Artist's Statement

One can see from Artistic Directions that there has been quite a divergence of disciplines, subject matter, materials and size since the beginning of my artistic career in the late 1960s. My decision to become an artist stemmed from a love of drawing and historic painting. My first serious foray into an artistic discipline involved light sculpture in the atelier of Frank Malina in Paris. Having had no traditional art training, the development from there on was a hands-on learning process attempting the use of more familiar materials and techniques at first, then working my way towards the ultimate goal of oil painting. And with the facility of handling oils and watercolors came the more soul searching questions of personal identity and what subject matter was valid and satisfying enough to continue to pursue. How I answered these questions is reflected in the work itself.

The present work is an extrapolation of my experience involving these materials, technique and subject matter. It fulfills several of my ongoing interests: I enjoy working in oils on a large scale. I like to "push" the use of light and color. And possibly the most significant aspect of this journey, I am finding that abstraction is a more exciting vehicle to express these interests - encouraging the viewer to relate to the work on their own terms as a story unfolding before them. Their own story, hopefully full of beauty and mystery.

All contents © 2009 Andrew Haley