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Artist Statement An extended trip to Mexico in 2000 inspired my present painting technique. Having run out of white paper that I had been accustomed to using as a canvas I turned to some black paper I had on hand. The application of soft pastel to the black paper caused the color to "pop". Now, I use black paper almost exclusively and blend the pastel dust into the paper's tooth to obtain a clean non-textured look. My subject matter, that of landscapes and "barnscapes", is inspired by my growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a city surrounded by farming communities. When painting these "scapes" I move easily between large and small canvas sizes and pay close attention to space and color in order to elicit a sense of serenity, solitude, and nostalgia. With a contemporary eye and an innate sense of present time and place I draw the viewer into my paintings with the peaceful narratives I create. |