Statement | Paula McCarty

Artist Statement

Painting is a way of visualizing my ideas or what I am thinking about or responding to in my daily life. Subjects for my paintings come from my immediate surroundings and are selected because of an affinity for them. I am currently working on three bodies of work. As an ongoing project I am using my smartphone to paint historical women artists. These small "paintings" are 2" x 4". It is my way of paying homage to the women painters who have become before me. It also gives me an opportunity to experiment with digital media, a medium that I wanted to explore. Another series of works consists of small format oil paintings of bars of soaps, usually 9" x 12". This simple object lends itself well to exploring the boundaries between the figurative and the abstract and this fascinates me. The third body of work I am currently involved with is medium to large format oil or acrylic paintings depicting various still lifes from my home. A window that overlooks the park has been consistently used as a structural device and as a way to depict the passage of time. Oil is my favored medium because of its long lasting working qualities and plasticity. My palette reflects a personal preference for muted blues, pinks, greens, and oranges. My brushstroke is primarily gestural, which is to say it is similar to handwriting in leaving behind a wake of various widths and emotional suggestions. It has been described as having intensity. While not intentional it seems to be an inherent quality in how I paint and eventually influences the look and character of the painting. It is this experimental aspect of painting (e.g., the economy of brushstroke, the viscosity of paint, the speed of application, the variety of techniques) that interests me and contributes to the content. Because of this my work may acquire a dual identity, often a formal physical look and an additional psychological meaning. The challenges and decision-making that come with painting captivate me. Curiosity and a need to explore are at the heart of my practice.