DEBORAH MORRIS

Each painting I make is an experiment. I don’t start with a template that I can overlay on the surface and fill in details. I rely on making random marks and colors with no final destination in mind. As I add marks, color and patterns I look for relationships that arise from these various elements.
I do sketches using imagery from a variety of sources: some from the natural world, others from writing and art. I then transfer pieces of the sketches to the beginning of the paintings. The early stages of the work are covered, wiped out and redone many times until they come together at a pausing point. It’s at this moment I understand what the painting can become. Up to this point I feel like I’m playing a game of chess with myself losing and regaining ground.