I am captivated and drawn to faces. The glow and spirit that comes from within. The
character and dimension beneath the surface. The slightest movement that conveys
emotion, foretells thought or surrenders to feelings and eruptions of joy.
The point where muscle tension moves subtly, catches the light and initiates the gesture.
To capture this on larger than life canvases feels to me as an intimate and sensual
merging of empathy and paint.
The structure of the paintings usually begin with close up, graphic compositions that offer
strong and simple architecture between the softness of the face or body and the angular
background and negative space.
The subject and canvas is flooded with light from a strong source creating sculptural effects
and dramatic contrast. As light plays on the surface planes I am particularly fascinated
where light collides with shadow and recedes into darkness.
I paint with a sensitivity tuned to the subtle emotion deep within. As I paint I can feel the
sparkle in the eye and the invisible tension held under the skin to create the curl of the lip or
the almost imperceptible rise of an eyebrow.
Using layers of acrylic I attempt to structure the paint to evoke the luminosity and
transparency of the skin as if the light permeates the tone and structure of the body itself.
Capturing these transitions and impulses ignite an intimate expression unique to one
individual’s personal essence yet emotes sensations shared by all people.
The end result is at once highly personal yet glimmers of a shared universal experience.
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ARTIST STATEMENT