On Drawing

To draw is “to draw out” or “to draw from.” We begin our work with this premise, noting that drawing neither begins nor ends with marks on paper. It is an active process that begins with critical looking, sensing, and thinking. It is an inquisitive and investigative process, seeking meaning, structure, and understanding. Drawing requires measured marks that aim to trace and make visual the critical processes at work within the mind. Our goal is not a static image but a record of thought in progress. With practice, one is able to develop a fluidity of thought and action that allows for seamless communications between the head and hand. Drawing allows for this critical communion with the external world.

For additional drawing studies, see Powder Puffed Faux Fat & Safe Sex.

Surface + Space

During the early spring of 1999, I conducted a number of painting studies centered on the nature of walls, surface, and space. In the studio, I stripped canvases from stretchers and began to staple them to the wall directly. When I found the wall surfaces to be uneven and distracting, I began to remove layers of paint. Eventually restoring the smooth, soft surface of the homosote panels, I then stretched large format canvases and began to explore these new, constructed surfaces.

The removal of the original paint and replacement painted canvas allowed me to explore the nature of the wall itself, and the role of the surface coating in the definition of space. Toward that end, I shifted from working with oils to working with latex paints to explore the materials of construction rather than those more common in the art studio.

Thin, semi-transparent layers of paint were applied to challenge the nature of the surface, and to create spaces of varying perceptual depths.