I began making paintings again in 2022 after several years of working exclusively on paper. A lot of the same motifs I use in drawings show up in the paintings – strange sculptural architectural shapes, maps, diagrams, constellations, the body, molecular structure. I try my best not to dwell on why I am drawn to the imagery in these works, especially in the early stages of a painting. Too much clarity of purpose, for me, means I am closing off possible avenues of discovery. The titles (which always come after, when I have one foot in the real world) offer clues to the viewer and to myself, but they are only suggested guideposts. I would rather allow the imagery to keep regenerating itself. My goal has always been to make a thing that buzzes and vibrates with a sort of mysterious energy.

I once had a teacher who asked me what I thought about when I was painting. Back then I had no idea how to answer. Right now I’m thinking about making a line straight, but not too straight. I’m thinking the paint is not gliding on the way I want it to, it’s too thin or too thick. I’m wondering if this line is like an illustration, but I’m not even sure what that really means. I’m trying to keep things loose, but then I tighten up. I want spontaneity without sloppiness. I want effort to show, but not too much effort. I want it to look like I care a lot (I do) and I’m working really hard (I am), but like it is flowing out of me with the greatest of ease (it’s not.) I hope to be working on that for a long time – the clock is ticking.