On Allowing

Theory and intuition have always existed side by side in my practice.

When I paint, I need freedom. I cannot allow theory to dictate a brushstroke or determine a decision in the studio. The work itself has to emerge through observation, intuition, experimentation, and trust. Yet at the same time, I have a strong need to continuously reflect on my work, to place it within broader art historical conversations, and to engage with artists whose practices continue to inspire and challenge me.

For many years, I have returned again and again to Helen Frankenthaler. Her paintings, her interviews, and the obstacles she faced as a woman artist working in the 1950s continue to fascinate me. The freedom she brought to the canvas remains remarkable. There is still so much we can learn from artists of her generation—and I want to keep learning.

Even after more than thirty years of painting, I remain fascinated by the relationship between material and surface: how a particular mixture of paint behaves on a particular canvas, how textures interact, where boundaries emerge, and where they begin to dissolve.

This painting grew out of that ongoing curiosity. It is rooted in observation, in allowing materials to respond to one another, and in paying attention to what happens when control loosens and something less predictable takes over.

I am quite happy with how this work resolved itself.

On Allowing
140 × 200 cm
Available

#HelenFrankenthaler #ContemporaryPainting #AbstractArt #PaintingProcess #MaterialityInArt