Figurations: Seen and Unseen

Figurative paintings exploring gesture, identity, and the subtle space between what is visible and what is felt.

Why I keep painting figures

I keep coming back to the figure because I feel like we can say so much without saying anything at all.

A turned shoulder, crossed arms, the way someone leans forward or folds into themselves. Sometimes a posture feels guarded or awkward. Sometimes completely at ease. I'm interested in those small things we recognize in another person, even when we can't quite explain why.

Many of these paintings begin as quick drawings. I like that there's not much time to make decisions or correct things. I'm just trying to catch something that feels true. When I bring those drawings into paint, the color and marks take over and the figure becomes something new.

I'm not really trying to tell you who the person is. I like leaving some of that unanswered. What interests me more is what you recognize in them and maybe what they make you recognize in yourself.

Recently, I found some charcoal drawings that I had done when my husband and I first started dating.  

He was visiting my downtown studio one day and sat for a few drawings. It was a brief drawing session and I remember one that I loved and framed at the time. It's still hanging in my house. 

I forgot that there had been more and finding them was a fun surprise. I needed some work for the walls in our shared office so I got to work on a couple of them.  

Happy now to have more of these drawings come to life and live with us in our home.