I have been an artist for over 30 years working in Indianapolis and New York City. My primary medium is oil painting, but I also create collages and sculptures. I am self-taught as art has been my passion since my youth. My inspiration comes form my life experiences, people I have known, and the idea that this reality is one of many.
Artist Style: Visual: Abstract, Collage, Dream Imagery/Ethereal, Surrealistic
Artist Medium: Visual Arts: Collage, Mixed Media, Oil
The intent of my art is to express and elicit emotions in an interactive way. I create art that is meant to be touched. I do this through oil paints that are used in a way that develops texture to the canvas. While I use paintbrushes, I also use a variety of other materials to create a unique look and texture, such as bits of cardboard, my hands, paper, and other items that give a more original texture than only brushes. I also want the viewer to interact on an emotional level with the painting. I want the viewer to feel that each painting somehow ties to themselves, someone close to them, or a place they have visited.
My work is layered. This layering helps me get my emotions about the painting onto the canvas. I will then begin to use those patterns to develop the image in my mind, showing fields or texture, without actually painting either. These are often awkward, unrealistic poses, or situations, as that is how I think many people feel, even if it is not how they truly move. I use color as a language. I use opposing colors to illicit a more bold emotion, or similar colors to give a sense of calm. If I want to be sure the viewer is focused in a particular area, the colors will stand out as opposing to the image that surrounds it.
I do not work under preconceived ideas of what a painting should be. I do not want to recreate someone else’s vision. I strive to create art that comes from my personal understanding of the world. I paint emotions, and I am not sure there is a way for two individuals who are genuinely expressing themselves through art, to paint emotions in the same way. My work has evolved over the last thirty years into a style that speaks to my perception of the world.
