Artist Statement

Exhibit I

Exhibit II

Exhibit III

Exhibit IV

Exhibit V

Exhibit VI

Contact

Art Links

Synaptic Route:Endangered Species
synapse: the point at which a nervous impulse passes from one neuron to another
synaptic route: physical path in the brain made by the specific repeated passage of nervous impulses

A few years ago in a dance class we explored the idea of bypassing old movement patterns. This idea for me spread into an exploration of patterns of thought, specifically those related to creation. I wanted to paint patterns, but I also wanted to be deliberate about the process of creating pattern. This means not only focusing on the visual manifestation of pattern painting, but giving attention to the actual physical synaptic route created in the brain while creating the pattern. I wanted to watch and determine the formation of a synaptic route as it happened and document it in painting form. Thus, in order for the pattern to be precise enough for a habit to form I needed a base structure: the grid.

The grid physically enables a precise route to burn into the brain, creating a substantially exact pattern that appears almost mechanical or computer made. Each painting is a program designed to create a synaptic route for each image selected. This series features endangered plant species.

It seems that life will go on whether we choose to conserve it or not. The real question is whether life will have a quality that inspires us to do more than just survive. Today I feel that the soul of the planet is fairly intact, but because I am in a position to do more than just survive, I use my work to magnify the presence of our endangered plant species in order to help conserve the soul of the planet.

Replicating endangered plant species artificially not only produces the desired synaptic route and documentation of the synaptic route, but the pattern itself dematerializes the surface of the painting creating a state of mind conducive to meditation. In this stillness and quiet endangered plant species can be contemplated because a virtual re-population may become their only existence.