oil paints, I don’t consider myself a painter. I think of myself as a communicator, like a speechwriter, newspaper reporter, orator, or even in some aspects, a politician. I compose my ideas and try to present them in a manner that others can experience the way I feel while creating the composition. But where a speechwriter or reporter uses words to ply their trade, I am an artist, therefore I use the language of imagery to state my feelings and opinions. This imagery may vary from photography, to painting with realism, to figurative abstract, or even involve elements of found-object collage and assemblage. It may also vary from simple emotions like joy and contentment to more complex feelings such as fear, love and sadness. It is the process of communicating my ideas that is important more than the media used. In fact, it is the creative process of the communication that is important to me. While I am working on a piece, I am emotionally tied to it to the point of distraction. It becomes the sole focus of what I am doing. However, when I bring a piece to completion, the emotional attachment dissolves. I don’t feel the post partum effect that some artists talk about as much as I feel as though I’ve committed a captured moment of my essence and released it to the ether. The way a spoken word floats ever outward into space.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Today's Woman

Today's Woman
6 x 8 inches
collage, ink, stencil, oil paint
2006

This small piece was created with a dual purpose. I wanted to try some different techniques plus make a bit of a statement concerning media manipulation of body image especially as it applies to the middle aged woman. The base image was created by cutting out a stencil of the image and using a toothbrush in higgins black magic ink to 'spray' the graphic on top of a masonite panel that I had prepared by using acrylic transfer of newsprint. This was then addressed with additional ink and some oil paint touches to add a hint of life to the stylized image.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Very nice painting! I like the highlight and shadow treatments. The collage aspect is also interesting.

September 6, 2007 at 8:51 PM

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