Artist’s Statement

My work is primarily landscapes or objects found in nature.  The natural world provides information and inspiration and puts me in the state of mind necessary for my art-making process. The materials I often use are so flowing and unpredictable that they require restraint coupled with spontaneity and acceptance. Putting ink to paper and observing what takes place sparks my imagination and takes me on an exploration of myself and my environment. Mindful of the Daoist concept of “entering the mountains,” my work is a process of discovery in which the mountain represents both the subject of my landscapes and the mountain within—the inner landscape of the self. Another concept within Daoism which interests me is ‘free and easy wandering’ popularized by the philosopher Zhuangzi (Chuang tzu). This could literally mean physically wandering and exploring new places or it could mean approaching anything in life with an attitude of lighthearted curiosity and ease. I enjoy creating most when I feel as though my brush is freely wandering over the paper and through the imagined space and I hope the viewers will experience pleasure and peace from visually exploring my work too. My painting process is a balancing act between the gravity of ‘entering the mountains’ and the carefree joy of ‘free and easy wandering’. Another way I think of this is balancing planned compositions and refined techniques with experimentation and play. 

Clearly, I am interested in asian thought and aesthetic principles. Aesthetics of landscape paintings, of course, but also ceramics, folk art, martial arts, and design. During my 5 years in China, I learned to paint with brush and ink from a Chinese octogenarian with a childlike smile and a gentle manner. Although he spoke no English and I spoke only broken mandarin, he managed to teach me not only about painting, but also nature, and the Dao. I am not, however, a pure traditionalist. I grew up in Canada, watching cartoons and reading comic books like all the other kids. These influences pop up in my work as well, sometimes creating a kind of 80’s nostalgia, e-asia feel which is most apparent in my color choices. 

I’ve also been working with monotype printmaking. Combining it with the traditional brush painting provides that sense of spontaneity and lightheartedness with the more serene aspects. When I start with monotype, it gives me an abstraction which I then pull my image from. This process is ripe with Daoist symbolism. The story goes that the Chinese language was created by the Dao forming shapes in the clouds that looked like the symbols used in the written script of ancient China. The gods looked up at the clouds to interpret and record these symbols which they then passed down to humans. I do something similar with the monotypes. I let the Dao do what it will in the printing stage, leaving plenty of room for surprises, then I look hard at the marks on the paper, trying to see what’s there, to make order from the chaos. I absolutely love working this way, it gives my art so much life and fulfills me creatively.