Thinking about my Artist Statement

What is my process?

1. Find a surface. Usually from the trade section at work, or even on the side of the street in the industrial section of Rosedale. There are all sorts of discarded pallets around.

2. Gather discarded paints and other materials to work with to create something painterly on the surface. I usually go for the most unusual paints and substances out of a curiosity in what they might do when mixed and applied to my surface.

3. Play with the materials. At this part of the process I simply let myself explore what each material can do. For example I may liberally pour X200 elastomeric membrane with water-based stain to see what comes of it as it dries. Or I press porous fabric on thick paint to see what effect that gives.

4. Once everything is dry and set, I let my imagination work. Through the minds natural tendency to find recognisable shapes in abstract shapes, (the pareidolia effect). I usually enhance what I see to make my perception more visible to others, although sometimes this step is unnecessary.

5. I sit with the outcome for a period of time to see whether this process needs to be repeated. This is decided by me testing whether the composition is interesting , the material interaction compelling and/or if here is a scene found through my own pareidolia moment which evokes some emotion. This is the step where I decided if the work has value to me, if it does I leave it, if it doesn't, I repeat this process.

Why?

1. I am investigating new ways to find painterly compositions through experimental use of found materials.

Reference artist of note:

1. Julian Schnabel.

I admire his creative use of materials to build paintings.

Below are the three paintings I am considering bringing to the next MFA seminar:

'Tamarind and Alabaster'.

Waterborne Woodsman, X200, Lumbersider, Lustacryl, discarded fabric on an old pallet. 1000x750mm

'Half Truffle'.

Waterborne Woodsman, X200, Lumbersider, Lustacryl, discarded fabric on an old pallet. 1000x750mm

'Half Fossil'.

Waterborne Woodsman, X200, Lumbersider, Lustacryl, discarded fabric on an old pallet. 1000x850mm