Off The Grid 1 Painting

I created this work (one of six paintings) after seeing the Agnes Martin retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Seeing so much of Martin’s work at one time was a mesmerizing affirmation for me of the meditative nature of repetitive motion in creating artwork. I had known of Martin’s work prior to the show, but did not recognize a kinship with her practice until that time. It was as if she was there to instruct and encourage me at the right time. I begin my work with a structure and a kind of grid: I address the canvas directly, inscribing the syllables of a healing mantra in large calligraphic strokes of dripping indigo paint (often across multiple canvases at once). The repetitive, rhythmic motion and sound, activates my body and quiets my mind as I turn inward and tune in to the vibrations and rhythms within and beyond myself. Then, I quickly create all-over rows (a grid of sorts) of circular shapes. These circular shapes were first inspired by the sea of bodhisattvas at Sanjusangendo in Kyoto (the 1001 radiant golden statues of compassionate beings), as photographed by Hiroshi Sugimoto and then witnessed myself in a visit to Kyoto in 2014. At this point I jump OFF the grid, responding to the energy and structure before me in an intuitive conversation with the work. It’s as if the grid is a safety net allowing me to confidently jump high and freely.