statement

I didn’t always paint. I drew.  I studied behavioral neuroscience in college and got my Ph.D. in sociology focusing on Latin American demography.  Though intellectually stimulated, I felt a creative void and longed for passion in my work.  After all of this, I began to paint and never stopped.

Over the last couple of years, my paintings have moved from detailed narratives where a subject is seen in an environment with props that help to tell the story — to more emotionally-based psychological narratives where I present a much more close-up figure in a more stark background — where the details lie in planes of color.   I have chosen to exaggerate my color, in a sense break up a color field into its constituent colors.   I direct the viewer to particular areas by applying juicy bits of heavily saturated color (like cadmium oranges and pinks).  I am driven to capture emotional states more than anything else.  I approach painting more like sculpture, by applying different values and color to create the illusion of relief of the figurative composition.

Though it is a cerebral concept that motivates me, the process of painting is superior to all else.   Once I start a painting, my interaction with the canvas takes on a life of its own; it transcends whatever I can actually say about the painting once it’s finished.   I suppose it is a kind of meditation.  If I remain in this state during the entirety of my painting experience, then I can happily say that my work is honest.

microart

These quirky little paintings are all painted from life. They are thickly painted in oil on oil-primed board and then varnished. They may be purchased online securely using paypal or if you would prefer the old-fashioned way, send me an email. I will continue to put more up on my site as I paint more. So check back frequently. I will note the date I post a set of images. If you would like to be emailed when I put up a new micro painting on the site click here.