43 of 292

|

I like to work in a series of paintings. The challenge of working in a series is to connect each painting's story with the overall concept.

This series started with one of my photographs taken in 2009 which depicted a triangular composition of two peppers and a lily surrounded by empty space. I had a hunch that this could be a good start for a new series; and indeed it was.

This is the final painting in the Desert series. I conceived of the Poplano pepper, which looks like a pair of legs, together with the lily as a vehicle to move across the landscape to re-pollinate the desert.

ARTIST STATEMENT How and when does one decide to become a painter? There are many different answers to this question. In my case it was a visit to a garden store, selling among other things, ceramic vases. To this day, I remember seeing a black ceramic vase and the impact this particular object had on me. Looking at this vase filled me with joy and excitement. At that moment, I decided that my future lay in fine arts. I was ten years old at that time. When I visited the government's career counseling service I voiced my passion for art. The counselor informed me then that I lacked an important prerequisite to pursue a career in the visual arts, a rich father. I was crushed. I can finally answer the question posed by Langston...