Artist Statement
My most meaningful paintings are of subjects which hold for me emotional significance. Landscapes from my Grandparents’ land, portraits of family and friends, or expressions of important psychological or philosophical concepts are among my favorites. My imagery ranges from realistic portraiture and landscape to wildly expressive statements. Whatever the subject, my painting represents a “momentary” view as opposed to a “permanent” iconification.
I believe that all things are constantly changing, and all people are ever-fluctuating masses of blood vessels, glands and heartbeat. Each emotional or seasonal change brings about a physical change. To attemp to paint a single “for all eternity” representation would be to deny the multiple facets that only when taken as a whole comprise the thing or person completely. People and Things differ moment to moment with changing situations or seasons. The summation of these multiple “selves” flow coherently over time. My goal in my painting is not to capture the definative representation of my subject, but rather present one snapshot from its chronology. The relm of choices seems endless.
The sudden “knowing” which snapshot to capture strikes me with clarity. From my own perception, a person will suddenly display some defining charateristic so captivating, that I am compelled to document it. This process inevitably drives the composition of my paintings and is, without a doubt, the theme which unites my divergent imagery.
The prospect of unravelinging the mystery, the process of allowing a painting to finally reveal the subject’s compelling “self” as displayed in that single snapshot from its flowing chronology, is the reason I paint.
- Linda Marsh