ARTIST STATEMENT
Why the fascination with old print materials?
My work always begin with outdated print materials. They become my first “stroke” if you will and inform the color palette, movement and mood of the artwork. While I favor print materials that are uniquely humorous, odd or thought-provoking, it is the potential viewer engagement with them that intrigues me most. I find that a single snippet of a printed page will trigger a flash of recognition for the which the viewer’s brain works feverishly to connect to something else in the artwork. In the process of gathering these snippets, the viewer begins to create their own narrative of the artwork based on their own set of experiences, which may differ significantly from one viewer to the next. The result is often engaging conversation that combines memories with musings as to the “why” — why do humans do the things we do, act the way we do, treat each other they way we do, etc.
Where on earth do you find your materials?
That’s easily the most common question I get from visitors. While I scour bottom shelf bins in unassuming vintage and antique stores, the reality is that many of my best “finds” come from followers who know my love of outdated, quirky manuals, textbooks, diaries and magazines and offer to share the treasure trove they discovered while cleaning out their relatives’ closets. The materials that most interest me are so mundane that most people rarely keep them, let alone consider them worthy of including in fine art. They are the materials we have used for guidance, record-keeping, notes and ideas. The very best ones are dog-eared, highlighted or filled with personal notations, in other words, they reflect the humanness of a prior life.
For me, the process is less an act of collage as a
re-weaving of the original source material.
I begin each piece by deconstructing a single source material so that I no longer see it in the form it was originally presented, looking to uncover repeating forms, images, colors and ideas that will form the basis of the artwork. As I start to build the layers, the process is less an act of collage as a re-weaving of the original source material in a form that allows the viewer to interact with the ideas contained in those materials in a new way. The act is laborious, with seemingly infinite hours spent cutting, sanding and painting, but it is precisely these long hours I spend with the materials that enables me to uncover the tiny nuances that make for interesting storytelling.
For me, my process is akin to constructing a tapestry so I often look to textiles and fiber arts for ideas for mark making and structure for the forms I create. I find inspiration for new paint combinations by taking photos of worn surfaces like faded billboards, peeling paint and decrepit buildings, always looking for that surprise pop of color. The first time I saw Mark Bradford’s work I recognized what I was trying to do, albeit on an even larger scale than I have attempted (yet).
Perhaps my favorite comment I regularly get from visitors: “I could get lost in your work for hours.”
My favorite comment I regularly get from visitors: