Who am I?
I’m an artist living in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. I was born in London, Ontario, and went to university in London and Toronto, living in both cities for a number of years, finally settling down somewhere in between the two.
What am I about?
I paint. I photograph. I maintain an online journal. I occasionally edit videos and make music. Mostly I paint. To me, it’s a way of expressing some thoughts and feelings which can’t be expressed through words or sound. If you’ve ever felt mesmerized by a single shape or colour, or been lost in a photograph, this is where I spend my time. I often paint unconsciously, without thought or plan, without theme or pretense. I simply put the colours where they should go.
My paintings tend to convey a feeling of immediacy; quite often one gets the impression of motion or movement out of the static pieces. Part of this sensation may come from how I’ve integrated my film and video aesthetics into paintings. Some viewers are often reminded of video test patterns and scrambled pay-TV channels in the work. In some cases, I even letterbox my paintings (it adds to the drama). The paintings are created quickly, passionately — they are exploded on to the canvas, assembled outside of thought and emotion with all the raw materials.
What’s my technique?
I use vibrant acrylics — thick textures, glossy and flat, varying levels of geography and real estate on the board. Reckless abandon always wins out over a steady hand.
Palette knife, brush, or any blunt object at hand. I’ve used pieces of wood and cloth, hand tools, sponges … anything that makes an impression in soft gelled acrylic or the underlying media.
For me, a piece has turned out well if it balances vibrant primaries and dark, earthy colours, positive and negative space, geometric order and chaos.
My standard painting surface is a 61cm, 91.5cm, or 122cm square canvas or masonite sheet with reinforcements against warping. They are rarely framed. When placed on a wall, they resemble windows into insane and abstract worlds.
Where have I been?
My most recent solo show was part of the Kitchener Business Association’s Available Space Art Project.
What have I learned?
I’m still learning. It’s part of a life-long evolution of style, content and technique. I have a B.A. with a double major in English and Film from the University of Western Ontario, and I’m currently investigating supplemental fine arts courses at Conestoga College and the University of Waterloo. I would like to work with other artists in the region as part of a peer support and training group. We could discuss art topics and critique each other’s works, offering suggestions and alternate methods and styles.
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