The current body of work continues to focus on moments I have observed that often come from my travels. These paintings attempt to convey the memories and feelings I experienced rather than be illustrations of specific places. The contemporary figurative paintings are abstracted figures and architectural spaces that often evoke European and Latin American influences, yet, could exist anywhere. Figures and the stories they tell are the subjects for these paintings. The anonymous, often faceless, figures in familiar places suggest a story and the memory of a time and place. They linger in shadows; others are caught in quiet contemplation; they interact with one another or their environment, or they are people simply occupied with their personal lives and relationships. Dramatic passages of light and shadow are important to me from the symbolic references they imply and are also key design elements used in these paintings and the stories they tell. The strong range of light and shadow is intended to enhance the feeling of intrigue and mystery. The dramatic lighting with the figurative and architectural elements are simplified into sometimes ambiguous compositional shapes that strive to capture the atmosphere and suggest a narrative rather than illustrate. Above all, the intention is to incite thought and memory.
2011 |
