Graffiti-inspired

Since I began my current method of painting several years ago there have been many comments that the work seems to be inspired by graffiti, which is true to a point.  I had been experimenting with abstraction since attending Red Deer College in the mid-1980's but never felt truly at home in that form of expression, not as a completed painting.  Shortly after that, my husband gifted me with a graffiti pendant from David Rice jewellery (I have been obsessed with his work from the moment I first saw it) in Winnipeg and I loved the circles and lines and began incorporating that into my play.  I still begin all of my paintings this way, painting circles and lines in a huge variety of colours - these days my favorites run from green gold, dioxazine purple and pthalo blue, to quinacridone magenta, napthol red and alizarin crimson (that one seems to be a staple) - and then returning to add images once those initial layers have dried well.   

I have also been asked how I began this work.  It was an interesting transition as I had begun painting a canoe for myself because I missed my northern home so terribly, and much like the chairs I had painted for so many years I began a simple canoe image against a simple background,  At the same time I was playing (as always) with abstraction though I rarely shared it publicly.  I took an online painting course for fun (a Christmas gift to myself) and one comment struck me...that was to take everything you loved and combine it all.  So, as I stared at the canoe and abstract paintings that were sitting side-by-side in my studio, I thought I might as well go for it and began drawing a canoe on the abstract.  Years ago Calgary artist Audrey Mabee suggested that I just go straight to my canvas by drawing with a paintbrush and I have followed that advice to this day.  I was nervous but since I have always enjoyed drawing I thought I might as well try...and I believed it wasn't as if I would be showing the work to anyone in any case.  I also kept a spray bottle and rag handy - they are great to remove wet acrylic paint if things go horribly wrong.  But I liked it.  So I began to paint around the image in order for it to stand out better.  And I liked that, too.  Then I decided to add other images I liked...and it seemed to work, plus it was so much fun. 

Prior to that I had been struggling with my work.  I knew I didn't want to paint chairs anymore (though there is still a demand for them and I do paint them on occasion).  I knew I wanted to do something different but I also knew I wanted to love whatever it was that I did as I had loved the chairs.  And I really do.