In the past I have not considered myself to be an abstract painter, but some of my recent works have been moving in that direction. Recently completed “Circle of Life” is a good example. In general, I call them “paintscrapes” because I’m using semi-dried paint I scrape off when cleaning my palette. Rather than throw it away I apply it to a blank canvas over an extended period of time, sometimes months. Although it may seem random there is considerable consideration about application of the paint. At some point, a key moment, the painting suggests an idea that it represents and I continue working in that direction. The next key moment in the process is to determine when the painting is finished, something all paintings require, abstract or not!