"Choose To Engage" Painting

My work is heavily focused on process. I embrace the history of creation showing through in the final work. I work with a balance of intuition and planning. I’m inspired by natural textures and aging man-made structures. Time spent hiking refuels me for my studio practice and often directs me towards color palettes used in my work. My experiences traveling abroad and throughout the western U.S. also influence my work in the form of visual and physical textures, color, and shape. I work in oil & cold wax on cradled wood panels. I do not use brushes to create my work. I paint with squeegees, brayers and by applying paint to papers which is then transferred onto the panel. My paintings are comprised of dozens and dozens of layers of oil paint and cold wax. I often scratch back into the layers with tools and palette knives revealing the layers below. My goal is for the viewer to explore emotion and immerse themselves in an abstract way of thinking. I use layered history and visual texture to create something with visual weight and depth. This allows the viewer to ground themselves in an abstract work where they can then allow the mind to see what they need. I believe abstract work to be incredibly inclusive in this divisive time. I hope that everyone can feel connected to the sense of history in my work. The aspects of decay, fluidity and depth in my work help create a universality of time and place for the viewer to connect with.