Artist Statement

Painting is a place where I go to be small. To be an observer of forces  
much greater than myself & to be humbled by the experience of nature. I feel  
that nature is my greatest teacher. I ask questions about perception, time,  
space and myself as an artist. Standing there I strive to look outside my own  
answers & listen. I want to shed what I know & reach into the paint & grasp a  
new honesty. I am in a constant balancing act between searching &  
forgetting; asking & listening; consciousness & unconsciousness. 
 
The process of my painting is simple & pure. I paint outside, directly from  
life. This is where the life of the painting begins. My inspiration is drawn from  
the changing forces of nature — fog, water, movement, weather. Painting  
directly in such demanding & chaotic conditions brings me to an exciting  
depth of place. My paintings carry this vitality as I am consumed by the  
changing light & the tumultuous relationship between man & nature. 
 
Painting has a long history within my family, but I am more deeply rooted in  
the history of painting itself. The voices I hear are Turner, Rembrandt,  
Michelangelo, Monet & Wyeth. I sometimes turn to my mentors for solace,  
fortitude & grace. Though I feast on the poetry of my heroes, I am beholden  
to the current state of our natural world. I wish to inspire the viewer to  
consider our actions on the earth & to value our role of stewardship. 
 
 
 
Douglas Andelin