When an artist participates in Art-o-Matic, installation almost always begins with the artist painting their partition wall. Sometimes the wall is painted a simple white; other times a more outlandish color. Either way, a critical decision has been made: the construction-grade plywood wall is not an adequate ground for presenting the artist’s work. The painted wall, bright colors, mounted works and other embellishments compete for the viewer’s attention. Among the hundreds of installations, artists seek to not be drowned out by the visual noise. But by doing so, are they just creating more noise?

I am interested in dealing with the environment I have been given on its own terms. For me, wood – whether it be cheap plywood or exotic hardwood – is inherently beautiful. My goal as an artist is to create a space for contemplation and appreciation. By process of negation, I remove material until I have less than when I started. The gesture of the hand-drilled holes arranged in a specific composition strives to bring the viewer’s attention inward, to the beauty of the wood. In effect, my work only serves to bring forward that which is already there. For me, the provided wall is more than enough.