Primarily self-taught as an artist, these drawings reflect my evolving interests and ideas – from the influence of broad disciplines like architecture and design, to specific historical periods like the Bauhaus and Art Deco movements. I also find inspiration in the everyday world, like the curve of an old wooden banister or the integrity of dry-stone walls. While I’m excited by new technology, I’m also drawn to the simplicity of creating something unique with nothing more than paper and a black ink pen at hand. Indeed, it’s an extraordinary experience to stare at a blank piece of paper, and then begin filling that delicate yet durable white space with patterns, dimensions, illusions and dreamscapes.
Sometimes I have an idea in mind when I sit down to draw, and I’ll superimpose an impermanent grid as a way to ground myself. But these intricate drawings always take unexpected twists and turns, and usually I just follow along. Moreover, since I work in ink, I can’t erase, and every mistake has to be fully integrated into the whole. One overextended line or inattentive dot can change the direction and flow of the design, like a ripple effect across the surface of a lake.
I’ve experimented with color in the past, but in this series the contrast of black and white is what interests me most, and is central to the work. Actually, it’s curious to observe how the drawings appear to develop shades of ‘color’ as the fine black lines are woven into elaborate motifs. I’m intrigued by patterns within patterns and the shifting spatial tension created by interlocking and overlapping shapes. In effect, the composition of lines, curls, crosses, rings, triangles, squares and zigzags are like the tracks of my wandering mind. By combining and arranging the elements of light and dark, symmetry and asymmetry, order and chaos, I’m seeking a harmonic duality that is dynamic and balanced, distinctly drawn and yet still mysterious.
When asked to write an artist’s statement, the question of where the work comes from naturally arises to the forefront of one’s mind. While I’ve tried to create some points of reference, I must say that I really don’t know the answer to that question. What I do know is that, for me, the creative process is one of intense engagement and discovery. Beyond that, there is the sporadic joy of sharing the work with others, like sharing treasures brought back from a long journey.