It's playfully sensual to apply thick gesso with my hands. The marks of my hands create ridges and patterns - as if I'm desperately grasping for something. In a strange way my hands create a self-portrait of my hands - a self portrait of me.
The origin of my Touch Series: My show Coming Undone at Archway Gallery in September of 2014 consisted of 25 paintings and 7 photographs. These paintings were brightly colored, fairly tight, oil paintings. After the show I wanted to play. I looked around my studio and found all sorts of interesting materials. Instead of the small brushes I use for oil paint, I began using my hands to apply thick gesso onto the canvas. It was like a physical release. Then I applied layers and layers of various acrylic paints and mediums. The upper layers are diluted with medium so that the layers beneath are visible. I used iridescent, metallic and interference acrylic paints. My first 3 painting in this series were rather dark. Then I began to play with more color. These paintings have a physical depth to them. Light plays across the reflective surfaces and the shadows created by the thick texture. Their character is mercurial, changing as the light changes. 03.19.14
The origin of my Touch Series: My show Coming Undone at Archway Gallery in September of 2014 consisted of 25 paintings and 7 photographs. These paintings were brightly colored, fairly tight, oil paintings. After the show I wanted to play. I looked around my studio and found all sorts of interesting materials. Instead of the small brushes I use for oil paint, I began using my hands to apply thick gesso onto the canvas. It was like a physical release. Then I applied layers and layers of various acrylic paints and mediums. The upper layers are diluted with medium so that the layers beneath are visible. I used iridescent, metallic and interference acrylic paints. My first 3 painting in this series were rather dark. Then I began to play with more color. These paintings have a physical depth to them. Light plays across the reflective surfaces and the shadows created by the thick texture. Their character is mercurial, changing as the light changes. 03.19.14