Nineteen Ninety-Nine

Artist’s Statement

There is no extant artist’s statement from this 1999 exhibit at the Po Gallery in Providence. However, I recall that I conceived and executed this body of work as an attempt to create a series of representational still life paintings that somehow reflected the mid-20th century emphasis on form. I was interested in developing designs made piquant through tensions created via the careful placement of objects; a thoughtful cropping of the design’s parameters; and a selective skewing of the depicted space through the use of color. Throughout these paintings, there was a general reliance on dramatic lighting and a color palette that predominantly used muted colors and chromatic grays, with only a few, key prismatic accents. The general aim was the same in the monochromatic, watercolor wash drawings. However, with the absence of color and its ability to affect perceived depth, I came to instead rely on a manipulation of certain edges, sharpening or softening them as needed. The ability of this medium to instantaneously create sharp edges and broad flat tones played a significant role in its choice. There was no intended symbolism in these works and any perceived therein would be unintentional and coincidental.

Throughout my career, I have never veered from representation. However, I find it interesting that for many years, there seemed to be an alternating emphasis in my work between formality and narratives. While formal concerns remain important to my work, self-reflection along with advice from some insightful curators, has led me to focus more on the development of specific narratives revolving around the human condition. The past dozen years of work in this vein have only reaffirmed that focus.