Surprise Me Painting

Website: Instagram: Location: Portland, Oregon, USA ART TECHNIQUE I am a self-taught artist working in a variety of mediums; acrylic paint, textile collage, wax pencil, pastel, ink and graphite, to name a few. My surfaces also vary – sometimes paper, sometime canvas, mostly wood panel. My techniques include painting with rags, a lot of resist work, sgraffito, wax paper transfers and tons and tons of smudging. ART INSPIRATION My abstract art has two components; a reflection of everyday experiences and another element that I think is due to the fact that I am an accidental immigrant. My husband and I left New Zealand many years ago for a trip around the world. Our first stop was San Francisco. Then we moved to Portland, Oregon. Then, we never left. Being an immigrant means, no matter which home you are in, you are slightly apart. You are always wondering if you are missing something because an experience or event that would provide context is not available because it happened in the other home when you weren't there. I think my art reflects that. Mixed-media aside - there is always some sort of mash up; big bold obvious elements and much smaller tentative elements you can only see when you are close up. It’s as though I am positive and unsure at the same time. Which, in the end, creates a level of tension, perhaps even unease. Hopefully it also makes the work more interesting because things are not exactly as they first appear.