Chaos and Cosmos
the process of art making as a paradigm for the living world
medium: Oil paint, Dorlan’s cold wax medium, dirt, sand, and chalk on hand-made, mounted wood panels
This work is a meditation on the patterns of living things explored through the process of drawing and painting. My way of working is a balance and a contrast between the unity and connectedness of cosmos, and the unknown, uncontrollable, even dangerous territory of chaos.
I am interested in the ever-changing diversity of life cycles as they exist within unseen realms. I often use patterning and imagery which suggests microscopic or sub-atomic life forms. I am particularly fascinated by the theoretical idea of a unified field existing in a world full of entropy, and I strive to reflect this in the way I work.
I have been working on these pieces simultaneously since 2006. My process involves alternately layering the materials and carving into them, often removing large portions of one surface to assemble onto another. This continuous cycling and re-cycling of the materials creates a sense of the deconstruction of chaos contrasted against the creative energy of cosmos that exists at all levels of life. The tension that arises from their mysterious interaction is the driving force of my work.