Jesus said that out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
I believe this and extend it to all communication, including visual art. The random techniques of Abstract
Expressionism and Surrealism express directly the joie de vivre abundant within
me by the Holy Spirit.
However, in recent pieces
imagery is reduced to panels of texture, bridging into a gritty form of
Minimalism. Whether chunky or slick, the
materials are being emphasized and are more expressive in spite of the
paintings increasingly stoic forms.
I edit heavily. I pile on paint and thickly textural elements
like leaves, grasses or bark. The latest
works feature hay from my dairy barn studio and cat tails gathered from marshes
in upstate New York. I use local
elements as a way of assimilating my environment and regional culture.
After embedding these
elements into the paint I scrape off what I can. Of what remains, I isolate the lines and shapes
that are the essence of the chaotic underpainting. The experience and process of this discovery motivates
my creative urge. I look for surprise in
materials, process and imagery, as surprise is the beginning of delight!
