It is my belief that by an intelligent and intuitive manipulation of materials one transforms them into art and that the act itself has meaning. I am inspired by this process and the opportunity to filter my interest in things I see through my work.
The process of making this work consists largely of asking questions of completed pieces or works in progress, such that my relationship to the work is like a conversation. Each question presents possibilities. How complex can a structure be before its organizing principle is unrecognizable to the viewer? How does transparence differ in use from opacity? This type of inquiry comes from within the process of making the work and can drive its making for great distances.
The art I make is also connected to my experience of things I see. I feel that anything I see, whether it crosses boundaries of time, culture, disciplines, or imagination is a legitimately available influence. For instance, looking at medical and scientific illustrations, architectural drawings and structures, the weather, maps, Indian miniature paintings, Japanese wood block prints, stone masonry, fabric designs from a great many cultures, and materials and their nature are all both a pleasure to look at and inspiring. These things and others are evoked in my work by use of color, lines of various weights, shapes with edges both hard and soft, and the layering of elements that can be transparent or opaque. Often an image will come to mind as I work on a piece and that image will assist in its making. But upon or before completion, that image is discarded and never referred to again, so as not to limit the scope of reference for myself or the viewer. Similarly, any sense of scale is left deliberately ambiguous, allowing these works to refer to structures both large and small.
Lastly and most importantly, the process of making the work is enjoyable. It is by turns meditative, surprising, challenging, rewarding and at times frustrating. It is always engaging. It is nothing if not an expression of curiosity. It is notably time consuming. Every successful piece is accompanied by the feeling of having earned it. I count myself fortunate that I enjoy doing this and feel the greatest reward is being able to do the work.
The process of making this work consists largely of asking questions of completed pieces or works in progress, such that my relationship to the work is like a conversation. Each question presents possibilities. How complex can a structure be before its organizing principle is unrecognizable to the viewer? How does transparence differ in use from opacity? This type of inquiry comes from within the process of making the work and can drive its making for great distances.
The art I make is also connected to my experience of things I see. I feel that anything I see, whether it crosses boundaries of time, culture, disciplines, or imagination is a legitimately available influence. For instance, looking at medical and scientific illustrations, architectural drawings and structures, the weather, maps, Indian miniature paintings, Japanese wood block prints, stone masonry, fabric designs from a great many cultures, and materials and their nature are all both a pleasure to look at and inspiring. These things and others are evoked in my work by use of color, lines of various weights, shapes with edges both hard and soft, and the layering of elements that can be transparent or opaque. Often an image will come to mind as I work on a piece and that image will assist in its making. But upon or before completion, that image is discarded and never referred to again, so as not to limit the scope of reference for myself or the viewer. Similarly, any sense of scale is left deliberately ambiguous, allowing these works to refer to structures both large and small.
Lastly and most importantly, the process of making the work is enjoyable. It is by turns meditative, surprising, challenging, rewarding and at times frustrating. It is always engaging. It is nothing if not an expression of curiosity. It is notably time consuming. Every successful piece is accompanied by the feeling of having earned it. I count myself fortunate that I enjoy doing this and feel the greatest reward is being able to do the work.
