Artist Statement

My work lies in the spaces between the spontaneous and the planned, the seen and unseen. At times I am methodical; other times, I have no preconceived ideas whatsoever. As an abstract expressionist artist, I am seeking to capture the spirit of joy and movement in my work, choosing a composition that offers aesthetic balance. Each painting tells me when it is finished; I merely listen. I choose titles that speak to me, but I prefer to leave the interpretation of the art to the viewer so that they can ascribe their own personal meaning to the work.

For me, the most important thing in creating is to let go of judgement. It is the hardest thing to do as an artist, to focus on the process and let go of the results. But when I can do that, I create better work. I have to trust that the final product will reflect my vision. I never discard a canvas; magic can be made by using prior iterations as underpainting. The layers provide depth to the work.

Most of all, my paintings express emotions. I want the viewer to feel, to experience, on a level that is personal to them. To let the spirit from within emerge. Each person sees something different.

When someone asks me how long it takes me to create a piece of work, I say it took however many years I have been painting, because that is how long I have been working at my craft, which enabled me to create that particular painting.

And as an artist friend says, "I paint for the soul, not the sofa."

Celeste J. Heery