“An Observation Of My Own Surrender” Is not so much a description of the subject matter of my paintings as it is an account of where I am as an artist. I do not paint with any intention. I am not trying to convey any one theme or evoke any certain style.  For any of my work to succeed I cannot create on my terms. When I observe my own surrender I feel the joy of the creator, like I am sharing secrets with God.  The more I can remove of myself in the process the more sincere the work will be.

My giant movements are shrinking into delicate nuances. It's interesting to feel myself gravitate toward a new aesthetic. I find myself using paintbrushes infrequently if ever. I prefer my fingers or the end of the brush. Most of my brushes are dried out anyway and I'm sick of the upkeep. I love the fact that I can elimiate what is between me and the canvas as it is a physical representation of what I am trying to accomplish emotionally with my paintings. I want nothing between me and my work. I am constantly evolving in my methods in order to accomplish this.

My goal was to surprise myself, to see what I had just painted objectively, as if I were seeing it for the first time. I painted intuitively, quickly, in broad strokes and in low light. I focused on movement and confidence in myself and in the process. I would add chaotic variables in order to loose more control over the outcome, mostly water. I wrapped plastic bags over my hands and used that to spread the paint, gel and mixed mediums across the canvas. The bags would keep me from over rendering any particular spot. I wouldn't step back and really observe my painting for the first time until I was done. I could then, only for a few seconds, view it objectively and judge its merit by my reaction as a viewer.