Color

This is a palette knife painting. No brushes were used in the creation of this image. A small brush was only used after the painting was done in order to add the words and my signature.

This piece is from a series of abstract expressionist paintings that I created in 2004. I think of them as "The Four Corners Series" because each painting has words in all four corners. At least for the foreseeable future, I do not plan on creating any additional "Four Corners" pieces. Here is a peak at the complete series...

I enjoyed creating this painting so much! These abstract expressionist pieces are like rewards that I grant myself after completing squinty detailed pieces that give me headaches. This stuff is pure joy. I hope they are as much fun to view as they were to make. Color is one of a series of paintings that I have been working on for the past year. My "Four Corners Series" are all emotional, vibrant, expressionist paintings that contain words in each of their corners. Each piece has a different feel and the words are unique as well. I have come to think of these pieces as visual prayers for a happy balanced future. Color contains the words, "Give, Feel, Dream, Listen". These "stripey" ones are the newest manifestation of this series. They remind me of Guatemalan weavings.

First, I primed the board with black acrylic gesso. Next, I used art knives to apply paint from my palette to the wood. I pulled the knives carefully across the surface in order to spread the paint without smearing it or allowing it to blend too much with the paint around/below it. It is a tricky process that easily becomes muddy. My primary concern when composing one of these pieces is developing relationships between the colors and maintaining a balance of hues, lines, etc. I pay very careful attention to the widths of the "ribbons" of paint and to the order in which they are applied.