I find water media incredibly easy to work with. It invites me to sit down and paint whenever inspiration strikes. The immediacy of paint and water lets me put what is in my head on paper at any moment. I enjoy the choice of using it as a drawing material or of working in a painterly manner. On works where I’m seeking greater precision and fullness, I endeavor to make my work richer, despite stereotypes of the media’s delicacy and transparency.
Although I typically work on small, quarter sheets of watercolor paper, I have recently been increasing the size of my paintings. I find it difficult to fill the space since I tend to paint small details into every corner. I have also moved towards gouache and the rich colors and opacity it offers. I am always seeking more depth, but I enjoy the references to flat, graphics, posters and broadsides that gouache often conjures.
My drawing subjects come from things I see around me, in magazines, newspapers, books, faces on the train and objects in my surroundings. I try to interpret them as pleasing forms and shapes and then fill them with bright color. My work also houses hidden comedy, satire and sarcasm as a reflection of my notions about the world. The finished works often looks as though they should be part of a narrative, yet the overall story remains illusive, unclear and mysterious.
Ultimately my paintings are not meant to make sense, but to create a feeling of disorientation, puzzlement, and amusement. I want the viewer to be able to look with fascination over long periods of time. Something new should be seen with each encounter with the image. Part of my enjoyment of the finished product comes from the stories made up by the viewer as they wonder out loud what is going on in the work.
Growth as an artist means always challenging yourself; pushing yourself further when all who once pushed you (teachers and mentors) have seen you off on your independent path. I try to challenge myself by never allowing the subject matter to become repetitive or overused. I read, think, listen and question contemporary culture in order to generate new ideas. In today’s world full of dizzying amounts of information, I get the feeling things will never be dull.