Meddled, 2019

oil on canvas
84”x 60” (213cm x 152cm)

A large vertical composition of abstract textured shapes, Meddled marked a truly pivotal moment in my art career and it was in this piece that I first saw a portal to all the possibilities of the Quilts series. After completing the painting, I asked friends and family for their interpretation of it; one of my favorite answers came from my friend’s mom, who commented, “I don’t know what it is, but it reminds me of something a baby would say.” That, at its core is the painting’s purpose, to galvanize the viewer’s imagination and, through its abstraction, inspire unique and varying readings of it.

The title is derived from Pink Floyd’s Amazing album “Meddle,” which played on repeat in my studio while I created this piece. In between sessions of the album I was also diving deep into the Harry Potter books and their effect on me wove itself into my painting process. I wanted the painting to charm the imagination of its viewers and create a magical space that invited you in with enticing mystery. Thus the piece is not overtly representational while still possessing a subtle sense of familiarity, as the various shapes evoke memories of tangible objects. There is a suggestion of a 3D space with the layered textured planes throwing deep shadows and jutting out in glowing highlights, but the painting playfully resists revealing too much by encouraging the viewer’s creative freedom.