2011 to 2013: Cities

My new series of paintings, using round and rectangular shaped panels, explore the intricacy, diversity, complexity, and beauty of the cities we live in.  Cities are built in layers, and when you peel away layer by layer truths are revealed.  I like the idea of layers and reveals, digging and unearthing forms.

The round panels in my new series are mandalas.  These come from the perspective of looking straight up from a city street and seeing the tall buildings converge on a central point. The focal point is the center of the mandala. When one looks straight up from a downtown street perspective is lost.  Things turn into abstraction because one has no idea where he/she is or how to navigate. From the vertical perspective things have less identity.  When turning your gaze down and looking from the horizontal perspective, order is somewhat restored. One can see the signs and buildings used to identify a location. The rectangular paintings in my series demonstrate this concept.

I use the representation of the negative space behind the forms to tell as much of the story as possible. The use of negative space for me is about finding a place to fit in; the relationship between what is there and what is not.

I try to create a feeling of depth by isolating layers of paint between thick layers of epoxy. You get a physical depth as well as painted depth with forms intertwining themselves, like stories of individuals in a city full of people.

I explore a new palette in my “Cities.”  My goal is to give more emphasis to the intermediate colors that are more muted, but still vibrant, which cover most of the space. These intermediate colors can be composed to create contrast and vibrant interaction much like the day to day workings of a large city. Warm colors will move forward while the cooler colors will recede.  Then the high intensity, pure hues can be introduced as compliments in the composition and create places that attract the eye. These hues are the flash and glitz of the big city.