Moonlight

My work is rooted in a language of gestural abstraction that utilizes an achromatic palette.

In foregoing the use of color, I can focus on developing relationships of shape, texture, and tone.

The drawing and painting process is spontaneous and improvised. Starting with direct observation of nature, primarily trees, the works evoke the essence of the forms that I observe while also taking on a new visual persona. The amorphous contours and substantial mass of the trees capture my attention and I use these elements to form the primary structure in my works. I work to translate the textures found in trees, such as the quality of rough bark, and utilize the impact of light and shadow to highlight the specific nuance of the surface. The black pigments that I use are important in creating this sense of light and shadow and their contrast on white paper reinforces the physical presence of the subject by simulating its existence in space.

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I explore the possibilities that different mediums offer in my work, primarily charcoal, ink, and oil paint. While nature offers a starting point for visual exploration, different mediums encourage me to consider a range of approaches to the process of making that result in varying outcomes. For example, charcoal allows me to render blurred shades that bring a sense of atmosphere to the light that describes the volumetric mass of a tree trunk or the dusky quality of the shadow that is cast by the tree. I also work on plexiglass panels with ink. The clear glass allows light to enter from both sides, activating the subtle textures of the ink and making it more transparent than it might be on an opaque surface. No matter the material that I use, the process is an act of adding and subtracting, with layers of pigment slowly building up. This process of layering brings an important visual element to the work as well as evoking a sense of time, especially when measured against areas of the surface that are left untouched.

Work In Progress