(Private Collection)The impetus for most of what I do is usually nothing more than an impulse. I don't imagine or think about a picture before I start working. I usually begin with a color and then a line or a shape without considering it, but once I make that first mark, once I violate the sanctity of the blank page or canvas, I'm engaged. There is now something to react to and every subsequent choice that I make is a reaction to all of the previous ones. To an outside observer, it may appear that I am simply working intuitively, yet each decision that I make is informed by decades of experience and study. In many ways, the process is similar to a conversation wherein one person says something, the other person responds, the first person responds to that, and so on. Both people engaged in the conversation are working towards a resolution, following their thoughts and feelings while also attempting to follow the thoughts and feelings of the other. If the interlocutors are both fluent in the same language, the conversation will flow continuously to it's natural conclusion, even if this means working through some disagreements. Painting and drawing, for me anyway, are very similar to this. Having fluency in the language of visual form and the technique that allows me to turn my ideas into visual form, are both necessary in order for me to engage in the process. This is not to suggest that the process is easy. On the contrary, I often run into roadblocks. Something happens in the work, and I find myself at a loss for how to respond. Struggle ensues and I either figure it out or I don't. These challenges do not just keep me interested in the work; they are the reason that I do it. I certainly struggle less than when I was younger, but it is still challenging. If I ever found drawing and painting to be easy, I would likely stop doing it.
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