“By focusing on simplification of the observed form and shapes in my recent works, my intent is for the viewer to get a sense of the essence of the subject rather than simply see a recreation.”
My work at UNH has been about breaking down the walls that have been built in my own mind. Prior to taking college studio courses, I tried to create exactly what I saw in front of me rather than looking from different perspectives. My latest work has gone beyond this idea, and I am looking at the relationship between objects and shapes rather than the object itself. By paying attention to how objects and shapes relate to one another, I have focused less on recreating what I see and more on translating what is in front of me in order to emphasize movement and emotion that goes beyond description. By focusing on simplification of the observed form and shapes in my recent works, my intent is for the viewer to get a sense of the essence of the subject rather than simply see a recreation.
The Painter Susan Lichtman has been inspirational to my work. In her works there is a very strong sense of structure, light and dark shapes, and surprising compositions. Her work is both grounded and dreamlike at the same time. As Lichtman states herself, “I think my idea of beauty in painting has to do with the tension between the depiction of deep space and the properties of shape and surface”. This tension that Lichtman mentions is part of what inspires me. In my own work, I have tried to play with this idea in order for my pieces to have both structure and a coinciding openness. My hope is that this play allows the viewer to be pointed in a direction, but ultimately gives them freedom to wander through form and ponder its meaning.
Gallery
