ARTIST STATEMENT

     My paintings of domestic scenes are based on my photographs. A photograph captures a perfect representation of a scene during a single moment in time. While some artists use artwork to abstract and create new realities, I use painting to archive reality. Through painting, I can recreate the walls and furniture, while also using brush strokes to create emphasis and diverge from that prefect representation photography presents. I believe reality is fluid; perceptions shape our unique experiences as individuals, and our vision allows us to absorb experiences and catalog them as memories. If I can remember the hot sun shining through the window, then I can feel it burning the back of my neck. Painting allows me to show how my perception changes my reality.

     My interest in domestic scenes stems from what I think domestic scenes represent. Interiors, particularly homes, are highly personal environments that reflect the inhabitant’s vision of the perfect room combined with the reality of life within a space. The space is owned, and has been tailored to the owner’s tastes. The coffee table, chairs, couches, and ottomans were chosen for that space. However, as daily life sets in, scuffs and coffee cup rings solidifies the existence of people in that space. Capturing the clues provided by objects in a domestic scene – rather than merely documenting their existence – is one of my goals when painting.

     I begin painting by selecting an image and building colors through layers. My palette leans toward cool and neutral colors. Each of my paintings begins with a blue underpainting to identify tones and structure. After the underpainting is dry, I add several layers of color to obtain colors that at once existed in the real world, but have been warped in my mind to something different.

     Memory is tricky. Celebrations and dates can elude us. Past experiences can become blurs of color and sound. Yet some memories can remain vivid, as if they are still happening. Memory is difficult, but precious. For me, my memory links to other times, places and events while remaining a single moment – a single painting.