Artist Statement

The act of painting is a contemplative process that brings me closer to the mystery of our existence, as well as our insignificance. The intuitive choice of composition reveals a mirror into myself.

As a young child, I was convinced (or I convinced myself) that my dolls came to life when I closed the bedroom door behind me. Through the years, I’ve had a similar sensation when spending time in nature. The trees, the smells, the plants, and the sky are alive and are part of my own DNA.

Throughout humanity, there have been artists in every culture who tap into the mystery and who help maintain our connection to the earth. Aspects of the art may connect it to time and place, yet the message remains universal.

I slow down and layer subtle variations on a color, building up the vibration of that color until something more than the scene is revealed. All of the parts of the composition must talk to each other until they reflect the humming qualities that I sense in this imagined world. I’m not trying to render these objects realistically; I am rendering their energy. 

Beauty is found in perceived details, for even the dirt at our feet is alive. An entire universe exists in a patch of moss. I am not just an observer; I am part of this place.

Lynda Dann