dion
archibald
artist
statement
My art
is about a personal exploration of the subject and
the materials used to create the work. Regardless
of whether the subject is something as mundane as
a toothbrush or as awe inspiring as the beauty of
nature, it has to speak to me in some way. I have
to feel an empathy towards the subject and desire
to form a relationship with it, as inevitably I am
affected by the feeling or mood of the subject. My
paintings evolve organically from life's everyday
glances. Rather than trying to force my will on them,
I give them total control. Each layer determines and
guides the next. My paintings are a dialogue between
giving and taking. I don't want to sign the work until
it looks like it has been lived on, until I have violated
the open white space and created something that can
become independent of me and fend for itself.
Dion 2002