MG - Oil Paintings

Tile Series Artist Statement

The purpose of my work is to use oil painting and particularly abstract representation as a tool for fostering an inclusive dialogue about ourselves and our interaction with others.

I explore what it means to be human; are there universal emotions and actions? How do they unite or divide us as individuals and groups? I am curious about; how we define ourselves, how clear and concrete is the distinction between the individual and others, and how these relationships develop into community, society and culture.

I employ organic polymorphic beings resembling humans in only the loosest sense; loops and lines of paint hint at arms, a face, intertwined limbs. By stripping indications of gender, race, religion or ethnicity from the paintings, I construct an environment where the viewer is free from their own prejudice. I create portraits where emotions determine the physical appearance of the subjects; their form and color are manifestations of character. Portraying people in shifting corporeal forms examines the idea of identity and projection of self. These enigmatic forms mimic personality; the subject is perceived differently by different viewers.

My paintings are an amalgamation of M.C. Escher, Rorschach ink blots, vibrant colors and painterly brush strokes. I hope by finding aspects of themselves, friends, family, and greater community present in the work, viewers receive a unique and fresh perspective about their lives. For me, art is my purest form of communication; a process of discovery and a tool for understanding.

- MG