Dionysys wrote of a Divine Darkness– a darkness that only appears dark because it is so dazzlingly bright. As I reluctantly set my clocks forward to Daylight Savings Time, I kept thinking.. What is it about our modern culture that we fear the dark of night so much? We seem obsessed with lighting up every little corner of our sphere. So out into the wilderness I go. Backpacking several miles into the mountains seems the only way to get away from all the artificial brightness. It is dark, yes. But it can also be shockingly bright, as the moon and stars shine brighter where there is no competition. It is that feeling of luminous darkness I’m seeking to capture. These paintings begin with layer upon layer of light, visually textured and abstracted underpaintings. Then, in a process that is either incredibly brave or equally foolhardy, the light underpainting is completely covered in a dark, opaque layer of paint. Through a process of subtractive rendering including the use of water, brushes, squeegees, and whatever else is at hand, the landscape and the light reveal themselves. As I cover up the underpainting, I have no idea of the final scene that will be revealed. A journey into darkness is necessary to find my way. It is in the unknowing in the midst of the darkness that the light becomes bright enough to see.