CAROLYN ZACHARIAS McADAMS

ARTIST STATEMENT

I think of myself as a storyteller where my narratives are expressed in image instead of words. 

At an early age, viewing my father’s work, photographic portraits, I realized the power of emotion portrayed simply by light, composition and staging.  This meant I could tell my tales without saying a word. I have spent long hours looking at stained glass windows in Catholic churches, further informing my ideas of metaphor and story.  It was also these windows that still influence my palette, pure colors directly from the tube that are mixed but rarely muted. Having a fascination with more intimate works, jewelry, doll houses, illuminated manuscripts I found that it was the details and precision in the work that inspired me to work in a small scale. I create each piece to be seen as both delicate and bold simultaneously. The imagery of my work is an outward display of internal thoughts, dreams, anxiety and fears. 

When beginning a piece there is no plan, no theme, no sketches.  I simply start painting and through a “stream of consciousness” way of working, the painting directs the next steps.  This keeps the work exciting for me and I am always surprised by what comes through. These little narratives generally include animals, especially cats and birds.  I’ve always imagined stories in my mind about what animals are thinking and doing and their attitudes and gestures are a large part of my fantasies and dreams.  The landscape creates mood and a sense of place which becomes the backdrop as well as an integral part of the story.

The paintings have no beginning and no end. They are each a part of the same story, changing with time yet always connected.