SOLITUDES

This is the final project for the Certificate of Fine Arts, Extension Faculty, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Solo graduating show 2014.

Artist Statement

 I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. 

– Henry David Thoreau

As a person who prefers solitary pursuits I have sought to produce paintings which depict a sense of pensiveness and quietness. I have depicted people in quiet private moments and spaces where one engages in solitary activities. The viewer may feel like a voyeur looking in on an intimate moment in time.

These paintings are based on documentation and memory. I have referenced personal photographs and though the reference material depicts real spaces, these photographs in themselves are subjective. Each reflecting my mood and what I chose to photograph at the time. 

Colours carry psychological, cultural, personal, emotional and expressive meaning. In keeping with the idea that what I remember or document is subjective, the paintings in this show have mostly been done in subjective colour. Since memory engages the creative portion of the brain I have tapped into the emotional responses to the space with the use of colour.

As I work on a painting referenced from a photograph, I sometimes also incorporate features of other spaces from other photographs. I have in some instances used Photoshop to make up a composite image from which to paint from. The space depicted in the painting thus becomes a composite of spaces and periods of time. 

Interior spaces in paintings interest me because they offer an intriguing arrangement of lighting and shapes. Lighting sets the mood. Drapery and personal possessions add decorative elements. Windows and doorways give a glimpse into other spaces beyond the picture plane. 

Interiors are private worlds that tell a story. Part of the allure of these paintings is that they require the viewer to complete the story. Each viewer will do so in their own personal and unique way.