Steve Barylick

I practice kite-flying-like movements in front of the canvas with an 18-carat, gold-plated cake server (an abandoned wedding present), sensing where to put the first layers of white modeling paste.

The server, with its openings, squishes out a textured undercoat that I manipulate into varying textures and patterns that cover only a portion of the canvas while allowing accidents to happen with the free-form shapes.

I own the remaining white space, where combining brush and knife strokes creates the illusion of depth as they begin bending and yielding to each other. With brush in hand, I swoop effortlessly to and fro on hidden air currents, with freedom and purpose to explore every part of the surface before settling on a path.

I listen, act, participate and within the moment of absolute abandonment I am forced to stop. With lines of color flying off the canvas, free-form fluid shapes and swatches of color I’m allowing the colors and lines to speak their unique movement.

Painting is my expression of innocence, harmony and introspection, combining my emotional and personal ideals, aspirations, dreams and goals.