To me painting is a dialogue between self and the canvas. While I may start with an idea in mind, the creation flows in its own direction. Speaking to the canvas with brush in my hand, the canvas speaks back, asking questions I am obliged to answer.
It is a fraught process, and sometimes there is only silence. I spend time gazing at what was last spoken, coaxing the conversation back. Often the new conversation is a different one and the painting takes a turn.
While I paint to create a form or pattern that is aesthetically pleasing, I am moved to create edges that are more honest than beautiful. Subtracting elements and creating unexpected relationships, I paint to reflect the complexity and destructiveness of contemporary life. I strive to stretch out of reality, where certain stories can be told.