Richard Keen

ARTIST STATEMENT 

 

"As far back as I can remember I have made sense of the world through art. My abstractions begin from observation. Nature, man-made objects and the spaces between them that often generate geometric shapes and patterns inspire me. I filter which elements of my observations and experiences to focus on by removing unnecessary detail.

 

Some of my finished work reveals direct connections to my experiences, while others are more reductive, leaving room for interpretation. I keep my work moving forward by exploring different perspectives and mediums regularly, including classic oils, spray paint, epoxy, and Styrofoam in an unending effort to not lock my practice into one mode of operation.

       I have three core series. My most abstract body of work, called “Form Singularity," uses painting and sculpture to reference seascapes and boat components such as rudders, keels, and boat building designs in a more minimal and reductive approach to making art.

       “Sea Geometry" paintings, which reference seascapes and coastlines using boat building designs to segment the compositions, began after I started working as a diver in Casco Bay.

       “Abstracted Topographies" more clearly reference trees, landscapes, and coastal vistas around Maine. They are reflections on hikes I take with my family and dogs. I work regularly to unite abstraction and realism through art-making in an effort to frame a common language in everything that I create."