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Q U I E T A B U N D A N C E | 2 0 2 5
The title itself holds the tension I'm exploring. How can something be both quiet and abundant? Through this series, I've learned that abundance doesn't announce itself with noise or excess. The deepest richness grows from what we hold back.
Generally, I start with bold, abstracted marks that seem overly aggressive, reflecting the energy I pour into those first hours of painting. But then I spend the rest of the time pulling back. This body of work emerged from wanting to create paintings that captured nature's compelling moments, but were calmer. The added restraint and soothing dawn-to-dusk palettes helped me find my way.
Like the darkness between stars that makes light visible, these quiet intervals become the very source of abundance. In seeking this balance, I've discovered that abundance lives not in accumulation but in the rhythm of give and take, the stillness and movement. Each canvas becomes a meditation on finding fullness through selection, and success happens when both energy and restraint dance together.
L U C I D P H A N T A S I E S | Bridging Reality and Imagination | 2 0 2 4
My new series, Lucid Phantasies, is all about diving into that mind space where reality and imagination collide. Those moments when you’re not quite sure if you’re awake or dreaming?
I draw inspiration from the world around me and the one inside my head, but it all gets twisted by whatever I’m feeling at the time. The result? Organic shapes that feel like they could’ve been plucked straight out of nature, but drenched in colors that’ll make your eyes pop.
When I’m working, it often feels like I’ve lost control. My hands seem to have a mind of their own, creating random marks filled with exuberant energy. But somehow, it all comes together to form these lush, intimate worlds. They’re pure fantasy—the kind of places you wish you could step into and explore.
Despite the chaos, there’s a clarity to it all. It’s like waking up from a vivid dream and remembering every detail. These Lucid Phantasies are my crystal-clear visions of a world where anything is possible, where beauty runs wild and free. It’s been a wild ride creating them, and I hope they take you on a journey, too.
Nuart Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
T R A C E S | Finding the flow between Fragility and Fortitude | 2 0 2 3
In my latest body of work, Traces, I’m focused on finding the flow state between fragility and fortitude. Each painting starts with web-like drips and intricate patterns that gracefully lay the groundwork for what lies ahead. The hesitant traces underpin the more confident, deliberate passages of earthy colors and complex organic shapes that layer up to the finished painting. The results continue to reflect my deep connection to nature, yet now are more revealing. The fluidity between my own vulnerable self and the tenacity it takes to flourish seems more apparent than ever. Art reflecting life reflecting art...and so it goes.
“My approach to painting is a direct result of letting go of what I know and opening my mind to the sensitivity of my heart. I think of each painting as a visual poem, inspired by the space between the wind and the water, the fauna and the flora. When the color, texture and gestural shape-matter come together harmoniously, the painting becomes itself. Each free-flowing exploration is only complete when the abstract touches the familiar...that point when something definite has been created, but its mystery is still intact.”
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
SELECT PAST WORK
FAUNA FLORA FIGURE SERIES | NATURE'S DAYDREAMS. Emerging life-forms flowing freely between the real and the ideal. | mixed media: acrylic/water based mediums, charcoal, graphite on linen or cradled board
Intuitive. Organic. Expressive. Mixed Media Paintings | Large Scale Work | Shar Coulson | Chicago Artist