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Unfolding
Watercolor & ink collage
My approach to drawing and painting explores variations on themes derived from nature and experience. Each piece initially evolves from a feeling or a conceived image, although a more individual theme unfolds according to the nature of my thoughts and feelings during the process of realizing the image. My primary visual concerns are the relationships among shape, tone, and color during the process of creating each piece.I believe the nature of an image is determined primarily by the manner in which these elements interact. I also find inspiration in the work of other artists. I am usually interested in particular aspects of another artist's work. It may be the originality of the image, the sense of color, formal clarity, calligraphic expressiveness, or compositional structure. The use of the collage and construction with paper often provides means by which I am able to find more meaningful and complex formal relationships. I think of drawing and collage as being intimately related. Matisse said, "Collage is drawing with scissors. "That I maintain a sense of adventure is central to the life of my work. I find challenge and joy in creating images that may imply sources of inspiration, such as landscape, architecture, music and poetry.
--Richard Hamwi