Artist's Statement
In preparation for my recent work, I selected images based on their simplicity of color and form, quality of line, or anything I felt would lend itself to strong brushwork and an interesting application of paint. The inherent meaning of the subject matter was secondary, and there was no attempt to form a coherent narrative. I did not choose the image for what it typically represents, but for how it could be represented through paint. A subject’s meaning was decided and applied throughout the process as I created my own interpretation.
The figure of the mummy could be interpreted as a comment on our society and culture. Originally, it was chosen simply because its stark nature possesses the capacity to be reduced to a primitive compilation of tone and brushwork. However, it soon became apparent that the anonymity of the mummy could relate to the individual viewer, while simultaneously creating a broad association with humanity as a whole.
There are many different images that are repeated throughout the work. While all were initially decided upon for aesthetic reasons, most have acquired some measure of meaning. Personally, the “Flintstone” house is interpreted as the archaic, obsolete nature of making a painting in our digital age. Or maybe Fred Flintstone simply reminds me of myself. It doesn’t really matter, since ultimately, viewers will draw their own conclusions of what the painting is about through their own personal experiences. What does matter is that the viewer is constantly made aware that the paint is the only absolute. The ability to create a specific, recognizable image using minimal information allows for the paint itself to rival the suggestion of image.