I paint because I have to. A passionate energy drives me to create images.
I paint in several mediums and styles because it allows different expressions. Sometimes I paint realistically because something triggers the need to interpret an image in an identifiable form. This process seems to create order in the art part of my brain.
Frequently, I paint abstractly, in a loose and less realistic form, seeking a more open forum to show emotion. These paintings, more than any, present my interpretation of life.
Watercolor was my first medium. I love painting on paper... the skin of the earth. I love the way paint moves on paper, fluid colors merging to create beauty. I love the way images appear. The flow of water moves the paint, mixing colors, creating texture, finding a direction that says "this is what I want to be." But, as much as I love paper, there is a sensual quality in painting on canvas... the feel of the brush traveling across the weave, becoming alive... the way oil yields to pressure, creating a vitality that dances off the canvas. So many mediums, so much to paint, so little time.Gail Stoops
Artist