Interpreting Nature Abstractly- Pam Jersey Bird

I interpret nature in an expressive gestural and abstract manner.  I feel as though I am creating rhythmic visual symphonies when I paint. I want to take my paintings beyond representational accuracy, from what I see to what I experience.

Moving water captivates me. Whychus Creek runs through my neighborhood in Sisters, Oregon and for thirteen years I have been experiencing and observing the water as it moves, sometimes gently and often rapidly. As the seasons change, the light and colors vary. In the summer the foliage is thick, the air is warm, and the water gentle; in the fall the banks are covered with yellow ochre and orange aspen leaves, there is a chill in the air, and the water is rapid; and in winter ice forms in the corners around rocks, and snow covers the pine needles.  I shiver as I walk along. 

From my studio I look out onto the forest. I watch the pine trees sway in the wind and collect snow in the winter. I am inspired by the textures I see, the branches that twist and turn; the needles and aspen leaves that fall and collect in layers; the tangles and debris are a fascination for me. I am a mark maker and the forest floor provides me with endless inspiration.  In my abstract paintings I want to give a hint of  the mysterious and hidden aspects of nature, that which gives all life meaning through my abstract interpretation.

I work in acrylic paint because it dries quickly, allowing me to apply layers and thin glazes of color, stroke upon stroke. I like the effects I can create with acrylic such as incorporating what I call “happy accidents” or the randomness of drips, scraping, wiping back, and mixing color on the canvas. I do not work from sketches, drawings or photos.  My memory of a place and the feelings of that place guide my interpretation as I paint. The result is a unique presentation that takes me far from traditional representation. Every painting is a result of a synergy between the painting and me and emerges as an unexpected gift.

“ I paint not what I see but the feelings they arouse in me.”   Franz Kline