Artist Statement
I make art for the pure joy of it. My subject matter varies according to what fascinates me at the moment. It could be as simple as the intensity of a particular color and how it makes me feel, or the challenge of creating something that sparks a sense of mystery or interest for someone else. Whatever it is, I can tell you that each painting is my exploration of light, color and shape. Finding a harmony within the three that takes on its own life is my reward.
My technique is one passed down from the masters. A series of thin glazes of color with a medium added to the pigment to create a translucency or "patina" as the layers are applied. What thrills and captivates me about this process is the depth and subtlety you can achieve with the colors. It's a process that requires patience and is well suited to my temperament. A professor and fellow painter once said to me after a day of painting "keep it up there's only a million more strokes before you call it finished". I'd like to say he was kidding but that's what it takes and why I love it so much. It's a process, and the challenge of which is to enjoy and learn from the first stroke of the brush to the very last...
Enjoy!
Dana Kimberly Hixson
