Abstract art, like life, is always accessible and inaccessible to us at the same time. Both tangible and mysterious, abstract art contains the elements of our spirituality.
I enjoy the physical process of painting. My work has been described as having a high sense of energy conveyed thru oil paint, charcoal, and oil pastel applied with brush, knife and fingers. My surface textures are often a combination of smooth and painterly strokes as well as contrasting textures. The fields of color in my work are achieved through layers of transparent glazes. My intention is that these levels of under painting will lead the viewer into my work.
My latest paintings express the adventure of my return to working with a model. Always a challenge, I am approaching the human figure as one piece of a whole composition - each piece as important as the whole. Both the model and the space surrounding the model share equal attention.
I work on a painting until I am satisfied that it is complete, that it is �working�. Although I choose my subjects for personal reasons, my desire is to sustain a dialogue with my audience thru the painting. By capturing a mood or emotional passage I hope that my work will resonate with the viewer.
Beth Cartland
September 3, 2004