An excerpt of a Q&A between Colette Standish and Townley Gallery
TG. Have you always worked with mixed media? What drew you to the medium?
CS. Yes, in one form or another: I have used mixed media in my photography for years and, more recently in painting. In particular the Abstracting the Figure project. I find that when I work with mix media it frees up my vision. If I work in one format all the time, I tend to get blocked in. Mixing different medias opens up different dialogues and makes me look at the bigger picture.
TG. How do you determine the subject matter for each series?
CS. Although the figure is always the determining factor, other factors involve both internal and external responses to environmental issues at the time. For example, with these new paintings, I wanted to express a Joie de Vivre Joy of Life; A result of my new surroundings and the impact it has had on me.
TG. In your recent series, featured at Townley Gallery, what lead you to the figure and your interpretation of it?
CS. The figure is always the first point of reference on any given project I work on. With these recent paintings, the figure was at first constructed then deconstructed and finally reconstructed on canvas via plains of abstract color. I have always worked in between the realms of the abstract and the figurative and with this body of work; I wanted to show the application and the workings of both on the same plane. By moving constantly between the two realms, one creates a home between the two.
For the full interview check out Townley Gallery