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Recently, I have begun to move away from the idea of formal composition as the basic structure of drawing and painting. I am becoming interested in other ways of reading imagery, particularly those more commonly associated with practices outside the artist's studio. A new interest in landscape architecture has encouraged me to apply to my work some of the conventions and techniques of those directly in contact with the constructed landscape. I am also looking at the work of artists who interact with the landscape as part of their practice, such as Hamish Fulton, Richard Long, and Francis Alÿs. As someone who is still primarily interested in images, I am especially inspired by artists like Agnes Denes, Matthew Ritchie, and Paul Noble, whose work has a visual impact as well as connections to mathematics, maps, diagrams, mythology, and other means of relating to the environment.
My current work consists of drawings meant to be read as an analogy to movement through a landscape. Long format works will require one to literally walk from one end to the other, while the accessibility of imagery fluctuates due to scale, level of detail, and distance from the viewer. The imagery itself is drawn from a lexicon of objects symbolizing the mixture of nature and culture: trees, rocks, water, pipes, retaining walls, and most importantly; the path. With many precedents, including Japanese landscape scrolls, narrative illustration, and even board games, the idea of tracing a path through illusionary space is not a new one, but I believe it has a special relevance to the contemporary landscape, which is so often experienced remotely or in isolation from a greater context.
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