Mark E. Mehaffey

Artist Statement

I have been painting for over forty years.

During that time my interest in the act of painting has never waned. However, the content of my work and my technical abilities have constantly been in a state of flux. This state of change is something that all artists deal with regularly, it is in fact invited. It is through change that growth occurs. To be timid, safe, complacent or overly satisfied does not push the boundaries of self.

As tangents occur in life so do they occur in my work. I allow myself the freedom to follow my tangents.

One road I have been down many times is my technique of spray painting. The spray paintings allow me to explore shape and value patterns. Part of me relates strongly to hard edges and strong lights and darks. The process itself sometimes determines content, although I continue to push.

After spending hours and hours on a very controlled spray painting, I find myself dreaming of mists, clouds, rain and water. My brush seems to take on a life of its own as I try to express the feeling of a summer storm or fish hunting in the shallows. In my non objective work, I wonder if I can evoke strong feelings from a viewer by manipulating the elements of art. Can line, color, shape and value be juxtaposed to have the same emotional impact as a thunder storm?

Art is a communication -- a dialogue between artist and viewer. It is my hope to open and maintain that dialog.

And I hope the viewer will be as involved as I am.