2 Down, Many More to Go

11.10.2023

Now that I’m in the swing of this new body of work, the process is feeling less experimental and more exciting! This is the second completed painting with numbers 3 and 4 coming very soon. Though space is limited in my current studio, I am able to work on 2 of these large pieces at a time which has been helpful with dry time and creating consistency from painting to painting. I am learning that applying the watered down background layers to the unprimed canvas first before applying gesso to certain areas makes for less touch up later on in the process. I’m really enjoying the contrast between the surface textures.

The spray painted area in the center of this piece was particularly fun, my interpretation of a section of graffiti I came across on my walk. The challenge with this series is the degree of abstraction vs representation that results in the completion of each painting. My goal is to avoid rendering what I observed but instead build structures using my observations as the building blocks that represent and hopefully elevate the time and places I experienced.

I am about 6 weeks away from the deadline to commit to participate in the Personal Structures exhibition with the European Cultural Center in Venice and am still struggling to pull together funding. I have struck out with almost every institution, corporation, gallery, and arts organization that I have approached about sponsorship. Fundraising is tough! Fingers crossed that I can make it work. The alternative is to press on and find a gallery space domestically to show the work. I really want Venice to see my day in Venice!

Lots more to come as this work continues to develop. Just a reminder, you can support this project by donating to my GoFundMe campaign . I am offering lots of original works of art to those who donate!