UNAPOLOGETIC - FALL 2018/SPRING 2019
After vacillating for a while on whether or not to expand on my body of work in word form, I figure, it can only help 1) me, to further explore the themes and challenges I’m working with and 2) to give some context to the seemingly abrupt shift in my work.
If you’ve followed my work for a while, you’ve certainly noticed my penchant for blues and dark themes. For THE longest time, I’ve been visually drawn to dark work that contains certain ethereal or illuminated aspects. In art school I was absolutely in love with Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. To me, there is an undeniable beauty about tiny specks of light in a sea of darkness. A spot of lightness next to a saturated hue. Maybe it’s the dichotomy of the two, maybe it’s just the simplicity.
In my new work, I’ve been playing with tonal layers that build into darkness, stripes of gold that fade and shine, pops of color that while unexpected, strangely fit. Investigating the relationship between a precise line versus a freehand stroke, has proved to be another intriguing avenue. Finding the balance in each piece can come quickly or take months. But I’m certain that this is the path I’m going to be on for a while. It feels heavy and freeing all at once. Maybe I’m finally making work I love, truly love. No, definitely.
When I felt myself moving in this direction, I felt shame(?), that in taking such a turn (it isn’t a turn in my mind) from my previous colorful and layered work, I would appear fickle. After a fabulous coffee chat with another artist friend (artist friends are the best) I concluded that in order to fully explore this new theme and freely create in them I needed to do so without apologizing. I need to just create the work I was born to create, not the work that is the pretty, not the art the everyone loves, not the art that will license the best, not the art that will look good on social media.
So, there it is.
UNAPOLOGETIC.
Below is a selection of work from that series.
