New York City
Website
blondcontemporary.com
Social Media
Instagram
How would you describe your work?
They explore the space between the familiar and the unknown. I use themes of solitude and introspection, memory and longing to create places outside of time and defined place.
The solitary swimming pools, bodies of water, and monuments, are enigmatic worlds that are both real and imagined, almost dreamlike.
They are not figurative paintings per se, but ones about feeling and a state of being. My work is metaphysical and deeply human, searching for meaning in a transient world.
There is a tension between what is explained and what is inferred, between presence and absence, calm and unease. Ultimately, my work is about what we feel but cannot quite explain.
What inspires you?
Other than art and literature, being around interesting cultured people is important in life. It pushes you to think more profoundly.
Can you speak about your process?
There is no rigid or formulaic approach to how I work. It is often an intuitive feeling that I get when I see a certain building, an image, or a vision that just enters my mind. From there I do a very loose sketch, sometimes in my notebook, or straight on the canvas. I use charcoal so I can move the shapes and form around. Once I’m satisfied, I fix the sketch with spray and choose my palette. I may use some reference to understand how the light may work, or how a figure will hold itself, otherwise I just start to paint the canvas. I’m not afraid to make corrections or alter the painting at any stage. If I’m not capturing the feeling then I just keep working and working. Often, the painting will change quite a lot from the original idea. The painting presents itself eventually. Water is a key feature of my work and always an exciting challenge. I use several different colours to capture the depth and luminosity, layer upon layer. Since I use acrylics, I go through a lot of retarder as it allows the fluidity and blending I’m looking for. Once the painting is at completion, I step back and view it for a while. If I ‘feel’ it then it is ready to be varnished.
How did you become interested in art?
Since I was very young. I loved to draw, make things, create. I had to do it. I still have the same compulsion. It never stops.
I was also very lucky to have had the best art teacher in Liverpool come to my high school. She changed my life and I owe her a debt of gratitude. This teacher helped me focus and think critically about art in a fundamental way.
Do you have any favorite artists, movies, books, or quotes?
Painters such as Hopper, Di Chirico, Fischl, Hockney, Doig.
Literature, Haruki Murakami, Graham Greene, John Cheever and poetry such as Georg Trakl.
