Lily Pool
Mixed Media on Canvas
70h x 60w in.
My art ranges from large-scale abstract expressionist works to smaller impressionistic pieces. I utilize a variety of mediums and experiment with a hodgepodge of tools, from mammoth paintbrushes to honey dippers to an array of palette knives. My studies with widely-known painters such as Mark Chatov, Kim English, and Milt Kobayashi have grounded me technically and influenced the path of my work. Though I'm inspired by many artists, both bygone and contemporary, my late artist mother is my ever-present muse.
When I begin an abstract work, I prefer to play fast and loose with my media and brushwork, relying on chance more than forethought, always searching for the accidental effects that eventually become the roadmap for each unique piece. Because the media I use at the beginning of my process is fluid and capricious, more often than not my paintings don't work the first few times and I am continually painting over different areas. Fortunately, this stratum of scrapped attempts and buried compositions adds pleasing under-effects of color, texture and impasto brushwork that enhance what ultimately evolves into the final piece.
My studio is akin to a Jackson Pollock crime scene, with floor, walls (even the ceiling!) splattered with multicolored paint spills, splashes and dribbles. Music and rhythm figure into my work, so a constant stream is always playing, ranging from classical to blues to disco—with a lot of Guns N’ Roses in between. My two dogs, Olive and Izzy, enter at their leisure, and often plod out more colorful than they arrived.
My art ranges from large-scale abstract expressionist works to smaller impressionistic pieces. I utilize a variety of mediums and experiment with a hodgepodge of tools, from mammoth paintbrushes to afro picks to honeydrippers. Though I'm inspired by many painters, both bygone and contemporary, my late artist mother is my ever-present muse.
With abstracts, I prefer to play fast and loose with my work, especially at the outset, relying on chance more than forethought. When magic happens, it's usually a surprise, seldom intentional. Because the media I use is capricious, more often than not my paintings don't work the first few times and I have to wipe them out, resulting in several scrapped attempts underneath. Fortunately, these buried compositions tend to add under-effects of color and texture that enhance what ultimately evolves into the final piece.
My studio is akin to a Jackson Pollock crime scene, with floor, walls (even the ceiling!) splattered with multicolored paint spills, splashes and dribbles. Music and rhythm figure into my work, so a constant stream is always playing, ranging from classical to blues to disco—with a lot of Guns N’ Roses in between. My two dogs, Olive and Izzy, enter at their leisure, and often plod out more “colorful” than they arrived.
