© R. MALCOLM WOODS
Huile sur toile/oil
3ft x 4ft

I live a small rustic house on an acre of land with approximately 500 trees. The house is secluded in the center of the lot, surrounded by trees and a creek. Mature trees create a barrier from a world of cars and cape cod houses, local suburbia. Humanity zooms by seeing only an overgrowth of trees. The forest is an aviary and home to many interesting creatures. This space has been a growing place for me, womb like, nurturing my senses while investing time and energy in my growth. While living in the forest and relating to it daily, I developed a richer sense of appreciation and respect for the earth. I allowed myself to become part of the syncopation and rythm of creation. Because of this, I realized that literal depiction of the forest's physicality would fall short in describing my appreciation and experience with the wild-wood. This extraordinary experience enabled me to break away from literal representation and define my goals within abstract painting.

I am very direct. Because of this, I want my painting to be indirect. I want to be in the painting, creating a good composition that is non-memitic and emits my ideas and experiences. I endeavor to make good paintings that are strong and imbued with feeling, capturing my experience in a state of being that is honest and without reservation.

© R. MALCOLM WOODS
Huile sur toile/oil
3 ft x 4 ft

"Our technology has surpassed our humanity. Maybe someday our humanity can surpass our technology" (HANS HOFMANN)

I started depicting my experience regarding natural space by aknowledging all space as mass. This idea helped me see air and gas as matter. Hofmann's ideology and the independent study of physics helped feed my yearning for the understanding of energy, mass and light, and also helped my evolution of non-mimetic forms. The forms have become the bridge for discussing the spiritual nature of my environment and my physical presence within that environment.

I am currently working towards the creation of my own visual language of signs and symbols. In my search to understand ideographic communication, I have become interested in the African Ejagham pictograph language, Nsibidi. My studio research and art history research is currently focused on African art and cultures complimented by studies in semitiotics. This is where the interest in Nsibidi entered into my studio. I am very interested in forms of communication that incompass concepts. I love words, however, they sometimes create barriers between cultures.

I believe that non-mimetic imagery can deliver a deep sense of feeling, embodying an idea and allowing the viewer to bond with the image without the baggage of representational schema. Communicating with symbols and non-mimetic imagery is the most effective means for me to discuss ideas within a broader concept.

I deographic languages can help humanity grow at faster rate than technology helping all cultures to bond to the ideas of peace and love. Loving acceptance of one another as creatures of the universe will enable us to hold up our differences with the dignity and acceptance that is necessary for a peaceful planet.


(Rachel Malcolm Woods)