artist statements

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The field of psychology and visual art share several areas of investigative interest.
One of these is visual perception. Within this field, this investigation of opstraction has explored the concept of Gestalt.  From prehistoric to modern times,
civilizations have employed repetition and patterns as if to convey a secret
language, mathematics or meaning within visual perception. When investigating the microscopic world, the rituals of patterning reflect the hidden mathematic complexities of diamonds, DNA, cellular structures, and fractal geometry to name just a few of the many examples of patterns nature has to offer towards the concept of gestalt. Patterning and repetition has also had a symbiotic and symbolic relationship with colour and colour theories. Tapestries, fabrics and even the natural world (flora)all exhibit a distinct patterned rhythm associated with
visual display and colourful representation. Art is a visual language and an ideal
vehicle for encompassing these reference points, while exhibiting similar concepts
in pattern, colour, repetition, abstraction and mathematics. I have always been
fascinated by colour and the architecture of paint. The colour inspired visual
language, from advertisement to iconography are a staple feast of our
contemporary cultures and in the natural world, for nature is the greatest
mathematically abstract colourist of us all. Drink in the colour. For "the sum of the pieces make up the whole".                                                                                            

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This investigation of the"Opstraction"series(optical abstraction) encompasses pattern, 
colour, repetition and mathematics, as a starting points.The grid system, which has been used since the 12th century for scaling image larger or smaller was addressed for this series of oil on canvas artwork. The grid system employed to exhibit these ideas is the back drop for rotating patterns and exploring colour combinations within the mathmatical confines of the grid.

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The "Cubestraction"series
This artwork uses a Dada starting point of torn pieces of paper,randomly dropped onto a gesso wet canvas as a compositional starting point, then it is claimed as a                    
colour theory expression with patterns employed for visual continuity. (cubism abstraction)

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                                                              Patrick Thomas Wood

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