I think it’s really interesting how you consider yourself both an artist as well as the viewer of art, even though it’s your own work. Can you elaborate on this dichotomy?
There’s a time when I’m the painter but every time I sit down or step back, I feel like I’m the viewer. In saying that, I’m not trying to devalue the idea that I’m also the artist, but I like to think of myself as among the people as opposed to separate from the people. I want to be part of the discussion too, it helps me. Art is thought-provoking and it can be therapeutic or repulsive. I want to be able to experience all those feelings. Maybe in my mind, I’ve invented a way to separate myself. The working process is so intense that as soon as I can, I jump out of it and step back. As often as I can, I try to just switch back into being a viewer.
A lot of artists say they don’t think of the audience when they work. However, considering myself part of the audience, I would be dishonest if I said that I didn’t think of the audience. What I feel, what they might feel, it’s all a guess but I respect the viewer. I know that seeing art takes passion, effort, and time. I’m thankful for the people with whom I share my art. Yes, I want to give them something they don’t understand or didn’t know they wanted to see, but that’s also what I’m doing for myself.
You describe painting as a pure form of exchange.
Painting as an art form is a straightforward transaction because of the two dimensional surface, as opposed to sculpture where you have an endless amount of things you could do. With painting, you just have a flat square. It’s like a piece of paper with writing on it, the currency is similar. You’re able to exchange ideas with other people whether they’re dead or alive. The flat surface can be read like a poem.