Artist Statement

I paint what interests me; and, as my interests are broad and varied, almost any idea is fair game. My work encompasses: aviation themes, memories of life in the African bush, explorations of cross-cultural symbolism, statements against war and aggression, days by the sea, and peaceful summer evenings. I have a hard-edged, realistic style, moderated by an occasional touch of whimsy, or the surreal, or even a tapestry-like effect. My training as a geologist has helped me interpret landscapes and seascapes, and the way light plays from multiple sources. Acrylic and watercolors are my media of choice, but I will occasionally turn to pastels or pen and ink for a change of pace.

All art is an abstraction of reality. Even the most realistic painting or photograph is silent about what is happening beyond the edge of the image. I like to give the viewer sufficient visual clues for them to develop a narrative about the scene they are witnessing – but not so much that I am imposing my own story.

-Tom Bailliuel