coop artist statement

My final trilogy of 3’ x 5’ foot paintings depict abstract landscapes using a wide variety of colors and distorting realistic perspective. Each of the landscapes were inspired by places in nature from my home, although none of them directly represent these places. I have a very specific interest in observing the colors of the sky at sunset and how they change and evolve through the process. This is where I find inspiration for my color choices. The three different landscapes share a wide breadth of warm and cool colors. Using a unique color palette to depict landscapes was an effort to portray the idea of a fantasy or dream-like place. Although the tree, the ocean and the hills of fields are recognizable as those things, the unlikely use of color is supposed to make the viewer second-guess what exactly they are seeing. This was my attempt to distort reality. Another reason I use so many colors is because it is a form of expression and a way to offer insight into how I approach life with acceptance of others and self-awareness.

Landscapes are part of ecosystems and provide habitats for so many forms of life. Nature is an interconnected whole that I enjoy exploring and being a part of. It has provided me with happiness as well as places to escape to. The trilogy emulates these places. I think nature can be humbling through its beauty and life. The paintings were made in layers using turpentine as the primary medium in the first layer. I then added layers of paint highly concentrated in medium but still using a lot of turpentine. Towards the final layers I made many areas of the landscapes opaque to contrast areas that were disturbed with turpentine and then layered over. The combination of smooth blending opaque colors on top of distressed turpentine drippings creates variety and. The contrast between beauty and distress is also representative of life itself and the power of nature to be beautiful but also harmful. The paintings are each unique but flow together because they share similar colors. Within each painting the lines that make up the physical plane are blended in a way that offers continuity and interconnectedness.

One artist that I have now researched more of their work because of this project is Edvard Munch. Known for his painting Scream, I was not aware of his landscape work. He was relevant to my final series because he also uses unique colors and depicts abstract landscapes. I like his work because he will give indications of perspective and depth with horizon lines and size of objects but then other areas are distorted and appear flat. I did similar things in my trilogy with the turpentine drippings. I wanted to leave some of the textures raw and visible so I used lean layers of paint to add depth but still allowing the viewer to observe the textures.