A timely influence on me was (and still is) the superbly refined ‘Notes on Complexity’ by @neiltheise . Specifically understanding our earth and selves by witnessing Emergent behaviors and contemplating our complex relationships as a balance between structure and chaos; my painting-making-self acts as a catalyst for disruption, destruction, remaking, watching, letting influences linger or dissipate, letting my technical hand and ideas give way to unpredictable influence and deep consciousness awakening.
Often large issues are dealt with in my little brain by letting my paintings challenge very basic scenarios that provoke early conscious (or at least sentient) choice making, deciding whether to cooperate or challenge, run away or ignore… and whether failed cooperation challenges future opportunities.
My paintings may never reach a point where they can access the stories that reveal themselves to me while I paint, perhaps they are my solace in this divisive world. Perhaps it’s my mental health getting sorted.
But nonetheless, I will continue to share some paintings to try and learn more about how others see my work, and hopefully get more studio visits for some good chats. I’ve had some amazing conversations with visitors to my studio in the last couple years and they have been enlightening and motivating.
In general, I would like us all to talk a bit more, in full sentences, looking for the root of us, and a wish to cooperate.
A convinced mind is dangerous and the will to seek an understanding of the complexity of our lives will need us to be less convinced and more empathetic to the differences in the paths of us humans; we are all born into circumstances that construct biased views and judgments.
This was written at the end of a very long studio session, I hope it isn’t too cringe and it reaches you well and with clarity.
Above is my most recent painting, 58x48cm
One of my first memories of being in the mountains was seeing my older brother jump into a glacier fed river. I thought he was the coolest and bravest guy in the world.
Lately I’ve been trying to go towards memory, letting the important things arrive and try to celebrate the small things with care. This is a strange blend of remembering the Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault and how I imagined(as a boy) the island from Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Putting these together as I paint and then resonating the memories with a technique that I’ve recently grown fond of has been a real adventure :)
