Riding on the Currents - New Work 2008

In recent posts I mentioned that I had returned to the studio and had been working on the beginnings of a new body of work. Well, the time has come to share my ten latest creations with you.

In these ten works, I used a slightly brighter palette, and as a result these works have a lighter quality than some of my paintings. I am experimenting with many of the same design elements(the oval, the curved diamond or lotus leaf) yet I wanted to connect the shapes or position them in a different way than usual. The curved diamonds are touching and sometimes overlapping at the sides but are now moving across the painting in a diagonal. The smaller ovals have now multiplied as they overlap and become frenetic layers. Graphite pencil also plays an important role in these works. These paintings reflect my ever increasing love of design yet still connect to my love of color, texture, and mystery.

The design elements/motifs/organic shapes seem to have a reoccurring floating motion to them. Sometimes they are blowing in the wind, like in the painting, "riding on the currents" where the elements tumble about, shifting through the warm colored space that surrounds them. In"bending back," the elements are now gently tethered and are perhaps taking on a stiff wind as they are caught bending but not breaking and then floating amongst themselves.

In the painting "a veiled understanding" the elements are being pulled up as if in a vacuum. I sense the space around these objects, the band of streaky blue may have caught one or two of the shapes momentarily as they float upwards. The colors in this piece are cool, and layers of under-paintings can be seen slightly beneath the surface.

In the piece, "surrender into this ocean," the curved diamonds hover in the diagonal formation over the atmospheric blue, and slightly breaking into or free of the red on the left of the painting.The earthy emerald green streaks within the shapes are jagged, and almost look as if they are receiving transmissions or static as they float up and away.

In the painting, "unspoken truths," secrets are bubbling up deep from within the earth and then being released once they hit the surface. The ovals fill the top band of the painting, feverishly overlapping; they can't get out fast enough.

The seven square paintings are all 10x10" mixed media on canvas, two paintings are 20x16" with the one horizontal 16x20" piece. You can read the titles of the pieces by simply placing your mouse over the image. I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of my latest works. These paintings will soon be released into the world, and coming to a gallery near you.