Artist Statement
Exploration! If any word describes my art, I think this would be the one. I love to explore the variety of ways in which paint can be applied, not only with brushes, but a variety of tools, always searching for that next object that will make an interesting mark on the canvas. And I love layers--layers of color, layers of texture, and layers of collaged paper. Most of the time my subject matter is nonobjective. I choose this approach because it allows me total freedom to create without concern for recognizable objects. I just want to “create” with no preconceived ideas about what “should” be. Not looking for a landscape, a still-life, even an abstraction of a common subject, I search for the effects (the discoveries) that will appear in the layering. As the layers progress I may find something recognizable, but that is not my goal.
My creative journey started with collage, but as I continued with the medium I realized it was not just the collage I loved, it was the process of building. At that time I was building with papers and found objects. Currently, my “building” is accomplished by developing a surface of textures on canvas or board. Later, after this initial layer of texturing, I am energized to begin the painting.