Sunday, November 05, 2006

Vertical Formats

As you may have noticed, I tend to prefer the vertical orientation for my paintings. Part of me enjoys the tall narrow works, because the viewer is immediately struck that this is something different from the traditional landscape format. Another motivation for pursing this angle of painting; is the natural reflective parallel brought about by a vertical viewer studying a vertical image.

My friend, Ohio Greg, paints life-size photorealistic eye-level nudes that stare directly back at the viewer. The first time I saw one of his works, the lights were turned down low and as I approached the painting of a man stepping from the shower, I nearly thought I had entered the wrong room, while looking for his studio. Greg’s works were by far much more unsettling in their approach, than my own. However, I believe that we ultimately offered the viewer a similar experience by our unique approaches – the ability to become lost when facing the original work.

My paintings don’t just take the onlooker to places I have been; the works initiate journeys into my intentions – an impression of place within a singular moment. – DN

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