9: Big Painting -April 2011; Acrylic on canvas 4’X4’

The assignment was simply to make use of a large canvas. I chose to paint from a picture that I took in a co-worker’s friend’s house. The painting is about how the perceptions of trust and boundaries are often obscured with teenagers. It is about trying to understand the chemistry between people in seemingly harmless situations, such as hanging out in a large group of people, and only knowing one other out of ten. Even though people are physically together- living, breathing, experiencing- they are unable to fully comprehend their place in the group, as there has been no time to gain any sort of trust. The painting is supposed to look simple at first glance, but with time become more and more complex as its surrealism and ambiguity begin to surface, such as making sense of the blind group dynamic.


Installation View: The Blake School Board of Trustees’ conference room