Interstices

"The idea as a point of departure for the picture: that's illustration. Conversely, acting and reacting in the absence of an idea leads to forms that can be named and explained, and thus generates the idea. In the beginning was the deed." --Gerard Richter. This series is an ongoing struggle against the canvas, the cement, the paint and my own drive for perfection and control. The cracks and imperfection are there to teach me humility, patience and resilience. In that struggle I explore the sheer materiality of the paint and its myriad applications. The technique emphasizes the cracks, the imperfection in the painting surface and is about surrendering control. The canvas becomes a topographical map of every layer of interaction with it and with the application of the materials--whether brushed, dripped, spattered or sprayed. I work on cracked surfaces, imperfect supports and paint based on those flaws. It is a parallel of life: we don’t get blank slates, smooth surfaces or pristine canvas.