Ink Paintings
I began this series with the intention to release myself from a controlled subject matter. I needed a break from what was happening in both my life and my art. I had dialed everything in so tight and perfect that it felt constrictive. I found myself wanting to make a mess, pour, splatter, disrupt, and feel the movements of my brushstrokes. The paintings became environments filled with light, color, and shadow. They became places that felt like they should have life, and much like the game you play as a kid when you find imagery in the clouds, I found myself finding imagery in my paintings.
My paintings begin as a random act by pouring and dripping ink or paint. The formations are mostly out of my control, and the ink or paint continues to move and shift until they are dry. When that first stage is done, I find shapes and lines that suggest an organic image. I then develop that image further, refining the thing that exists within that environment.
I primarily use imagery from nature because it feels innately peaceful. The peaceful images live in fluid and changing environments mimicking the act of finding places of serenity in a life of disorder. In a time when social unrest and the unknown is our daily experience, I think we could all use some calming balance.