Reverence to Damien Painting

I paint to understand and visualize what is foreign to me and to dissect and more deeply "know" subjects that interest me. My goal is to create three-dimensional, highly textured, paintings that give the viewer the sense that the paintings are organic worlds unto themselves; places of continued discovery to the viewer. When people see my work, I'd like them to spend a long time observing and dissecting each piece. I select materials and colors that will create simultaneously abstract and realistic textures; I seek to be concurrently imaginative and realistic. I rely heavily on Papier-mâché and sand because they allow me to create unique textures with their own significant meaning. For that same reason I enjoy using palette knives as they are capable of producing a multitude of effects which are essential to the realization of my pieces. Because I am predominantly self-taught I am always learning from my surroundings, artists I am inspired by, literature, music, poetry and dance as well as myself. I continually refine my method and process and discover new layers and facets of my work and myself as an artist. This affects how I select materials as well as my technique and the themes I am drawn to.