Thicket

In my project titled “Thicket” I have challenged myself to use the most cliché subject matter in photography, nature, to produce a body of work that offers a fresh perspective and is grounded in pure formalism - no narrative, no “message”, just pictures that possess an inherent beauty based in line, color, space and pattern. Rather than seeking out scenic vistas, dramatic weather events or eye-popping fall colors, I am drawn to the subtle variations in the convergence of vines, branches, grasses, undergrowth and seaweed. Most often I use an “all-over” compositional strategy borrowed from Abstract Expressionism, incorporating dense networks of sinewy lines to tie the composition together and emphasize the rhythms and gesture embedded in the scene. Some of the pieces are quite subtle and require printing to 4x5 feet to reveal the density of information, understated nuances and underlying visual pulse. This is an exploration in photography for the pure joy of the visual experience.