studioMezclado

Several years ago, I began abstract collage work, which included painting. The joy of moving paint around was compelling. During the pandemic years I painted every day, resulting in stacks of tiny abstracts, very small at 4 to 6 inches. All are on inherited drawing paper, some mounted on deep cradled panels, painted black. I embrace the necessary challenge of creating visual pleasure out of reclaimed and inexpensive paints and re-purposed substrates. I’m always inspired by the layers of paint and texture that appear on time-worn structures and the poetry written by the bits that peek through the current finish.

Current paintings are hugely inspired by recent trips to Mexico, where I wandered alone for miles every day, looking, and collecting images of ancient structures and textures and colors. Upon returning, I wanted to recapture what I saw, but not literally. All are on re-purposed substrates, mostly my old work which has been papered and gessoed over before a new painting begins. This makes for a rough initial layer, but it is interesting to me. The layers of paint have become bolder, less timid, and more complex. It was hard to get past the feeling of “waste” in creating under layers that were to be nearly invisible at completion, but the results and the sense of mystery and secret surprise are exciting. I seldom do brushwork, but instead use various tools to move paint, my favorites being old credit cards, paint markers and syringe applicators. Marks made of paper monoprints also appear in most paintings. I also use a small sander to reveal further bits of underlayer. Most paintings are created in small sets of 2 to 3 pieces. The titles appear irrelevant, but are taken from the cut-up poetry that completes nearly each piece on the reverse.