uth Hunter
"A portrait artist for the majority of my career, I have turned my eyes inward to catch a glimpse of an inner landscape through which, I have discovered, is connected to a collective unconscious that we all share. I never begin with an idea, instead, I use color with the emotion connected to it and the action of it's application as the catalyst for image making.
Color and emotion are the major focus of starting a painting. I rarely pre-plan or have an idea in mind before I start. The action of the application determines along with color, the emotional thrust of the piece. Each painting is multi-textured with layer upon layer of pigment. As each piece evolves, I watch how the colors interact, creating, new shades and tones through which shapes (images) begin to emerge. As I begin to see an image or images, an inner dialogue with the painting begins...subtle emotional responses to shapes and colors are internally noted...a word or phrase will come to mind...sometimes insistent...it is important than I continue on with this dialogue until the painting is finished.
The human figure has been a persistent image in my work. The gesture as a means of expressing emotion…the attachment to self-representation as a means of drawing the viewer in…like a mirror of the soul. My images are not necessarily personal commentary but rather a deeper reflection of a universal consciousness with multi-colored emotions both transcendent and shaded. Scratching or pealing of the surface reveals hidden colors inspiring unexpected images or abstract forms."