Painting has endless possibilities: there is always something new to explore and perfect. I feel that paintings should be more than representations or reproductions of places, people, or objects. Paint is too strong a medium to be restricted only to realism. A painting should interact with the viewer: it should intrigue, entertain, and excite. I challange viewers to use their imagination. Some viewers see images that I have not seen in my paintings, and offer insight into the paintings that I, as the painter, have intended. I strive to make my paintings comparable to the experience of cloud watching: engaging and relaxing, yet open to different interpretations.

The exhibition at Finch Lane (Nov. 22 - Jan 3) are paintings that I have derived from multiple images. The single pieces focus on one color scheme. I have explored a limited pallete in each painting, and tied them together by means of complimetary colors. The diptychs in the exhibition are meant to be viewed in close proximitry to each other. When viewed closely for an extended period of time, the adjacent image is the exact opposite color compliment, and thus increases the power of both pieces.

I usually start my painting's from one significant image: a photo of people, places, or moments that are important to me, and then I expand from there. I start with a monotype technique by covering the entire surface with hues of one color and then I wipe away the image by means of rags, q-tips, or paintbrush. I render the image in an academic manner, and then overlap the image with other random photos until the image is covered, and then bring back the original image in an agressive manner with a brush loaded with turpentine. It is a process of destuction and retrevial, which creates a feeling of energy that cannot be duplicated. From there, the glazing process begins. Multiple layers of glazes are applied to each painting to bring out the original color scheme. After 20 plus layers, I bring back the original image through sparse opaque paint and darker glazes. This process of glazing can accumulate stronger colors than by use of opaque paint alone. The result is a very busy image with the original photo barely recognizable, creating a slightly disorienting image that has multiple interpretations. I want the original photograph to be obscure and hard to figure out, thus involving the viewer in the interpretation of the image.