Meditations

Paintings are silent by nature—yet they can speak, and sometimes sing. Language and music are linked to the visual arts as means of expression, but discovering this connection requires a leap across the borders of our senses. We close our eyes at a concert, wanting to see only the music. Reading a letter, images, colors, and even scents float up from the page, coloring the words with emotion and private meaning.

The paintings in this series, “Meditations”, are about longing for communication and harmony. I began with a simple image: a blank sheet of ruled writing paper. I imagined colors (instead of words) writing a letter or poem on this blank page. As the images evolved, an analogy to the tones and chords of music also developed. In this way the project links three abstract forms of communication: language, music, and art. The structure of repeated horizontal bands is common to notational languages in the west, and encourages the viewer to “read” the painting.

My process is one of revision: the bars of color and the spaces in between them are adjusted and refined, erased and amplified, until balance is achieved. Just as word choices can shade the meaning of a sentence, colors can set a tone, carrying many associations and moods. Variation within each color and from band to band create complexity and rhythm.

We know that our attempts at communication often fall short, yet we must try to express ourselves, connect with others, and understand the world. Although we may fail to achieve total union or clarity, our efforts are monuments to this search, beautiful in all their imperfections.

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