Whom have I created?

They gaze out at us from under the wide brim of a well-worn hat with shadowed eyes, and we become locked in their ambiguous stare. The interaction begins with careful investigation of what may be going on in that two-dimensional mind created on the canvas. Cowboys, lawmen and farmers from a dusty past peek into our lives as if there is something to be said.. Where have they been and what are their stories. What do they require of us?

I am blind and do not actually see eyes, only dashes marking their location on the face. It is difficult to distinguish if someone is looking at me, near me, or behind me, and I assume that this sometimes occurs with well-sighted individuals as well. My paintings allow you to look right back and ask, “Are you looking at me?” At this point you are invited, sometimes demanded, to acknowledge  the subjects interest in you.

I generally use monochromatic earth tone color schemes but sometimes add slight amounts of a muted color to certain areas. I do not want color to compromise the character. I want to see and feel the attitude above all else and not be overly concerned with, or even ignore the hue.

Size is also important in my work for two reasons; to support the demand for interaction and, of course, to compensate for my poor eyesight. It has become a case of "cause and effect". My eyesight causes me to paint larger characters resulting in images that have an imposing and intimidating effect. The size of the canvas pulls observers from across the room to be introduced to my "larger than life" characters. The subjects are stylized, "cartoon-ish" and impressionistic, but with the use of shading I manage to obtain the illusion of depth and conviction.

Another ingredient I sometimes throw into the recipe is texture. I have added materials such as sawdust, sand, birdseed, and the likes, in different stages to prepare the surface. Not only does texture interact with the light of the room but also lends itself to the expression of the subject. Sometimes it adds a shadow or highlight to a face that represents the contraction or extension of one of the many facial muscles. This ever so slight adjustment to the face of a subject can express a variation in countenance.

Dave Wisniewski