Joanna Whitney
I like to use the underlying equation suggested by nature as a starting point. Looking deeply at my surroundings with a camera and finding abstraction in chance composition from life, I find my intuition is heightened and I become more sensitive: I can see beauty in everything. To juxtapose the sharpness of the photographic image with texture and brush stroke creates an optical illusion; what is real?
My work is a physical expression of my interaction with God. It is the shell of my spiritual experience and when I am done having my experience, I find that the it is useful to others. I have developed my own style & technique which I call abstract photorealism. I have never seen any other work like mine. I use my own abstract photography as a starting point and a collage element and then I paint with oil. Currently, I use salvaged wood because I like the happenstance composition of decay.
I have been working with these concepts since 2003. I will continue to work in this manner until I am finished. I teach the method which brought me to this manner of working and I call it Intuitive Painting. I also teach Color Theory & Drawing at the Art Institute of Colorado. Being a teacher is an important part of my work, as it is a valuable interaction with my audience.
