I made this painting from a still life photo that I staged, composed and shot… it was a lush bouquet of pink and green flowers from a close-up angle.
But, I didn’t try to (or want to) transcribe the photo. Instead, I used the photo for abstract information about color and light. When I was painting, I just focused on being free, direct, and expressive.
I’ve been thinking about how it feels when I dance with total freedom and playfulness (like in my salsa jams at the gym), and I’ve been trying to channel that looseness, confidence, and athleticism into my current paintings.
The 2nd slide is the note on my studio wall. I tend to have one note like this on the wall at any given time. Painting is so much about being in the right mental and emotional framework; these little reminders help me channel what I’m looking for.
Slide 2: handwritten quote: “Framework: Remove ‘problem to solve’. There isn’t anything to solve. It’s not a trick. It’s just a way of being expressive. Think dance warm-up! As free + playful as possible. There is no limit to this, like dance.”