Unchartered Waters

Serra #8    24x24   2011

Every artist at some point or another should stretch and explore.  As scary as it is to wade into unchartered waters (or in my case- dive in, head first)... it can be very exhilirating.  The scary part comes from wondering what other people will think...particularly collectors.  The Serra series is my "dive in the deep end".  The new paintings are more controlled and more geometric than previous works.  They still have similar qualities to my other work: a strong grid, my color palettes,  texture- although less of it, a balance of areas that are "messy" and un-predictable with those that are opaque and stable, a sense of flux, and layers that overlap and obliterate to create a sense of history and mystery.  I still see myself in them...but I realize they are very, very different.  I'm unveiling the series this summer - for my solo show "Twenty-Four" during Spoleto Festival USA at Ellis-Nicholson Gallery in Charleston.  I will be very interested in the response to them. What I do know is this:  I can't control what happens once the work is hanging - I can only hope for a positive reaction.