Artist Statement

I love colours. I love the freedom and the apprehension of standing in front of a blank surface where anything is possible, where the only limitation is my imagination. I love the moment when colours, shapes and textures are in flux, when I hold my breath uncertain how to proceed and hoping for serendipity. For me, painting is a state of grace full of small epiphanies. As Picasso once said,  

“Mais madame! Je ne cherche pas, je trouve!"  

My style has evolved over the years. It started with my love for abstract expressionism, the freedom of it, the apparent lack of rules, in contrast to my day job as a graphic designer and art director where there were multiple constraints dictated by clients’ objectives and budgets. Until three years ago I practised a mix of abstract expressionism and “process painting,” where the act of painting is the point and the painter is an instrument of that act. I avoided planning or conveying meaning. Recently, I have transitioned to a more compositional style, incorporating design concepts and graphic elements.
My latest paintings, on TerraSkin panels mounted on canvas or cradled boards, reflect this new approach.  My works exist as objects, just like chairs or trees. They do not need labels or come with explanations.

My own reaction to paintings is based on the tension (or lack of it) among the various elements – composition, shapes, colours and textures. My response is primarily emotional, but also the result of years of viewing other artists’ work and of painting myself. I hope my paintings evoke a similar instinctive response in viewers.    

Didier Fiszel