For many years my primary vehicle of expression
has been the human figure. Painting from direct observation and
with an emphasis on form, I aim to give expression to the sitter’s physiognomy.
I paint the sitter straight on and objectively, stripped of any narrative
content. The figures exist in confined spaces. I light them
from above seeking a greater sense of reality. It is my intention
that the subtleties of emotion be contained in the face of the sitter
and for my paintings to be both highly realized and dramatic. To
accomplish this, I meticulously layer paint to develop the form.
Working into the surface of the painting by repeatedly scraping and
sanding, I make radical adjustments until both space and figure are
fully articulated into a palpable image. Through creating the illusion
that the image has been sculpted out of pigment, the figure is projected
assertively into the viewer’s space.
Since 2006 I have revisited landscape after a
decade long period during which I had focused exclusively on the
human figure. It
has been tremendously exciting to paint landscape again. The
process feels more intimate than in the past.
Now, it's as if the vista in front of me is a
human figure. Everything
I look at reminds me of the forms of the human body - even the empty
space. For example, the atmosphere in between the eye
of the viewer and the building in the distance has its own bulk. I
think about how this bulk of air
relates to the bulk or form of the building itself. I liken
this to the comparison of the human torso and thigh. I
feel a new closeness with the natural world because the shapes in
it seem to be alive.
My aim remains the same whether I am painting a landscape or a person. My
goal is to make the thought clear and awaken emotion through the
impression which a scene has made upon me. |
