Relational Ecologies, Ph.D. Research, Western University, London, Ontario 2020-2024
The relationship between a painter and their painting is an often-discussed topic. Evidence of this can be found throughout art history and in the texts which accompany paintings in museums and galleries across the world. The focus of this research is to side-step this relationship and ask what other aspects of a creative process affect the way in which a painting is made. The study questions the extent to which a painter can truly dictate a viewer’s interpretation through their canvas. It explores whether the artist’s intentions are just one among a larger set of influences that collectively impact the outcome of a painting. This research asks how an ecological disposition might affect the creative act and destabilize the painter/painting relationship.