I make abstract paintings. They depict stylized brushstrokes, paint drips, and bold homespun patterns. I create my compositions by cutting out complex, hand-made friskets of masking tape through which I then apply paint. I don’t use a ruler or straight edge to cut patterns into the tape, and there is evidence of my hand in every line. I believe this humanizes an otherwise mechanical-looking technique.

I like working without sketches and allowing the design to evolve through the working process. At any given time, the painting is covered with several interwoven layers of tape masks, which prevent me from seeing it as a whole. I make new decisions about the composition based on what I think is under the tape. As the painting progresses, it eventually becomes too complex for me to visualize in its entirety. When I finally pull all the tape off of the painting, it is the first time I’ve seen it as a whole. It is always a surprise.