The Edge of Experience

oil on canvas

2014/2015

Artist Statement:

My paintings draw inspiration from the organic shapes of the West Coast landscape; from mountains, the ocean, rivers and damp forests, I derive a palette that reflects the rich tones of the earth.  Apart from the landscape, I am also inspired by memories that are filled with a deep sense of weariness and longing.  My paintings aim to provoke a mood reminiscent of the rain, and simultaneously, a sense of loss and mystery.  As my works develop, they darken and areas of luminosity become threatened by large, turbulent masses.  My paintings speak of the darkness, obscurity and vastness in nature, but also of one’s ability to find comfort there.

Instead of working from a reference image or planned idea, I call upon my inspirations and my paintings unfold intuitively.  This working methodology is very important to the outcome of my paintings as it allows for them to emulate the unpredictable nature of weather and the landscape.  I begin with a palette of colours that will help me evoke a luminous quality of light, and as I paint, my marks and shapes develop from forms that exist within my memory.  Painting large scale helps me recreate the drama of the landscape, as well as open the viewer up to a larger, unknown space.  I work in layers, my veils of washes meant to create a place where viewers can immerse themselves and exist amongst a space apart from the outer world. Through immersion, I hope viewers can come to understand a similar comfort that I feel when submerged within the chaos of the natural elements.