My source materials lie in natural and synthetic occurrences. I cull these materials from shadow formations, dilapidated billboards, high school yearbook photographs, mug shots, and neglected walls found throughout my environment. I construct images that abstract the human form. These forms create an ambiguity for the viewer. This allows an individual to project their emotions, and create an internal narrative focused on the painting. The form also serves as an armature that acts as a relatable foundation for painterly play. My deep faith in the medium of paint permits me to break down the figure in an attempt to convey a visual language that reflects the way I see the world. My work is a subtle form of social criticism, and a challenge to contemporary notions of painting.
I produce my own urethane and acrylic paint, which allows me to continually experiment with the physical characteristics of the painting—the paint may be thin or thick, opaque or transparent, matte or glossy. This creates constant change within the development of the image. I manipulate the material nature of the medium in order to create figures that are at times not easily recognizable. The synthetic nature of my paintings serves to distance my work from some tropes found within modernism, while the handling of the paint places me within a continuum of expressionistic painting. Not relying on philosophical ideas associated with expressionism, but rather the potential of abstract language to tell a tale.
Through the constant negotiation of the chromatic and optical qualities of the paint, the figures are held together by the slightest of margins. My personal deliberation with the image allows me to perpetually develop ever changing painting techniques, and has granted me a greater sensitivity to the image. The investigational nature of the process leads to endless discovery, as well as continual failure. The key is to rely on my visual acuity, which enables me to learn and build from both successful and unsuccessful attempts.
The physicality of the work, in conjunction with the oscillation of figurative and abstract imagery, is the basis of an effective painting. The earnest nature of my subject matter, with a hint of humor, allows the viewer not only to think, but also to feel. My paintings are a result of a thorough exploration of abstract grammar and the use of traditional formal arrangements found within western portraiture. The end result is a dynamic relationship between process, drawing and image.
I produce my own urethane and acrylic paint, which allows me to continually experiment with the physical characteristics of the painting—the paint may be thin or thick, opaque or transparent, matte or glossy. This creates constant change within the development of the image. I manipulate the material nature of the medium in order to create figures that are at times not easily recognizable. The synthetic nature of my paintings serves to distance my work from some tropes found within modernism, while the handling of the paint places me within a continuum of expressionistic painting. Not relying on philosophical ideas associated with expressionism, but rather the potential of abstract language to tell a tale.
Through the constant negotiation of the chromatic and optical qualities of the paint, the figures are held together by the slightest of margins. My personal deliberation with the image allows me to perpetually develop ever changing painting techniques, and has granted me a greater sensitivity to the image. The investigational nature of the process leads to endless discovery, as well as continual failure. The key is to rely on my visual acuity, which enables me to learn and build from both successful and unsuccessful attempts.
The physicality of the work, in conjunction with the oscillation of figurative and abstract imagery, is the basis of an effective painting. The earnest nature of my subject matter, with a hint of humor, allows the viewer not only to think, but also to feel. My paintings are a result of a thorough exploration of abstract grammar and the use of traditional formal arrangements found within western portraiture. The end result is a dynamic relationship between process, drawing and image.
