My paintings are never based on a preparatory sketch or plan. I usually begin with quickly painted shapes, lines, or a configuration. It’s a casual, energetic start: a proposition to contend with. I seldom find much to commit to in the early stages, but once I’m locked in, I try to sharpen my focus without snuffing out the life of the original image. If I suspend judgement and maintain an open, playful attitude, unexpected pathways emerge, and I can find my way forward.
When I too quickly feel a sense of control, I get suspicious. I’m trading on what I already know; not discovering. When this happens, I need to kill the lovely thing so the unexpected thing can come into view. It takes a surprising number of adjustments in color and design along with layering, blotting, scraping, and sanding to arrive at a resolution.
This is how I make the painting real.