Jan McElhinny

Abstraction engages the imagination, memory and intellect while being open to what is happening with the paint itself. I prefer to paint from life, imagination or memory. I will often set up a still life for an emotional connection and a departure point. I begin by responding to the first mark I make, which leads to another, as I begin to lose myself in the process. Each painting is a unique state of consciousness. There are tensions and balance throughout the painting. I am most interested in reducing a subject down to its’ essential elements. Careful observation and intense study of a subject gives me the opportunity to deliver a more distilled painting. Abstracting unnecessary detail helps me to find the true essence of things.