Brad Cooper Gallery

ARTIST STATEMENT

In my paintings and drawings, I have combined various subjects that I find visually and conceptually fascinating. By juxtaposing different subjects depicted in carefully constructed stage-like surroundings, I create alternative contexts, suggesting a narrative or metaphorical significance that transcends mere documentation. Through the process of painting,

I am searching for mystery and meaning in the familiar and ordinary, trying to respond to life's encounters in a poetic way. The idiosyncracies of my work are the result of an evolutionary development, with each work being requisite for the next. New ideas fuse with previous discoveries, taking my paintings in unanticipated directions. It is important to me that viewers are aware of my deliberate arrangement of imagery, and therefore my compositions are often calculated and formal. I am most compelled to work with subjects that can be appreciated in many (often paradoxical) ways. I hope that my work will invite multiple interpretations, remaining mysterious and enigmatic.