"Undefined"
Oil on Canvas
Whenever I return home the ability to see the horizon reveals a place of comfort and familiarity. The landscapes are recognizable yet the sense of place is distant and readily identifiable. It is in the nonspecific that timelessness is created.
I grew up in the rural Midwest, so these paintings have helped me to realize how deeply embedded the influences of my surroundings are in my memory. While they start from direct observations, the paintings then move beyond literal representations of actual landscapes. It is in this journey of painting that the paintings evolve. They are meant to be evocative, elusive, and something of a mystery. They resonate with a longing for the past.
Details fall away and lose importance because the goal is not to clearly state and identify the location, but do the opposite. It is only when all parts are blended as a whole they reveal something familiar in the unfamiliar.