ARTIST’S STATEMENT
THE BEAUTY AND WILDNESS OF IMPERFECTION
JAN MADILL
2007

A certain roughness and improvisational quality mark most of my paintings. They are usually many-layered, as is my life. This is probably why I especially like to use oil or acrylic on canvas, as layering, texture and evidence of brushstrokes are natural components of these mediums. One layer often speaks to the next one in surprising ways, and a sense of adventure and curiosity about the next direction keep me fully present as I paint.

For me paint and color are two of the basic blocks of this life. Looking long and hard at the natural world is key as I proceed day to day. I like looking really close up and sometimes as far away as another galaxy. I am also beginning to concentrate more on humans, their faces, their emotions. Dance, poetry and music often inspire my paintings. A part of me is often asking, "What's it all about?", even as I suspect the answers will remain full of mystery. I am more country and wilderness than city, but definitely some of both.

I welcome conversations with people about my art and theirs, using the word in a very broad sense. My work is often open to multiple readings, some but not all of which I perceive ahead of time. I see the world as a very complex, diverse place and hope this is mirrored in my work.