Statement

Let me firstly say that after 40 years or more of being a creative artist, my current work demonstrates a second side to my artistic mind.

I've always enjoyed painting dark, thought provoking landscapes or brooding, emotional figurative pieces, and I will continue to do so. But frequently, ideas of an abstract nature, that include repetitive shapes, en masse, creating visual scapes of their own, fill me with a desire to make into a reality.

With these abstract pieces I'm exploring the interplay between dark and light, negative space verses positive space, and the bringing together of shape repetition to produce visually intriguing works.

These ideas aren't really pre-planned - I start creating shapes, without sketching, and the art grows spontaneously. The work develops one shape at a time as I draw one after the other. The continued placement is determined by the previous drawn shape on the surface. This is probably very similar to building a dry rock wall, I suppose, in that each piece or shape is dependent on the placement of the piece set down beforehand. Each work almost grows organically across the surface, and this "Make to Know" philosophy has enriched my creative process immensely.

Indian Ink is a medium that I've used and enjoyed over many years and it seemed perfect for me when I decided to finally express myself in the abstract realm. 

In regards to the surfaces I use - this is also very important as I create and prepare my own panels from scratch so I can ensure the perfect ground so that the ink can flow in a pleasing manner. Not all gessos and grounds are created equal, in fact, I have to actually "groom" the wet layers of gesso and oil stain to optimize the ground so the ink flows freely and uniformly across the surface. With a properly prepared panel on which to work on, the act of applying pen and ink onto this smooth, and slightly "toothy" surface is something I cannot put into words. It is truly a vibrant exploration of simply making by doing.

Now other graphic elements such as colored shapes and words are adding a further dynamic to the work and these are creating additional narratives, which has become exciting to me.

Finally, due to their abstract nature, my finished works can also be hung or displayed in various orientations, so the viewer can arrange the art to whatever is most visually appealing to them. Diptych and Triptych pieces can be organized and displayed in different combinations. I love this concept as I believe it adds a layer of interaction between the viewer and the art and bringing them both closer together.