Vessels.

Vessels I.

I am never one to call a series "done" but with Natural Remedy on view, it's time to change focus to another idea I've been toying around with for a while. 

Still Lives have been a common subject matter I've returned to throughout my life. Whether there's meaning in the specific items being depicted or it's simply exploring form and pattern, I've always been intrigued by still lives and find myself wondering about the people or events which left them behind.

Vessels II.

In terms of the painting process, they present ample opportunity to explore color and shape, positive and negative space, and play with pattern and form to create or eliminate depth. They can be energetic or stoic, joyful or somber and the objects depicted can evoke emotions as well as a figure. On the contrary they can also carry a decorative element that won't overwhelm a space or viewer. While artwork with difficult themes and imagery may be powerful, not everyone wants a large political statement in their living room. With a still life, you can, to some degree, infiltrate spaces with symbolism where they otherwise might not be welcome if more overt. 

I have always liked the idea of a "Vessel"; Look through my past work and you'll find countless examples of vessels and vases, both as subjects of still lives and interacting with figures; but beyond the occasional painting, I haven't made them a primary subject of a series. The Vessel series will explore literal vessels in the form of still lives, but also the idea of vessels as in human vessels, and various other "containers" which wander into my purview.