I like to see and identify shapes of color, describing their interaction with light, how light outlines some of the geometric shapes and reveals architectural features of the buildings. I use vibrant colors and bold strokes to intensify and simplify the buildings' forms, to exaggerate the effect of light. I am always looking for color harmony or contrast to describe interesting shapes of shadows cast by the light to capture the mood of the house at certain times of the day. My objective is to make the landscape look more alive and engaging to the viewers by capturing the gesture of trees and describing mood and personalities of the houses.
My work falls along a continuum of realism, impressionism, expressionism with a contemporary twist.
The process: I like to do a basic 3-value study by sketching out what I want to paint first. This rough sketch, for me, is the best way to tell its abstract quality. Abstract quality is essential even for my realistic/representational paintings. I don’t start painting unless I am happy with the abstract quality of the sketch. This is also the stage that I do a lot of shape design and simplification. I also use this sketch as a reference when I start to paint, as color can be distracting, and it is easy to get carried away with.