About my work:
I make colorful, textural acrylic paintings that, while varied in content, are different versions of rehashed and imagined landscapes. My paintings are largely improvisational. I start gesturally, with a notion of how to begin, but typically without a final image in mind. I spend a lot of time looking at (and photographing) how light works in the natural world. But when it’s time to paint, I don’t rely too heavily on references. I want the paintings to live within the world of play and imagination.
I do, however, use representational tools when I’m working - particularly around color and light. I try not to be too literal, though. I like to keep it whimsical, painterly and alive. If I am working with a photo (like with my floral work) I use the reference just where needed. I allow space for abstraction, and I do a lot of editing as I go.
Color is a central focus for me. I am constantly thinking about color relationships, and I absolutely LIVE for a nice color gradient. I was trained in figurative painting when I was in school, and I still use the palettes that I learned during that time. But, I’ve incorporated those classical palettes into own modern palette. Controlling color has become the key to my work. I’ve found that having a sense of “believable” color and light allows for a lot of wiggle room and inventiveness in the rest of the painting.
In some of my work, I overtly use the “flesh-tone” palettes that I was taught in school, in reference to the reverence for white skin in classical painting. My hope for these paintings is that they are an invitation to conversation - a naming of something unspoken - but that they are also beautiful and full of life. That they might open a door of curiosity and inquiry, and can stand on their own beyond language.
Above all, I believe that painting can be celebratory, playful and light-hearted, while also starting important conversations. It is an excellent vehicle for getting to know ourselves and our world.
Thanks for reading!
Edited on June 13, 2024