ARTist Statement
Painting is documentary. It can be a method of capturing memories or suggesting them. Time, place, emotion, or metaphor can be discerned from a painting if that is what the artist intends. Personally, I aim to monumentalize the quiet moments in life and to create an allegory for the human experience. This inspiration comes from observing nature, and the metaphorical narratives that unravel in the environment that parallel to daily life. My influences range from the Northern Renaissance and American Realists to the forested landscapes of Southern Georgia. I try to explore the mysteries of the natural world and the sacredness associated with it. I am interested in symbols associated with nature used across the world. In them, I find a questioning of human existence, including limits of power, fragility of life, and eternal philosophies. I do not try to answer these questions, only present a moment for the viewer to consider these issues themselves.
Gerhard Richter stated that he is most interested in that which he does not understand, and that he did not like the things that he did understand. I believe that this is true for me as well, in that I am fascinated in themes that there are no answer to, and there is nothing we can do about it other than have faith. These issues include spirituality, the life cycle, reality, time, and infinity. I believe we create our own way of believing, and our own syntax through the influences we have as we grow as individuals. Since I grew up in the woods, most of my metaphors and symbols are borne out of nature. I am able to perceive narrative metaphors for human interactions by what I invent from my personal experiences.
Gerhard Richter stated that he is most interested in that which he does not understand, and that he did not like the things that he did understand. I believe that this is true for me as well, in that I am fascinated in themes that there are no answer to, and there is nothing we can do about it other than have faith. These issues include spirituality, the life cycle, reality, time, and infinity. I believe we create our own way of believing, and our own syntax through the influences we have as we grow as individuals. Since I grew up in the woods, most of my metaphors and symbols are borne out of nature. I am able to perceive narrative metaphors for human interactions by what I invent from my personal experiences.
