J. Millay

Artist Statement

I am a hard-edge painter who has developed a signature style through a process of distillation, years of practice and being highly experimental. My acrylic paintings pair one or two symmetrical, colored shapes against different colored backgrounds. I am inspired by my interest in form, color and the limitless relationship between positive and negative space. The color is the controlled emotion, the subject matter and the radiance. By showing what is most essential dynamism is created. The paint is applied as perfectly smooth as possible but with many layers creating a sculptural element. The process is the molding of space and outlining bands of color while still exploring optical possibilities. My focus is my unwavering dedication to abstraction. I aim for optically engaging work in which I can create a bold new language to represent the modern hard-edge movement. I want to encourage observation and sensation. The paintings encapsulate a simpler world then the one we live in: My paintings are a pause, a breath, a stillness that aims to bring the viewer into the present moment.