Number 116 Painting

As an artist - whether in the realm of acting, photography, or painting - I have always wanted to make a meaningful impact on the viewer. In my creative endeavors as well as in my work as a psychotherapist I have found that this requires a process orientation (the creative process) rather than an outcome orientation (working to a preconceived result). Since, I don't actually use brushes to paint, my control is limited and by relinquishing this level of control it allows unexpected and random things happen on the canvas. The painting process becomes a series of decisions and consequent effects as layer after layer of paint are applied and removed. The result is an interplay of color, texture, and form that creates a sense of depth and “structuring” as earlier layers form a background and subsequent layers build to dynamic color relationships, textures, and random shapes and form. My works are finished when I feel that the process is complete; when there is nothing more aesthetically I can bring to the painting.