Jeffery Starkes
As a committed abstract artist, my visual ideas are almost always rooted in the components of personality, rather than in the features of outward appearance. My inspiration arrives not through the eyes, but in contemplation of the heart and mind. Imbued with color and form, elements representing thoughts, dreams, memories and emotions populate my paintings. My compositions explore the interactions between thoughts and feelings, and the ever-shifting role they play in the shape and nature of our lives.
Life is often a balancing act between heartfelt desires and practical considerations. In my paintings, as in life, elation and despair live in the same space as logic and order. Expressed in the terms of abstract art, life is not simply spontaneous gestural brush strokes or precise geometric patterns, but a dynamic combination of the two. This concept is at the heart of my work. Compositions that combine the random, spontaneous nature of emotions with carefully thought out structures and patterns. The presence of these conflicting characteristics provides a contrast and tension that resonates with my sense of how life really looks. Working with these elements, I attempt to find creative combinations and configurations that mirror the art of living.
In developing my personal style, I was keenly aware of how incomprehensible abstract art can be to many viewers. Although some of my paintings address personal struggles and attitudes, they are not intended as vehicles for self expression. I hope, instead, that they are a means to communicate universal ideas and observations. My goal is to produce paintings that are visually compelling and welcoming to interpretation and understanding.
"Miami No. 1," oil on canvas, 72" x 54"
"Thought Process," oil on canvas, 30" x 30"
"In the Corridor," oil on canvas, 72" x 54"
"Pathways," oil on canvas, 20" x 20"
"Feelin' Good," oil on canvas, 30" x 30"