fern-gm, 2021

Intaglio

21 x 26 in.

Many great minds have been captivated by the concept of a single unifying principle that governs the all that is our universe, a principle in which all things are connected by a universal truth. While we often associate this inquiry with the sciences and philosophy, it is also an important influence in the arts. I have long been intrigued and inspired by the concept of a unifying principle and have been creating artworks in which the concept is interpreted through shape, color, and spatial relationships. I create works in which elements function like organic building blocks: atoms form a molecule, molecules form a compound, compounds form a cell, cells form an organism, and so on. The marks, lines, shapes, colors, and textures that are the basic language of my work form a kind of network structure-a system of interconnected nodes that seem energized by their interaction within the network. In the interdependence, synergy, and the flow of meaning and significance within these networks, there is subtle and profound beauty.

I draw a circle. It could represent a cell, a planet, infinity, or peace. When I draw the circle, I think of the connectedness of all these things, and I draw more circles. Circles connect to circles and circles contain circles, and thus "Connection" came to be. Working with these elements I see a kind of cosmos blossom, and within it emerge areas that suggest positive and negative space.

Courtesy Cleveland Print Club