Investigating a scene
My approach to painting has never been straightforward and I think that is reflected in my work and my techniques. Finding a “style” seems foreign to me because I see painting as more of a visual and internal investigation than something conjured up to be different or consistently recognizable. Any subject is worthy of a painting and all things have many ways to be interpreted so I like to let the moment dictate the method.
Only by constant investigation does one add to the arsenal of solutions. Working quickly in plein air is quite different from working in the studio, so I adjust to technique to capture what is in front of me quickly. Large landscapes, on the other hand, can take months to finish where interpretation and invention lead to a resolution.
“Study everything and make a study of anything” is my motto. I never let my
oil on canvas, 11 x 14" (28 x 36 cm)
I wanted to make the Buddha a focal point so I started the whole painting with only large soft blocks of color only working sharp edges and sharper brushstrokes at the end to lead the eye through the picture plane.