Artist Statement
The recent paintings have as their subject horses in nature, and the mysterious, complex feelings they inspire. While based on the observation of real animals, these are dream horses, both ephemeral and haunting. Whether running free or carrying a sleeping rider on their backs, they have the spirit and physicality that horses have always embodied.
These horses seem to emerge from the landscape and weather that surrounds them, a melding of figure and space informed by the tradition of Chinese painting. Nature, although softly rendered, is charged and alive. Wind, snow, night, and moonlight each create a specific emotive atmosphere for a horse and rider to inhabit.
Color plays a central, expressive role in these paintings. The colors are not naturalistic, but instead directly evoke sensation and feeling in the viewer. These are expressive works, that suggest rather than describe, inviting the viewer to participate in a poetic experience.
In some works, an interior frame, either painted or achieved through collage, creates a window for the viewer to look into the painting. Within, the viewer may find a single horse that extends beyond the painting's edges. Or panels of a diptych may each hold a galloping animal. In some works, groupings of horses are the focus.
These works are painted in transparent oil glazes on gesso grounds, some of which are highly textured. This process allows for accident and surprise, with the image developed, rather than known in advance. These paintings reflect the playful and open attitude that went into their creation. They are intended to be, for the viewer, accessible, pleasurable, and evocative.
Marian Bingham
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