The unifying theme for this recent body of paintings is based on the three abstract principles of outer, inner, and secret—or, as they are sometimes called: Heaven, Earth, and Human. These concepts are found in most contemplative creativity practices––for example, contemplative flower arranging, or Ikebana, and contemplative photography, or Miksang. They quickly became supportive elements for my use of color fields to express the atmospheric, or outer, sense of “place,” and the personal markings, gestures, and smudges that convey the inner sense of movement and energy, and the dynamic sense of “place.” The personal value and meaning associated with experiencing the work—by the artist at every stage of creation and by the viewer—embody the secret element.
I sometimes speak of my works as “environments that you feel”: places that can touch, inform, and enrich our lives wherever we are and whenever we choose to bring this aspect of our experience into the foreground.
