My watercolors present dynamically contrasting elements in relationship to each other. Light and darkness are central in these works. While the colors are still fresh, they are affected by salt, plastic wrap and other materials applied to the wet surface of the painting. When dry, the underlying shapes will have taken on unpredictable forms which can be further developed through imagination and technique. The picture is constructed from something that chance has created! Through use of layer upon layer of color, I try to convey something unforeseen. And it surprises me every time — this content which emerges gradually from a chaotic beginning.
Our surroundings affect us constantly. To be creative often requires that we put forth our will and strength despite adversity in many aspects of our work. But that which at first might seem to be a misjudgment may later prove to be an essential step in the work process. The fear of making mistakes can be relieved through new and unexpected impulses.
We are all connected as a human totality, although the foundations of life and possibilities for development are unequally distributed around the globe. For me, colors are a wordless language with power to convey the contrasts and complexities of contemporary life. There is always a sense of wonder about what may be lying concealed within the space of a picture. How will it be possible to reveal something which is nearly invisible? The picture is never finished. It will continue to develop so long as anyone will gaze at it.
I search the treasure chest of ancient mythology and find fragments of surviving knowledge. Science and wisdom have come down through generations as an inheritance. One feels a recognition of the material. Numerous foreign cultures and a multitude of living places reflect a universe resembling my own. And suddenly it is there — joy — like butterflies in free flight!
Translation by Joan Kunsch