My paintings are abstracted landscapes that explore the intersection of the natural and the man-made. I am fascinated with aerial photography, maps, signs, vehicles and communication systems — all of the trappings that allow us to transport and orient ourselves in the environment. Equally intriguing to me is the “personality” of architecture, which creates a city’s image for better or worse. In addition to buildings, I am interested in psychogeography, or the effects of geographical settings on the emotional state of the individual. The geography that inspired me most in this work is that of Oregon and Washington, where I have lived for the past thirteen years.

In these compositions, I depict several views of a landscape at once. These scenes are in a state of flux, whether I’m painting a flower spreading pollen or a pipe dispensing waste into a stream. Drawing with graphite, charcoal and china markers on the canvas, as well as using quick-drying acrylics, allows me to capture the immediacy or “snapshot” quality I’m looking for.

This is my second series of abstract paintings, painted in 2003 and early 2004. In these paintings, I have combined the whimsical illustration style I’ve used in previous work with abstract painting. Through this body of paintings, I hope to express the mood-altering impressions and inherent narrative embodied in such every day sights as vines, bridges, ladders, wires, tunnels and mountains. - christie at oneroom.org