When I paint, I shatter the image. I divide it into self-contained modules of light and color that, when re- complied, present the viewer with a streamlined perspective on what is real and true.
Infusion and Diffusion use the figure as a vessel, within which light and color are fragmented. The former piece translates the body into a dynamic array of liquefied hues, while the latter depicts the body being desaturated, defined by luminance alone.
Bloom, like the others, translates the image into autonomous patches of light and color but also separates the figure from its surroundings via the direction of the subjects’ gaze and the contrast between the geometric sky and rich, organic figure. Yet, a common chromatic vibrancy, along with a unified visual arc formed by the branches and hair, link the foreground and background.
Aberrance and Radiance
further explore the division and integration of subject and setting. In
both pieces the lush, vibrant subject is removed from its clean,
subdued setting; yet there is continuity
achieved via consistent,
limited color palettes and lines of sight that complement the interior
perspective.
All of these works, but especially Infusion and Diffusion, are influenced by pop culture imagery, including but not limited to advertisements, which I value for their clarity and emphasis on compositional balance. The stark, intimate quality of Aberrance and Radiance reflects my interest in the work of Edward Hopper, especially his paintings that place the figure in an interior setting.
The subjects of these paintings are all people I know and with whom I could keep an open dialogue throughout the process. This lent the pieces a degree of naturalism and spontaneity rarely obtained with inanimate or unfamiliar subject matter. All work was done in acrylics, as the fragmentation process demanded their fast drying time and solid, flat appearance.