Janet Stafford
Artist’s Statement
2008

When I see something and, over a period of time, continue to say or think, “I love that” or “that is beautiful,” then I consider using that as an image in a painting. When I think about something, an idea, and continue to think, “that’s a great idea” or “I like that idea,” then I consider using that idea as a basis for a painting. These images and ideas have varied, ranging from astronomical imagery and mapping to heavy construction and scientific discovery. At present I am attracted to landscape imagery, especially trees.

Making my paintings takes much time, and it is a slow, meditative process. The work is sequential and photographically informed. I visualize and imagine a complete painting before I go out and take photographs for it. The photographs help to clarify my ideas, and I use them as one would use drawings. My current practice of translating photographic images into smaller bits of paint and color has evolved over time, and the resulting abstraction is intriguing. I use a grid format; and my grid is a series of frames; inside one might sense number, narration, relation, and repetition.

I have recently been making iris and piezo prints from slides and scans of my paintings. The prints seem removed, while the paintings seem very present. Often, and depending on its size, a printed image can seem ghostly and insubstantial, even indecipherable, yet still feel photographic.

I am working on a few projects, collaborative and solo. Instead of careful attention to detail, on these projects the focus might be on completing a painting a day; or how another artist’s work influences mine and vice versa and so forth for a defined period of time; or even a series of quick prints made in the woods, similar to the earth and body works of the past.