Cross the Road

Often I will combine landscape with abstract to create surrealism effects. In this example I used imagery from the route I used to walk to school at the university of Western in Ontario, the tunnel in the foreground went under the busy road. In the distance you will see the hospital on the left and some gnarly trees on the right, and in between the other side of the tunnel emerging from under the street. Near the tunnel exit a person stands (waiting?). The man in the foreground is supposed to be carrying a bible. Although I rarely use religious themes, in this work I was trying to convey a sense of passage into the next life, perhaps death but also a transition.

I'll say a few words about the process I use to create abstract artwork, although there is no one set way that I do it. I generally do very little planning beforehand. Many artists extensively plan their works with preliminary drawings and first drafts, however I have never been able to do this because the initial excitement of the idea tends to fade if I spend hours or days planning a work. However, I often try to work out the general ideas in my head before commencing. In 'Cross the Road' I knew that I wanted to paint this particular scene and I did so in my apartment from memory. The concept of the death theme only came out during the painting; I added the person waiting (the already dead) and the person walking (the dying) and the priest (the living). I also invented the colour scheme as I went, which is quite outrageous but at the time I was going for a hippie-like colour effect. I also thought the funny colours would enhance the dream-like quality. So most of the major decisions happen before I start, but I remain flexible and develop the work as I paint, following the 'lifeforce' of the work as it develops, almost on its own.

14x11" hot press. 2002