Joan McLane

Surprise
mixed media (fabric, cold wax, oil) on canvas
24 x 24 in.

I paint in oil, incorporating threads and fabric (cheesecloth, linen, silk) to create forms, often figurative, that exist and move in fluid, ambiguous spaces. I explore aspects of movement and emotion, particularly with figures moving in and on the edges of space: figures are in flight or on the verge of flight, some leaping freely into or through space, others on the brink of taking off, hovering precariously on the edge of of some vast open space that is both inviting and terrifying, full of possibility and risk. The relationship between the figures and the spaces they inhabit is open to multiple interpretations: tension, excitement, anxiety, exuberance, exhilaration, freedom and play; many paintings imply potential narratives of mood, emotions, relationships.

© Joan McLane