First, a little about me. I’m a Bay Area native who’s been living and working in San Francisco since 1999. I have a scientific background (4 year degree in chemistry), but have always felt the pull of artistic practice, particularly painting and drawing. After being laid off from my first biotech position, I spent about a year taking classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco where I learned the basics of working with oil paint before returning to a lab position. In late 2017, I began renting studio space at the Islais Creek artist studios where I’ve been able to work with oil paint and a larger scale than I could in my small SF apartment. The work highlighted on this site shows what I’ve been up to since having a dedicated space to paint.
I love science. I love art. I don’t feel they’re as different as people often assume. Both are based on observation, interpretation and then expression (or use) of what’s been learned from that observation and interpretation. My painting is predominantly abstract, although I do occasionally incorporate figurative and representational elements in some pieces. What I strive for in my abstract work is imagery that does not represent anything that the viewer has a previous visual association with. Using variations in color and contrast, basic regular geometric forms and line that subtly varies over it’s length, the viewer’s eye is led through the composition in ways that suggest movement and some form of familiarity without any reference to symbolism or memory. I want to stimulate the visual processing of the image as a completely new experience – something seen for the first time. For pieces incorporating representational elements, the line and geometric patterns are meant break up the subject to add a sense of movement or invoke the cubist approach of viewing a subject simultaneously from multiple perspectives. It also provides the viewer with the visual processing exercise of associating the deconstructed image with something that is familiar or recognizable. I do this with the simple goal of making a painting that is interesting to look at and engaging to live with.