[Music] I’ve always been drawn to stories of
I’ve always been drawn to stories of
I’ve always been drawn to stories of exploration the scope of the vision the
exploration the scope of the vision the
exploration the scope of the vision the ambition of it the amount of endurance
ambition of it the amount of endurance
ambition of it the amount of endurance required and then of course the human
required and then of course the human
required and then of course the human history of facing the unknown and
history of facing the unknown and
history of facing the unknown and pushing into it so in 2015 my partner
pushing into it so in 2015 my partner
pushing into it so in 2015 my partner Jamaican Alice and I decided to embark
Jamaican Alice and I decided to embark
Jamaican Alice and I decided to embark on a grey expedition across the United
on a grey expedition across the United
on a grey expedition across the United States we titled the expedition read
States we titled the expedition read
States we titled the expedition read charting pre charted territory because
charting pre charted territory because
charting pre charted territory because we were trying to reference this history
we were trying to reference this history
we were trying to reference this history of exploration so we wanted to explore
of exploration so we wanted to explore
of exploration so we wanted to explore that tradition as artists living you
that tradition as artists living you
that tradition as artists living you know in the 21st century how do you
know in the 21st century how do you
know in the 21st century how do you paint a landscape as an artist in the
paint a landscape as an artist in the
paint a landscape as an artist in the 21st century how do you explore the
21st century how do you explore the
21st century how do you explore the Great Western wilderness of the United
Great Western wilderness of the United
Great Western wilderness of the United States when it’s already been totally
States when it’s already been totally
States when it’s already been totally explored and it’s all domesticated and
explored and it’s all domesticated and
explored and it’s all domesticated and there’s very little wilderness and what
there’s very little wilderness and what
there’s very little wilderness and what is so wild is highly managed
is so wild is highly managed
is so wild is highly managed [Music]
from that experience we were on the road
from that experience we were on the road for about seven months we came back home
for about seven months we came back home
for about seven months we came back home with about 14,000 photographs so I would
with about 14,000 photographs so I would
with about 14,000 photographs so I would say most of the work that I’m working on
say most of the work that I’m working on
say most of the work that I’m working on now is utilizing those images you can’t
now is utilizing those images you can’t
now is utilizing those images you can’t just stop and sit and try to think your
just stop and sit and try to think your
just stop and sit and try to think your way into an interesting idea for me at
way into an interesting idea for me at
way into an interesting idea for me at least I have to really be engaging with
least I have to really be engaging with
least I have to really be engaging with something that has a lot of layers to it
something that has a lot of layers to it
something that has a lot of layers to it that is inherently interesting or
that is inherently interesting or
that is inherently interesting or complex in order to put myself in a
complex in order to put myself in a
complex in order to put myself in a space where I can take advantage of
space where I can take advantage of
space where I can take advantage of ideas as they emerge a lot of the
ideas as they emerge a lot of the
ideas as they emerge a lot of the subject matter in the clashes are the
subject matter in the clashes are the
subject matter in the clashes are the subjects that I’m interested in working
subjects that I’m interested in working
subjects that I’m interested in working in my larger pieces so then when I do
in my larger pieces so then when I do
in my larger pieces so then when I do get an idea for the larger artwork I’m
get an idea for the larger artwork I’m
get an idea for the larger artwork I’m already in motion and I just take that
already in motion and I just take that
already in motion and I just take that energy from the collage process right
energy from the collage process right
energy from the collage process right into the body of work so this work is a
into the body of work so this work is a
into the body of work so this work is a part of a project that I’ve been working
part of a project that I’ve been working
part of a project that I’ve been working on for about five years
on for about five years
on for about five years I take large rooms of paper I lay them
I take large rooms of paper I lay them
I take large rooms of paper I lay them on a flat cement pad and hose it down
on a flat cement pad and hose it down
on a flat cement pad and hose it down with water and then I can drop ink on it
with water and then I can drop ink on it
with water and then I can drop ink on it [Music]
when you spread ink onto wet paper you
when you spread ink onto wet paper you get these forms that are reminiscent of
get these forms that are reminiscent of
get these forms that are reminiscent of clouds of atmosphere of cosmic weather
clouds of atmosphere of cosmic weather
clouds of atmosphere of cosmic weather it is the same physics that dictate the
it is the same physics that dictate the
it is the same physics that dictate the movement of that ink on paper as the
movement of that ink on paper as the
movement of that ink on paper as the physics that dictate something that
physics that dictate something that
physics that dictate something that might be happening in a star Factory you
might be happening in a star Factory you
might be happening in a star Factory you know millions or billions of miles away
know millions or billions of miles away
know millions or billions of miles away but you can see it on a human scale and
but you can see it on a human scale and
but you can see it on a human scale and you can watch it in the human time scale
you can watch it in the human time scale
you can watch it in the human time scale so it’s happening right in front of you
when I create a piece of paper that’s
when I create a piece of paper that’s stained like this you know it really
stained like this you know it really
stained like this you know it really looks like a wild space it’s very
looks like a wild space it’s very
looks like a wild space it’s very unpredictable very organic
and when I start to go in and work on
and when I start to go in and work on the structures they start to become like
the structures they start to become like
the structures they start to become like these little domesticated spaces in this
these little domesticated spaces in this
these little domesticated spaces in this wilderness and I think about the art
wilderness and I think about the art
wilderness and I think about the art making process as kind of like going out
making process as kind of like going out
making process as kind of like going out into uncharted territory where you don’t
into uncharted territory where you don’t
into uncharted territory where you don’t really know where you’re going making
really know where you’re going making
really know where you’re going making something that’s already so beautiful
something that’s already so beautiful
something that’s already so beautiful more interesting requires you know a lot
more interesting requires you know a lot
more interesting requires you know a lot more like sophistication on a part of my
more like sophistication on a part of my
more like sophistication on a part of my ideas so I’m working on something right
ideas so I’m working on something right
ideas so I’m working on something right now that’s going to lead me to a space
now that’s going to lead me to a space
now that’s going to lead me to a space where I’ve learned something new about
where I’ve learned something new about
where I’ve learned something new about what’s possible and to me that’s very
what’s possible and to me that’s very
what’s possible and to me that’s very exciting because it is this constant
exciting because it is this constant
exciting because it is this constant pushing forward into an unknown space to
pushing forward into an unknown space to
pushing forward into an unknown space to try to figure out what possibilities lie
try to figure out what possibilities lie
try to figure out what possibilities lie there you need to constantly be feeding
there you need to constantly be feeding
there you need to constantly be feeding your sense of wonder and your sense of
your sense of wonder and your sense of
your sense of wonder and your sense of curiosity
”
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