Lurking Danger
Sometimes a place may not be as safe as it appears. In these paintings I play with the idea of hidden dangers. The danger may not be seen at first, but once seen it changes the meaning or initial mood of the images. Good things may not always be as good as they appear because hey may become the monster lurking in the shadows. There is no why, because that is just how it is. These worlds are dangerous places, especially if one is not aware of the danger. In these worlds, if one is not careful they may fall victim to these monsters that are lurking in the shadows. With these monsters it is not always what you see of them, but what you do not see. The unknown can be terrifying, and often the human mind will try and fill in the blanks.
My use of colors and a long vertical composition are to draw in the viewer. The use of soft colors is to set the calm, relaxing mood. The most important part in all of these images is in the bottom of the composition. This is where the action is happening because, traditionally, that is not where the focal point normally is. The environments serve as a distraction from what these images are really portraying. They are portraying the danger we don’t see lurking in the shadows.
These monsters do not represent a specific danger and therefore are up for interpretation by the viewer. However, these monsters can vaguely represent a struggle or fear one may have. These paintings serve as a reminder to be weary of the unexpected and to be careful of things that one cannot see.