Original painting 'this face'

This series of works are about finding a balance between the raw and authentic and the ideal of perfection.

The collection deals thematically with a stream of emotional questions and conundrums that come up in daily life, which can feel like life or death at one time and faded background concerns at others. Things that can be reduced down to universal challenges when the personal is deciphered: will we find true love? Will it last? Will we be ok? Will we feel ok? Will we be supported? Will we belong? What’s it meant to be? Is it beautiful? Do I love it? Where the answer is messy and the outcome unclear it becomes about finding the beauty and seeking peace within the unknown.

As my abstract expressionistic style evolves I’m seeing it as equal parts spontaneous, intuitive mark making and its considered reactive partner seeking resolution within the work. A painting is complete when there is feeling of balance present.

The large paintings are created mostly from a calm, neutral zone where my brain lets go and my body takes control of the work, where vision is soft but not blurred and slightly in the peripheral. The full image of the work can only be seen and interpreted {and reacted to} when I stand back. A painting involves stepping in and out of both states many times, many layers paint and a lot of gazing.