Decorah, IA 52101
I fell in love with painting while doing my undergraduate work in the 1960’s and the relationship has only intensified over the years. The magic of applying pigment to a surface and transforming it into something entirely new and never before seen has kept artists kin to the shaman, the fakir, and the medicine man. I never cease to be amazed by the potential of the medium and never tire of exploring the possibilities.
Since 1984 I have almost exclusively been painting in a nonobjective style using a variety of media for the treatment of the canvas surface. Acrylic and latex paints have mainly suited my needs during this time. I layer several coats of paint on the surface, usually beginning with a complementary color to the final general color or tone of the work (or at least I will choose a color that is in dramatic contrast to the envisioned conclusion). In using this manner of working, I am forced to paint over and over to gain the results I desire. The results are a stark flatness and initial perception of a lack of depth in the paintings. For those who take the time to study in more detail, however, there will be layers of color and forms placed one on top of another without perspective but with a great deal of depth. The eye sees an ambiguous depth, however, such as looking up at the stars at night or viewing a photograph of a cosmos in space. I paint with a brush but also pour, spatter, stamp and spray the paint as well as add gravel, sand, beads, sawdust, cardboard, scraps of canvas, etc. to enhance the texture of the surfaces.