My Creative Process

Many of you have asked about my creative process. Here it is, as best as I can describe. Of course, there’s always the X factor, comprised of intuition, gut feeling, years of studying art and looking at pictures, going to galleries and museums etc. 

I’m a voracious reader and read a lot of poetry, and a lot in general, particularly about climate change. I listen to a wide range of music, from classical to folk rock, rock, jazz, world music and more. I’m also a meditator.

These aspects of my life contribute heavily to my creating artwork. For example, the Leonard Cohen song “Anthem”, was an inspiration for my painting series “There’s a Crack in the World Where the Light Gets In”. Articles about the dying mid-Atlantic cedar trees in the Pinelands piqued my interest and after much research I began my series “Ghost Forests”.

Once I develop a theme, I do some drawings. Then quick sketch paintings on paper. When I’m ready to paint, I am already warmed to my subject, and then can put paint to canvas. At that point I work spontaneously and do not draw the images on the canvas. I want the painting to look and feel fresh. As I paint, I modify the colors and shapes, and it’s very much a dialogue back and forth on the
canvas. The painting tells me what it needs and I react to what I see. When I think I’m finished I let the work sit in my studio for a while, and then look again after a week or so to see if I agree that it’s finished. Very often it’s not, and I tweak it further till I’m satisfied.

For my three-dimensional work, I move the pieces I have chosen around in the shadow box, knowing in advance what my theme is. I have collected numerous found objects and broken objects and have a treasure trove of items to pick from. Once I have my theme, I start by painting the box and gluing any sheet music or whatever I want to use on the inner walls. I position and reposition the collage material and objects until I’m satisfied. I might then further paint the exterior walls of the box to further enhance the shadow box.

I follow a similar pattern with my palm bark assemblages. I sometimes paint the palm bark pieces first, and then play with the shapes until I’m satisfied. Other times I work with the shapes first, composing the assemblage. I then carve, cut and otherwise hone them, take a photo, and then paint the entire piece. When I’m satisfied with the composition I’ll then glue the pieces into place.