"WORDS ARE JUST WORDS."
Luther Campbell b. 1960
I use words as both image and subject of my paintings. Selecting different fonts from a variety of sources, I hand draw the letters and allow the negative shapes and color schemes to develop with each trip to the canvas. The words I choose have a personal significance and yet I allow the pairings to evoke their own meditation for the viewer. Beyond the words themselves, each painting is about the creative process itself. I allow pencil marks and drips to remain while I focus on building many layers of paint on portions of the canvas. Some areas are left as thin washes, allowing my journey to reveal itself. The graphic nature of my color choices are at play with the the visible brushstrokes, creating a candy colored tension for the subjects. Slick sugary surfaces are in an ironic dance with the depth of the subjects. Ultimately, the themes are about the human condition -persistance, resistance, acceptance and, as inherent with any art, hope.